Puppies for Sale in Texas, TX

We’ve looked at several studies to evaluate where states rank in pet-friendliness and safety, and the great state of Texas is basically right in the middle. Texas has some really excellent places to raise your dogs, with a few key drawbacks you might want to consider.

Pawsafe ranks Texas 30th in terms of pet-friendliness. In a similar study, Safewise ranked Texas as the 28th most pet-friendly state. These studies examine numerous factors, including pet care costs, walkability, the number of pet-friendly rentals, and animal welfare laws. All these factors help us see how happy and safe our pets and the animals around them can be.

Texas has a relatively high percentage of pet-friendly rentals at 29%. That puts the state in the top five for pet-friendly rentals. In fact, 43.4% of Texas residents own a dog – above the national average of 40%. Overall, Texas has a slightly above average pet ownership rate of 58%. Texas clearly loves its pets!

The best cities for pet ownership in Texas

Texas is a big place – so what about individual cities? WalletHub analyzed the most pet-friendly cities in the United States and Texas cities performed pretty well! 

WalletHub rated Austin, Plano, Fort Worth, Houston, and Corpus Christi the most pet-friendly cities, at 15th, 20th, 35th, 36th, and 39th out of 100 cities around the U.S.

A few other Texas cities rank further down the list. El Paso, Lubbock, San Antonio, and Dallas ranked 52nd, 55th, 71st, and 72nd, respectively. Irving, near Dallas, has a relatively high concentration of dog parks, with 1.2 parks per 100,000 residents. They tied for 40th among major cities.

Austin ranks most pet-friendly city in Texas

Austin ranks high in almost every study as a happy place for dogs. SmartAsset found Austin to be the 19th most pet-friendly city in the country.

Some of Austin’s notable qualities included over 513 dog-friendly restaurants. Austin also has the most dog-friendly shopping centers of any city, with 28. There are 65 pet stores and offices for every 10,000 establishments in the state.

The Trust for Public Land (TPL) found that Austin has the 24th highest number of dog parks per capita, with 1.8 dog parks per 100,000 residents. 

Animal welfare & dog shelters in Texas

We’re sad to sy that in 2019, Texas ranked second in shelter pet deaths and euthanasia. The state had previously ranked first for shelter pet deaths, so at least it is improving. Plus, Texas saved 44,601 more animals in 2020 than in 2019. 

The state has an overall save rate of 81.6%. A 90% save rate is required to be a no-kill state. We’re happy to see more and more movement toward protecting the animal community and placing pups in happy homes.