New York was ranked the worst state in America for pet owners—here’s why

New Yorkers will happily push a dog around in a stroller and give it a wardrobe nicer than their own. But according to a new study, all that devotion apparently doesn’t make New York a particularly great place to actually own a pet.

RECOMMENDED: The 10 best dog-friendly restaurants in NYC right now

In fact, New York just ranked dead last among the 48 contiguous states in a new analysis of the best states for pet owners. The study, conducted by animal health company Mad Barn, compared states across 16 factors grouped into three categories: affordability and care, pet-friendly lifestyle and safety and environment. Researchers considered everything from veterinary costs and pet insurance premiums to pet-friendly rentals, restaurants and hotels, as well as animal protection laws and shelter intake.

New York earned a total score of just 29.12 out of 100, placing it 48th overall. And, perhaps unsurprisingly to anyone who has recently opened a vet bill with one eye closed, cost was a major culprit. According to the study, New York has the highest average cost of a veterinary visit in the country, at $76.95. It also has the highest combined average cost for vaccinations and spaying or neutering, at $688.78. Finding a vet may be harder here, too, with just 17.41 veterinarians per 100,000 residents, the second-lowest concentration among the states analyzed.

The study also found that just 49.7-percent of New York households own a pet. That might sound surprising in a city where seemingly every other apartment contains a French bulldog, but it’s well below pet ownership rates in many of the states at the top of the ranking.

So where should Fido pack his bags for? Montana took the No. 1 spot, thanks in part to its relatively abundant veterinarians and affordable veterinary care. Nebraska came in second, followed by North Dakota, Kansas and Wyoming. The latter boasts the highest pet ownership rate in the country, with animals living in 71.8-percent of households.

Of course, none of this measures access to Central Park squirrel chasing, dog-friendly bars or the sheer number of strangers willing to tell you that your dog is cute. On those metrics, we’d like a recount.