Photo courtesy PetSmart Midland, Tex., ranks as the top U.S. city for dog adoption and care, according to new data from PetSmart Charities, which evaluated adoption activity alongside spending on dog products. The ranking comes as the organization's in-store dog adoptions reportedly rose 11 percent in 2025, surpassing 90,000 from the previous year. While interest in dogs remains strong, many—especially large breeds—reportedly continue to spend longer in shelters, prompting expanded in-store adoption efforts. "From metropolitan areas to growing suburbs and smaller communities across the country, these 25 cities show that love for dogs is universal and can transform pets' lives, and also their own," says Aimee Gilbreath, president of PetSmart Charities. Top 25 dog-loving cities: Midland, Texas Bloomington, Illinois Florence, Kentucky Lexington, Kentucky Falls Church, Virginia Portland, Oregon Winter Garden, Florida Parker, Colorado Warner Robins, Georgia Plymouth Meeting, Pennsylvania Glendale, Colorado Yuma, Arizona Amarillo, Texas New York, New York Sunset Valley, Texas Johnson City, Tennessee Woodbridge, Virginia Daly City, California Fort Collins, Colorado Antioch, California Olathe, Kansas Queen Creek, Arizona Pensacola, Florida Vienna, Virginia Germantown, Maryland "Top Dog Cities are home to passionate pet parents who treat their dogs like family, and we're seeing that reflected in how they shop," says Matt Byrnes, senior vice president of merchandising at PetSmart. Rankings were based on PetSmart Charities’ adoption data and customer spending on dog products—including toys, treats, collars, beds, apparel, and salon services—from Jan. 8, 2025, to Jan. 7, 2026. Data were adjusted for the number of store locations per city and weighted: 37 percent adoptions, 63 percent product sales. For more information, visit the PetSmart website.
