RANKED: The UK’s Most Pet-Friendly Cities
Which areas have the most garden space, dog parks, vets and dog-friendly pubs? Read on as we reveal the UK’s most pet-friendly cities!
Under the new legislation, renters can more easily own pets. Meanwhile, the pandemic inspired many to find new four-legged friends. With a pet in more than 62% of households in the UK, pet-friendly locations are more sought-after than ever.
Nottingham has the greatest number of pet owners
With the country’s highest population of pet owners, data shows residents of Nottingham are most likely to share their home with a fluffy family member.
| Ranking | City | The Population of Pet Owners* |
| 1 | Nottingham | 51% |
| 2 | Edinburgh | 50% |
| 2 | Glasgow | 50% |
| 3 | Exeter | 49% |
| 3 | Bath | 49% |
| 4 | Durham | 47% |
| 5 | Leicester | 45% |
| 6 | Manchester | 43% |
| 7 | Cambridge | 41% |
| 8 | City of London | 35% |
| 9 | Oxford | 26% |
| 10 | Brighton | 19% |
| 11 | York | 19% |
| 12 | Liverpool | 17% |
*Based on population data using groomarts.com
Exeter has the highest number of properties with gardens
If you’re looking for a new family home with a large garden for you and your furry friends to enjoy, explore houses for sale in Exeter – this winning city has the most properties with gardens in the UK.
| Ranking | City | Houses with Gardens* |
| 1 | Exeter | 99% |
| 2 | Bath | 95% |
| 3 | Nottingham | 79% |
| 4 | Edinburgh | 75% |
| 5 | City of London | 65% |
| 6 | Liverpool | 63% |
| 7 | Durham | 60% |
| 7 | York | 60% |
| 8 | Manchester | 42% |
| 9 | Cambridge | 39% |
| 10 | Glasgow | 33% |
| 11 | Brighton | 27% |
| 12 | Newcastle-Upon-Tyne | 24% |
| 13 | Oxford | 17% |
| 14 | Leicester | 16% |
*Based on data collected via ONS data sources.
Liverpool has the most parks and green spaces
You’ll never be short of finding green spaces in Liverpool as you can choose from 151 different parks and open areas. Whether you want to go for a game of catch or a morning walk with your dog, you’ve got plenty of choices here.
| Ranking | City | Number of Parks & Green Spaces Per Person* |
| 1 | Liverpool | 151 |
| 2 | Leicester | 90 |
| 3 | Bath | 31 |
| 4 | Durham | 130 |
| 5 | York | 33 |
| 6 | Exeter | 19 |
| 7 | Manchester | 28 |
| 8 | City of London | 53 |
| 9 | Glasgow | 43 |
| 10 | Cambridge | 8 |
| 11 | Oxford | 8 |
| 12 | Brighton | 25 |
| 13 | Newcastle-upon-Tyne | 32 |
| 14 | Edinburgh | 13 |
| 15 | Nottingham | 9 |
*Based on data collected via city and council official websites and weighted alongside city populations via Wikipedia in 2022.
The City of London has the most vets for your pets
As the place with the highest ratio of vets to pet owners in the country, you’ll be thrilled to know your four-legged friend can access the best care money can buy in the City of London.
| Ranking | City | Vets to Pet Owners Ratio* |
| 1 | City of London | 227 |
| 2 | Manchester | 84 |
| 3 | Oxford | 58 |
| 4 | Exeter | 41 |
| 5 | Bath | 22 |
| 6 | Leicester | 43 |
| 7 | Durham | 71 |
| 8 | Cambridge | 18 |
| 9 | Brighton | 73 |
| 10 | Newcastle-upon-Tyne | 58 |
| 11 | Edinburgh | 34 |
| 12 | Liverpool | 14 |
| 13 | Nottingham | 34 |
| 14 | Glasgow | 19 |
| 15 | York | 2 |
*Based on data collected via Find a Vet Directory and weighted alongside city populations via Wikipedia in 2022.
Glasgow has the most dog-friendly pubs
Whether you live in Glasgow or choose to visit the city for a small getaway break – you’ll be glad to know your pups are most welcome! With a whopping 824 dog-friendly pubs in Glasgow, you’ll never have to think twice about leaving your dog home for a night out with mates.
| Ranking | City | Dog-Friendly Pubs to Population Ratio* |
| 1 | Glasgow | 824 |
| 2 | Cambridge | 152 |
| 3 | Exeter | 79 |
| 4 | Brighton | 345 |
| 5 | City of London | 211 |
| 6 | Oxford | 55 |
| 7 | Liverpool | 70 |
| 8 | Nottingham | 183 |
| 9 | Manchester | 48 |
| 10 | York | 46 |
| 11 | Bath | 12 |
| 12 | Edinburgh | 28 |
| 13 | Leicester | 13 |
| 14 | Durham | 17 |
| 15 | Newcastle-upon-Tyne | 9 |
*Based on data collected via Dog Friendly [category ‘Pubs’] and weighted alongside city populations via Wikipedia in 2022.
THE RESULTS: Which city is the most pet-friendly in the UK?
Exeter is the most pet-friendly city of 2022
Exeter outranks every other city in the UK as the most pet-friendly place in the country, scoring high in all our pet-friendly criteria. The historic city ranks in the top three for the number of pet owners per city and the highest number of gardens per property, which helped the area to become the most pet-friendly city.
You can also find yourself surrounded by various pet-friendly accommodations, cafes, and restaurants, with plenty of opportunities to walk off lead.
Although some beaches only allow dogs at certain times of the year, there are still plenty of places to take your pooch. The Exe Estuary is famous for walkers and birdwatchers, with various types of birds and wildfowl visiting throughout the year.
Are you looking to include a furry friend in your new home?
If you’re planning on purchasing a Shared Ownership property, there are sometimes rules on whether pets are allowed based on the home you’re buying.
Every housing provider will have their own terms and conditions surrounding this, which you can discuss with them beforehand. However, the terms of your lease will also outline whether you can keep pets in your home and may even specify the type of pets allowed.
Method
- We collected the population of houses with gardens using ONS.
- We collected the population data of ‘parks and green spaces’ via official council websites and sourced the number of dog-friendly pubs and vets using Find a Vet Directory and Dog Friendly.