Is Massachusetts Considered A Pet-Loving State?

By Jeff Parker

February 15, 2024 03:30pm

Fact Checked by Thomas Leary

Alright folks, who knew that April 11 is National Pet Day? Beginning in 2006, National Pet Day was created to celebrate the well-documented benefits to pet ownership, which include a decrease in stress levels and an increase in physical health.

Every year on April 11, millions of American pet owners relish the opportunity to cherish and love their fur babies a little extra. But which state loves their pets the most?

At BetMassachusetts.com, we typically stick to providing Massachusetts sports betting promos, but we decided to take a new angle when National Pet Day rolled around this year.

To do so, we used data from the American Veterinary Medical Association’s Pet Ownership and Demographics Sourcebook to calculate which states had the highest percentage of pet ownership.

Most Pet-Loving States

Rank	State	% of Pet Ownership
1	Wyoming	71.8
2	West Virginia	71
3	Idaho	70
4	Vermont	70
5	Indiana	69.2
6	Arkansas	69
7	Mississippi	65.5
8	Oklahoma	65
9	Kentucky	64.1
10	North Dakota	63.7
11	Maine	63.5
12	Missouri	63.5
13	Washington	63
14	Kansas	62.8
15	Michigan	62.4
16	Ohio	62.4
17	Montana	62
18	South Carolina	62
19	Tennessee	61.7
20	Pennsylvania	60.6
21	New Mexico	60
22	Alabama	59.8
23	Oregon	59.2
24	Iowa	59
25	North Carolina	59
26	Wisconsin	59
27	Utah	58.5
28	Texas	58.2
29	Arizona	58
30	Delaware	57.9
31	Florida	56
32	Virginia	55.5
33	Louisiana	54
34	Minnesota	54
35	Nevada	53
36	New Hampshire	52
37	Nebraska	51.3
38	Georgia	51
39	Connecticut	50
40	New York	50
41	Massachusetts	49
42	Illinois	48.6
43	Maryland	48.6
44	New Jersey	47.4
45	Colorado	47.2
46	South Dakota	46
47	Rhode Island	45.4
48	California	40.1
49	*Alaska	0
50	*Hawaii	0

Why So Low For Massachusetts?

Some may be disappointed to see Massachusetts all the way down at number 41 on the list, with 49% of people sharing their home with a pet. This wouldn't have been the expected number if you were betting with a sportsbook like BetMGM Massachusetts.

But although just under half of the state is a pet owner, Massachusetts residents do love their pets. In fact, according to CNBC, of all states, they spend the second most money on their dogs each year, with the average canine costing $2702.62 per year. Only Delaware ranks higher at $2864.49 annually.

The state is also home to the Massachusetts Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals. Founded by Harvard Law grad George Thorndike Angell in 1868, it is one of the oldest humane societies in the country. Thorndike Angell is still ed today for his pioneering work to legislate several laws to protect the welfare of animals.

Last year the MSPCA placed 4,460 animals into adoptive homes across Massachusetts. This is part of an on-going trend that sees more and more people choosing to “adopt not shop.” According to the American Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals (ASPCA), nationwide 1.6 million cats and 1.6 million dogs are rescued from shelters each year.

Additionally, the American Veterinary Medical Association (AVMA)’s Pet Ownership and Demographics Sourcebook states that dog-ownership across the country has gone up from 38% in 2016 to 45% in 2020.

While the number of cat owners hasn’t seen as dramatic of a rise — up one percent over the same time period, from 25% to 26% — it’s still clear pet parenthood is on the rise.

We hope you enjoyed this item, and that we also cover everything related to Massachusetts betting apps.

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Author

Jeff Parker

Jeff Parker is an entertainment writer for BetMassachusetts.com. A writer for film, television and the internet, Jeff is a life long movie buff, with a Masters Degree in Popular Culture. He lives in Halifax, Nova Scotia, where he works full time as documentary filmmaker and producer.