This is Where Idaho Ranks for Dog Ownership

Idahoans own more dogs than anywhere else in the United States.  When adjusted for population.  I looked this up this week, after seeing a small dog running along Blue Lakes Boulevard North in heavy traffic.  That was a gut-wrenching scene and I suspect the animal got loose and went exploring.  Dogs in city traffic aren’t a good thing, but many of the dogs found in Idaho are working animals.  They work herding on ranches or alongside farmers driving between fields and barns.

Idaho is number five overall when it comes to owning pets of any kind.

I looked at another comparison (it’s behind a paywall) and it says that Idaho was also among the leaders in cat ownership.  Last year, Idaho was ranked either eighth or fifth in cat ownership (I found a second survey).

All these numbers are based on research from last year.

This probably explains why it takes me three weeks to get the cat an appointment with a veterinarian.  Unless there’s an emergency.  Remember, those offices are also looking out for livestock and horses.  I would say we need more people caring for animals, but then some big spender in state government would assume I wanted more of my tax dollars devoted to training veterinarians.

I spent more than 50 years of my life as a dog guy.  Over the last decade, I’ve become more of a cat aficionado.  People kept giving me cats and they don’t need to be walked at two o’clock in the morning when it’s raining.  I also recently saw a story that said cat owners are generally more intellectual than dog owners.  I guess I was a few steps short of a staircase until I was 50!

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