Cities Can Now Get a Special Certification for Being Pet-Friendly and Humane to Animals

Cities hoping to get the new Better City for Pets certification will be evaluated on 12 different traits

Pet-friendly cities are getting a paw print of approval.

Mars Petcare recently introduced the Better City for Pets certification in an effort to create more pet-friendly places in the country.

The certification is meant to celebrate the cities that recognize the importance of pets to their residents and visitors by offering more pet-friendly options. Mars Petcare created this certification as part of its Better Cities for Pets program, which works with non-profits, local government and businesses to make towns more welcoming to pets, so everyone who wants to can benefit from their presence. The company also provides grants to make pre-friendly changes easier to achieve.

“Cities across the country are making strides toward becoming more pet friendly, but there’s more work to be done,” Mark Johnson, President of Mars Petcare North America, said in a statement. “Through this certification, we hope to inspire more cities to take real action that leads to a better quality of life for people and pets in their communities.”

Cities looking to get this new certification will be evaluated based on 12 traits, which cover everything from offering pet-friendly housing options to humanely addressing pet overpopulation.

The cities that apply at BetterCitiesforPets.com and receive their certification will also get a toolkit to help spread the good news, and will appear on the Better Cities for Pets site as an ideal place for pet owners to visit or move to.