Pets hold a special place in our hearts, and the benefits of owning one are innumerable. Pets provide unconditional love, companionship and a reason to get out and exercise. They even make it easier to meet people. Pets don’t judge, they don’t talk back (at least most of the time) and they’re always happy to see us. We think of them as true friends, siblings and children. Some of us have been known to spoil our animals as much, if not more than our spouse or children. We all want to provide the best care we can for our beloved furry family members.

What we might not think about (but we should), is everything that rolls into taking good care of our pets, especially when it comes to cost. That’s not to say that we’d forego the joy of being a pet owner, but planning for the expenses that go along with owning a pet, and building them into our budget is a smart thing to do — for both our budget and the wellbeing of our pets.

WalletHub has put together some great info on the most pet-friendly cities in the U.S. based on three key factors, most of which ultimately impact the cost to keep Fido or Whiskers well cared for:

• Budget – vet, care provider and insurance costs
• Health & Wellness – numbers of vets, caretakers, pet supply businesses, pet friendly hotels, pet meetup groups, home square footage, etc.
• Outdoor friendliness – weather, dog parks, pet friendly trails, walk scores

Spoiler alert: Orlando comes in at #1 most pet-friendly city, and sadly, New York is the least friendly city for pets. (We’re sure that New York’s pets are well-loved, it just costs more and requires more planning to give them the care they need.)