The UK Areas Paws-itively Perfect for May Half-Term Trips

• Teignbridge in Devon tops the list as the UK’s most dog-friendly staycation spot
• Two more Devon areas also make the top 20, South Hams and Torridge
• The study analysed the number of dog parks, vets, pet grooming services, pet sitting services, pet supplies stores, pet cafés, animal shelters and beaches in each UK area

If you’re planning a May Half-Term staycation and can’t imagine leaving your dog behind, you might want to head to Devon. Teignbridge has just been named the best area in the UK for dog owners, thanks to its abundance of pet-friendly amenities, from dog parks and beaches to grooming services, cafés and even pet-sitting options.

Pet accessories shop Fur King used Foursquare Places data to analyse eight factors related to owning a dog for 355 local authorities in the UK. These factors were the number of dog parks, veterinarians, pet grooming services, pet sitting services, pet supplies stores, pet cafés, animal shelters and beaches. For every area, a score out of 10 was given to each factor, which was relative to the area’s population. Based on these scores, an overall score out of 100 was calculated for each area, which determined the ranking.

The 20 best areas for dog owners

Rank	Area	Dog parks	Vets	Pet Grooming Services	Pet Sitting Services	Pet Supplies Stores	Pet Cafés	Animal Shelters	Beaches	Overall Score Out of 100
1	Teignbridge	12	35	13	12	73	1	6	7	70.7
2	Rother	4	10	16	20	50	0	9	12	62.9
3	South Hams	6	20	3	15	45	0	8	22	61
4	Ribble Valley	6	12	8	6	35	1	2	0	60
5	East Lindsey	3	27	22	19	103	0	8	25	59.9
6	Torridge	0	18	11	19	36	0	5	8	59.1
7	Stroud	15	24	9	2	48	1	12	0	58.7
8	Maldon	3	15	6	11	40	0	2	6	57.5
9	Wealden	6	35	15	24	87	0	13	4	57.2
10	Cornwall	21	100	40	61	228	1	33	106	56.9
11	Dorset	18	80	43	36	176	0	21	35	55.7
12	Dumfries and Galloway	2	29	11	17	57	1	6	15	55.1
13.(=)	Perth and Kinross	5	24	11	23	60	1	3	5	55
13.(=)	Blackpool	8	15	13	5	52	1	7	9	55
14	East Riding of Yorkshire	17	50	23	32	137	1	12	22	54.7
15	Wyre	8	18	12	13	58	0	5	7	54.6
16	Malvern Hills	8	13	7	13	56	0	4	0	53.9
17	Ceredigion	4	13	4	10	25	0	6	10	53.7
18	North Warwickshire	5	9	8	12	29	0	1	2	53
19	Highland	20	32	10	17	57	1	4	80	52.5

Topping the list as the best area to own a dog in the UK is Teignbridge in Devon, with an overall score of 70.7 out of 100 in the study. This district includes the towns of Newton Abbot, Ashburton, Buckfastleigh, Dawlish, Kingsteignton and Teignmouth. The area scored highly as it is home to a pet café, 12 dog parks and seven beaches.

In second place is Rother in East Sussex, with a score of 62.9 out of 100. The district includes Battle, Bexhill-on-Sea, Burwash, Northiam, Sedlescombe, Rye, Ticehurst, and Winchelsea. The district has 12 beaches, nine animal shelters and 50 pet supplies stores.

South Hams is third, with a score of 61 out of 100. The Devonshire district is based in the town of Totnes and contains Ivybridge, Dartmouth, Kingsbridge and Salcombe. South Hams has an impressive 22 beaches, 20 vets and 45 pet supplies stores.

Fourth on the list is Ribble Valley in Lancashire, with an overall score of 60 out of 100. The borough includes the towns of Clitheroe and Longridge and is home to six dog parks, a pet café and eight pet grooming services.

East Lindsey in Lincolnshire follows in fifth place, with a score of 59.9 out of 100. The area includes the towns of Skegness, Horncastle, Alford and Burgh le Marsh and is home to 22 pet grooming services, 103 pet supplies stores and 25 beaches.

Torridge takes the sixth spot, scoring 59.1 out of 100. This district in Devon contains the towns of Bideford, Great Torrington, Holsworthy and Northam. Torridge has 18 vets, 11 pet grooming services and 19 pet sitting services.

In seventh place is Stroud in Gloucestershire, with a score of 58.7. As well as the town of Stroud, the district includes Berkeley, Dursley, and Nailsworth. The area is home to a pet café, 12 animal shelters and 15 dog parks.

Maldon in Essex ranks eighth, with a score of 57.5. Aside from the town of Maldon, the area includes the town of Burnham-on-Crouch and numerous villages. Maldon district is home to six beaches, 40 pet supplies stores and 15 vets.

Ninth on the list is Wealden, scoring 57.2 out of 100. This East Sussex district includes the towns of Hailsham, Crowborough, Polegate and Uckfield. Wealden is home to 13 animal shelters, 87 pet supplies stores and six dog parks.

Completing the 10 best areas in the UK for dog owners is Cornwall, which scored 56.9 out of 100 in the study. The area includes the towns of Newquay, Falmouth, Bodmin and the city of Truro. Cornwall is home to a pet café, 106 beaches and 100 vets.

Tom Sadler, Founder of Fur King, adds:

“Through analysing these factors, current and future dog owners are provided with a unique insight into the best areas to explore or even consider moving, to give their pets the best possible life.

“It is fantastic to observe the high number of dog-friendly parks, beaches and even pet cafés in various areas in the UK to not only enhance the quality of life for dogs, but also to make the lives of owners easier.”