Big news! El Paso second best city for pets! (Houston: for sale, 2013)

[SW Desert Dweller]

This article is as research-based as the "literate" and "sweatiest" city stories. All post "rankings" that are published to yank people's chains and receive media attention.

Actual research conducted for this article (I would not call it a "study"), little to none. But it does make some people feel good (or bad) enough to read the articles.

Actually, the "safest city" study (in which El Paso ranks #1 for cities over 500,000) effectively uses data better than other studies that receive media attention, but the research design of that study also has some problems.

[SW Desert Dweller]

Oops, here is the omitted link on the thread starting link--

Moderator cut: link removed, linking to competitor sites is not allowed

[katzpaw]

Yes, it's a bad study. It assumes that 62 percent of households in in every city own pets and the leading metric is park area/pets which El Paso only wins if you include the Franklin Mountains. IMHO El Paso leads in 'ignored dogs in backyards that bark at anything that moves'.

[SA2EP?]

They aren't ignored, a lot of those people are out working to make sure they have money to pay for food, shelter, chicos tacos, etc.

[malamute]

Originally Posted by katzpaw

Yes, it's a bad study. It assumes that 62 percent of households in in every city own pets and the leading metric is park area/pets which El Paso only wins if you include the Franklin Mountains. IMHO El Paso leads in 'ignored dogs in backyards that bark at anything that moves'.

True and far too many dogs and cats are destroyed daily because of the over-breeding problem, for some reason, a whole lot of people here don't believe in being responsible pet owners, it's heartbreaking to see entire litters of little puppies and cats at the animal shelters -- which will end up killing them.

And it was a bit ironic this story appeared around the same time the story of almost 30 sheep brutally slaughted and left lying in pools of blood because dog owners around here don't see a problem with keeping vicious dogs that kill just to kill. Too many stories of brutal pit bull attacks on both humans and other dogs.

In a way though because of the very nice weather here, El Paso could be a great place for pet owners because they can walk their dogs every day, and the weather is perfect for horses and riding. Maybe it's a great city for pet owners but not for the pets themselves.

[ZSP]

Being a long time resident of El Paso (44 years,) I don't consider this city to be a good place for pets or their responsible owners. Dog parks like I see in other cities are sorely lacking here, businesses like Lowe's and Home Depot do not allow leashed pets to come in...again...as the same establishments in other large cities do. Heck, I've even seen malls allowing pets to walk/exercise with their owners in the hour or two before opening for business. Back to Home Depot/Lowes...many will allow pets to be walked/exercised during the hot weather months...inside around the perimeter of the store.

Backyard breeders abound here...my eyes have seen things here I could have lived the rest of my life without ever seeing. The 26,000 animals euthanized at our local animal control is something to be ashamed of, IMHO. No one much observes the leash laws. I had to stop walking my own dogs because of this.

The new pet ordinance has not been enforced. The El Paso Times continues to publish ads for pets for sale without the breeders license #. A neighbor three doors down continues to breed Old English Bulldogs in his back yard...the dogs are never, ever taken into the house or given a kind word. I've reported him...nothing has been done. All our local rescues are full and overflowing and it's been like this for all the years I've been here.

I didn't mean for my post to be a mini rant but the facts are the facts.

[TexasCCW]

ZSP, I agree with you. There are now dog parks and people are starting to ask their district reps for dog parks in their neighborhoods. Breeding will always be a mystery to me. There will always be problems with dogs who get inbred. So many wonderful mixed breed dogs can be found at the shelters.

[HookTheBrotherUp]

I often see dogs at the Lowes and Home Depot stores here in Houston. At first I thought they were service dogs, but then I began to see little toy/teacup breeds. A lot of the local restaurants (local as in the neighborhoods as opposed to shopping centers) are allowing dogs, outside anyway. I've seen them there too, especially the beer/wing joints. I also see them outside at all the Starbucks places.

I just saw an article today that people in need can now apply for 'Dog Food Stamps'. No, I am not kidding...

http://dailycaller.com/2013/02/24/sc...t-food-stamps/

[malamute]

The researchers must have missed recent news articles on how people around here treat their pets:

Starved dogs found feeding off dead dogs | www.kfoxtv.com

Woman said neighbors have neglected dog for past 2 years | www.kfoxtv.com

Along with all those other news articles of horses being starved to death and found dumped out in the desert with bullet holes to their heads and the $80 being offered on craigslist to buy horses which will be very cruelly killed in Mexico's slaughter houses.

Too bad there isn't any enforcement here against all those back yard breeders who breed animals indiscriminately so they can make $50 off a litter of pups. Not to mention the cat problem. A visit to the animal shelter would have told the researchers the real situation here with pets.

[ZSP]

Yes sir my friend...yes sir.

Originally Posted by malamute

The researchers must have missed recent news articles on how people around here treat their pets:

Starved dogs found feeding off dead dogs | www.kfoxtv.com

Woman said neighbors have neglected dog for past 2 years | www.kfoxtv.com

Along with all those other news articles of horses being starved to death and found dumped out in the desert with bullet holes to their heads and the $80 being offered on craigslist to buy horses which will be very cruelly killed in Mexico's slaughter houses.

Too bad there isn't any enforcement here against all those back yard breeders who breed animals indiscriminately so they can make $50 off a litter of pups. Not to mention the cat problem. A visit to the animal shelter would have told the researchers the real situation here with pets.