Puppies for Sale in Missouri, MO

Missouri is a great state for dog-lovers! The state has great pet-friendly activities, housing, and animal safety laws. 

Pawsafe, an animal safety ranker, conducted a study ranking all 50 states according to their pet-friendliness. They reached their ranking through several different factors, including animal cruelty laws, pet-friendly accommodations, pet services, and the number of dog parks and hiking trails.

In their study, Missouri is ranked as the 20th most pet-friendly state. The state also scored well for its animal welfare laws related to abuse, neglect, fighting, or pet care standards.

A separate study by Safewise also ranked Missouri quite well. In their study, Missouri is ranked as the 24th most pet-friendly state. Overall, Missouri ranks towards the middle of the pack of pet-friendly states but has some strong pros for dog owners.

Are cities in Missouri pet-friendly?

Review site WalletHub ran a study of the biggest 100 cities in the United States, and how pet-friendly they are according to several factors. Here’s how a few Missouri Cities ranked.

St. Louis

In their study, St. Louis was the 6th most pet-friendly city. It ranked 39th for outdoor pet-friendliness, 18th for pet budget, and 16th for pet health and wellness. 

A Trust for Public Land (TPL) study also reviews the country’s 100 largest cities to see which has the most dog parks per capita. St. Louis ranked 30th on the list at 1.6 per 100,000 residents.

Kansas City

Kansas City, MO also did well, ranking 46th overall in the WalletHub survey. They also ranked 58th for outdoor pet-friendliness, 12th for pet budget, and 86th for pet health and wellness.

A few more facts for dog-lovers in Missouri

BringFido lists Missouri as a pet-friendly travel destination with over 2138 verified pet-friendly hotels and motels.

Forty-five percent of Missouri residents own a dog, which is above the national dog ownership rate of 40%. 

According to the American Kennel Club (AKC), the most popular dogs in Missouri are Labradors, French Bulldogs, and German Shepherds. Other popular breeds include Yorkshire Terriers, Boxers, and Chihuahuas. 

Animal welfare & dog shelters in Missouri

Missouri saved 91,835 dogs and cats during 2020. Approximately 3,777 animals were killed over this same period. 

One hundred forty-six out of 175 of the animal shelters within Missouri are no-kill shelters. The percentage of no-kill shelters is high, and the state has an above-average save rate of 89%. This is barely short of the 90% mark needed to be considered a no-kill state. We love to see it, Missouri!