BETTER CITIES FOR PETS™ certified cities have programs and policies that make it easier for pets and pet owners to live a happy, healthy life together.
What Makes Nashville a Pet-Friendly City?
Certified in the BETTER CITIES FOR PETS™ program in 2019, Nashville, TN scored especially well in the Shelters and Homes traits of our pet-friendly cities model.
Along with countless pet-friendly restaurants and hotels, the city is known for its pet-friendly parks. It has seven dog parks for leash-free play and leashed dogs are welcome in all Metro Nashville parks. The community also has pet-friendly water fountains in numerous locations, so people can fill a water bottle for humans while letting pets drink from a fountain at pet height.
The city’s Metro Animal Care and Control has a partnership with Pet Community Center for Trap-Neuter-Return and Return-To-Field programs that help humanely manage community cat populations.
Nashville Mayor John Cooper is also an avid advocate for pet adoption, using his Twitter channel to tout Metro Animal Care & Control and encoruage adoption.
It’s a joy hosting a dog for the day each month thanks to @NashAnimalCare. Today, 2-year-old Charlotte, a pit mix, visited with her foster mom, Colleen. If you would like to adopt a pet like Charlotte, email adopt.macc@nashville.gov to learn more! pic.twitter.com/8HpsQuywqB
— Mayor John Cooper (@JohnCooper4Nash) April 16, 2021
Each month, @NashAnimalCare supervisor. J.D. teams up with my office to help us foster a dog for a day. Thank you J.D. for more than 13 years of serving our animals and community. pic.twitter.com/VH7hUbau5h
— Mayor John Cooper (@JohnCooper4Nash) November 26, 2020
Making Visiting Pets Welcome
In 2021, Nashville International Airport (BNA) became the first airport to attain pet-friendly certification through the through BETTER CITIES FOR PETS™ program. The airport has prioritized the safety and ease of traveling with pets and service animals, installing pet-friendly amenities before and after security checkpoints. These include:
- A dedicated dog park to provide outdoor green space for traveling pets, complete with a dog drinking fountain and waste stations
- Curbside relief areas at the North and South terminals, each equipped with a dog drinking fountain and waste station
- An indoor relief area in Concourse D post-security, also equipped with a dog drinking fountain and waste station
- Enhanced wayfinding signage throughout the airport to make it easier for travelers to find pet-friendly amenities
- Pet-themed murals in the North and South terminals where travelers can stop for a selfie with their best friend

Helping Pets and Pet Parents
The city also offers many resources for pets owners on its website, including: