25 US cities recognised for pet friendliness

Twenty-five cities throughout North America have landed on the inaugural list of Better City for Pets certified cities. The certification "honours the work that has been done to create a friendly environment for two- and four-legged citizens and the commitment from each of these cities to continue improving their pet-friendly programmes and policies," according to a press release from Mars Petcare.Mars Petcare and experts from the Civic Design Center created the certification as an extension of the Mars Petcare Better Cities for Pets programme. The programme works with local governments, businesses and non-profits to provide resources, tools and grants that help communities make pets more welcome.The following cities share the honour of being the first to achieve the Better City for Pets certification: Bloomington, Nashville, Calumet City, Oakland, Cleveland, Plano, Dallas, Port St. Lucie, Fort Wayne, Reno, Franklin, Rochester, Hallandale Beach, Royalton, Henderson, Santa Clarita, Laguna Niguel, Southport, Meaford, St. Petersburg, Memphis, Topeka, Miami Lakes, Tucson, and Miami.