Dallas recognized for being a pet friendly city

Dallas recognized for being a pet friendly city

Dallas is one of the first cities in the country to receive an official BETTER CITY FOR PETS™ certification, as part of the Mars Petcare BETTER CITIES FOR PETS™ program. This certification showcases Dallas’ commitment to creating a pet-friendly community. Dallas is on the forefront of creating a vibrant community where pets are not only welcome but thrive.

“This has been an exciting year for DAS,” said Ed Jamison, director of Dallas Animal Services. “Even with record high animal intakes, we exceeded a 90% live release rate for the first time in the organization’s history and maintained that rate for four months in a row. Additionally, we have seen a 16% decrease in loose and loose owned dog bites, demonstrating that we can maximize lifesaving while also increasing public safety. We still have a lot of work ahead of us, but this certification is evidence that we are moving in the right direction.”

The certification, created in partnership with urban-planning organization, Civic Design Center, evaluates cities based on 12 traits of pet-friendly cities across four categories: businesses, parks, shelters and homes.

“The City of Dallas is committed to continuing to build a community that offers its residents and their pets a great quality of life,” said Mayor Eric Johnson. “I am thrilled to see the hard work of Dallas Animal Services, our nonprofit partners, and animal loving residents recognized on a national scale through the BETTER CITIES FOR PETS Program.”

For the past two years, DAS has focused on launching innovative programs and utilizing industry best practices to maximize the numbers of lives saved by the shelter, the number of animals returned home to their owners, and the overall quality of life of pets in the shelter and in homes. With the launch of its Dallas90 campaign last November, DAS announced its intention to achieve a sustainable live release rate above 90% and ensure Dallas has the best pet owners in the country. The BETTER CITY FOR PETS™ certification has been achieved thanks to those efforts, but DAS wants to remind residents that there is still work to be done.

“This certification is a huge honor, but it does not mean that our hard work is done,” said Jamison. “There are still challenges in our community that need to be addressed, such as the need for pet owner education, improved access to affordable, pet-friendly housing, increased resources for accessible veterinary treatment for ill pets, and more.”

In January, Mars Petcare launched the BETTER CITY FOR PETS™ certification, an extension of the BETTER CITIES FOR PETS™ program which works with local government, businesses and non-profits to help communities make four-legged friends welcome. Applicants that received a certification demonstrated their commitment to creating a pet-friendly community and fostering the well-being of all citizens and pet companions.

“We established the BETTER CITY FOR PETS™ certification to celebrate cities that are creating positive and welcoming environments for people and their pets and encourage more cities to recognize the benefits of our four-legged friends,” said Jam Stewart, vice president of Corporate Affairs at Mars Petcare. “We’re excited to announce the inaugural group of certified cities and look forward to continuing this progress with The BETTER CITIES FOR PETS program.”

DAS encourages local business to promote their pet-friendly policies and practices. That’s why DAS will soon have window clings available for pet-friendly businesses to display at their locations to notify customers that their business welcomes pets indoors or on their patio. To get one for your business, please click here. Additionally, DAS is working to generate a database of pet-friendly businesses, workplaces and rental units to share with residents and tourists.

For other pet-friendly businesses promotional materials, visit www.bettercitiesforpets.store.

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