Who let the dogs out of New Hampshire and Connecticut?
Those two New England states possess the lowest percentage of dog owners, according to the American Veterinary Medical Association’s 2017-2018 Pet Ownership and Demographics Sourcebook.
The nationwide survey revealed that just 24 percent of New Hampshire and Connecticut households had a dog at the end of 2016. In fact, the New England region lagged overall, with only 27 percent of households making room for a dog. Maine was an outlier at 36 percent.
On the other hand, the East South Central region — Alabama, Kentucky, Mississippi and Tennessee — led the pack at 47 percent of households with a dog, or an average of 1.9 dogs in canine-friendly homes. Idaho was the No. 1 dog-loving state at 58 percent.
New England did better with cats. Vermont and Maine ranked first and second, with 45 percent and 44 percent of households, respectively, making room for a feline. Nearby Rhode Island, however, appeared to shun cats, with just 17 percent of households having one. Maryland, New Jersey and Louisiana were next in line at 19 percent each.
When it came to a pet of any kind — from dog to snake to chicken — Wyoming was the national leader at 72 percent of households caring for one. West Virginia was No. 2 at 71 percent.
The sourcebook is available for purchase at http://bit.ly/2DInDbM.