New research has revealed America’s most dog-friendly states, with Vermont coming out on top.

And coming in at 50 was Louisiana.

The study by pet wellbeing experts OurFitPets.com analyzed each state and weighed it against key metrics to determine which state is best for dog owners. Metrics that were considered included access to parks and nature, dog-friendly rentals, access to veterinarians, the number of dog sitters, and the state’s crime rates. Each state received a score based on how dog-friendly they were considered. These scores were then tallied to create a leader board.

Vermont came in first place. This study revealed that the state has 62 veterinarians per 100,000 residents (56.5% above the state average), meaning Vermont residents will not have to search far and wide to find their perfect veterinarian. Vermont also ranked fourth for the highest number of dog sitters per 100,000 residents, with 16.73.

Colorado places second and boasts the highest dog-walking score by having 24 registered dog sitters per 100,000 residents – a whopping 251.3% higher than the state average of seven.

Ranking third is Wyoming. It scores similarly to Vermont and Colorado with dog sitters but surpasses both in nature points with only 9.8 citizens having to share 1km of parks and wildlife area – 6,838.7% lower than the state average of 680 citizens.

Coming in fourth place is Oregon, which has a high nature score and has 34.46 kilometers of parkland and wildlife parks – 6,693.7% above the state average of 50.723.

Finalizing our top five, we have Washington. It scored a solid 10 when ranked for dog sitters with 16.73 dog sitter per 100,000 citizens. Washington also beats the average safety score by 30.6%.

But what about Louisiana?

New Iberia has three dog-friendly parks and one designated just for dogs. New Iberia also had 18 different places for dog boarding, grooming or veterinarian care.

Our Fit Pets told the Daily Iberian, “It would benefit the citizens of Louisiana to know that the state ranked bottom in this study because it would provide them with valuable information on areas where the state could improve in terms of dog-friendliness.

“Knowing that Louisiana ranked poorly in the study could help to raise awareness of the issue and potentially motivate local authorities and community members to take action to improve conditions for dogs and their owners in the state,” they said. “Additionally, knowing the results of the study could also help Louisianans to better plan and prepare for their own dog-related needs, such as finding a dog-friendly rental or choosing a veterinarian in a more dog-friendly state.”

Maine comes in ninth place overall thanks to scoring highest of all the states for safety points (252.2% lower than any other state) and accumulated a respectable six veterinarian points due to beating the state average by 37.6%.

Arizona finalizes our top 10 table due to having a whopping 45.06% of rental homes marked as pet friendly – 68.2% higher than the state average.

Commenting on the findings, a spokesperson from OurFitPets.com said, “As a nation of animal lovers, we know how important it is to find the perfect home for our pets, which is both scenic and safe. It’s wonderful to see Vermont rank so high in this study, thanks to its low crime rate, and high number of veterinarians and dog sitters.”

OurFitPets.com say they offer expert advice specializing in pet adoption, health, hygiene, training, behavior, fitness, grooming, nutrition and psychology.

Best Vs. Worst:

Crime Rates

States with the lowest violent crime rate (per 100,000 citizens):

Maine – 109

New Hampshire – 146

Vermont – 173

Connecticut – 182

New Jersey – 195

States with the highest violent crime rate (per 100,000 citizens):

Alaska – 838

New Mexico – 778

Tennessee – 673

Arkansas – 672

Louisiana – 639

Dog-Friendly Apartments

States with the highest number of dog-friendly apartments (listed for rent on Zillow):

Georgia – 47.54%

North Carolina – 45.55%

Indiana – 45.50%

Arizona – 45.06%

Tennessee – 43.74%

States with the lowest dog-friendly apartments (listed for rent on Zillow):

Rhode Island – 9.94%

Hawaii – 10.94%

Louisiana – 12.19%

Connecticut – 12.38%

New Jersey – 13.12%

Parks & Wildlife Areas

States with the highest total parks and wildlife area (acres):

Alaska – 143,904,000

California – 19,623,000

Arizona – 7,704,000

Nevada – 6,580,000

Colorado – 6,185,000

States with the lowest total parks and wildlife area (acres):

Rhode Island – 65,000

Delaware – 111,000

South Carolina – 247,000

Connecticut – 248,000

Kentucky – 307,000

VetsStates with the most vets (per 100,000 citizens):

Vermont – 61.96

Montana – 49.81

New Hampshire – 41.04

Colorado – 39.92

South Dakota – 37.97

States with the least vets (per 100,000 citizens):

Arkansas – 15.86

Utah – 16.18

West Virginia – 16.83

Nevada – 17.49

Texas – 18.29

Dog Sitters

States with the most dog sitters (per 100,000 citizens):

Colorado – 24.24

Oregon – 23.64

Washington – 17.79

Vermont – 16.73

Hawaii – 16.09

States with the least dog sitters (per 100,000 citizens):

Mississippi – 1.05

West Virginia – 1.12

Alabama – 1.77

Iowa – 1.91

Kentucky – 2.08