New ranking reveals the most pet-friendly neighbourhoods in Toronto
If you've lived in Toronto for any amount of time, you may have noticed that a lot of people roll with furry, four-legged friends — and I'm not talking about raccoons.
Whether you have a pet yourself, walk someone else's for cash, or lament the surprises that irresponsible animal guardians leave on your lawn, chances are good that cats and dogs are at least a semi-significant part of your life.
Pets are a very big deal, to put it plainly, specifically among the young adults who populate downtown and downtown-adjacent neighbourhoods.
But some of said hoods cater more to pets and pet parents than others do.
The Canadian rental community and listing site liv.rent recently took on the task of finding out which of Toronto's many neighbourhoods are actually the best to live in with pets, based on parks, shops and other amenities.
"Toronto is truly a world-class city in many regards, but did you know that it's actually been recognized globally for its pet-friendliness?" reads the resultant report. "It's not hard to see why – the city is home to over 230,000 dogs, has over 114 pet shops and 65 off-leash dog areas, and affords easy access to plenty of trails and parks."
Here, ranked from best to also-good-but-not-as-good, are liv.rent's most pet-friendly neighbourhoods in Toronto:
While you're likely to see oodles of poodles in all of these neighbourhoods (or, more accurately, french bulldogs), Riverdale took the number one spot for pet-friendliness for having a lot of pet shops, a great Animal Hospital, several dog-friendly coffee shops and, of course, the sprawling Riverdale Park — every dog's dream green space.
Liberty Village coming in second won't surprise anyone who's had to share every single elevator ride in that neighbourhood with at least one doggo.
"Liberty Village is quickly gaining a reputation as a haven for pet lovers across the city," notes liv.rent. "In fact, some sources say that as many as 50 per cent of Liberty Village's residents own a pet of some sort, with some estimates even more generous. "
I mean... walk down East Liberty Street on a nice day. Fifty per cent feels conservative.
As for third-place winner Leslieville, the rental site highlights the nearby off-leash dog beach (Cherry Beach) as well as the neighbourhood's many dog-friendly businesses, including the literal restaurant for dogs Tom & Sawyer.
You can check out the full ranking here, but be warned that these findings are not official — they're just one website's ranking based on certain factors. If it were up to me, Trinity Bellwoods would come in at number one for all of the sweet puppy action in the park's off-leash "dog bowl" alone.
Lauren O'Neil
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