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.

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:

• Pet Emergency Preparedness
• Guidelines for Found Pets
• Rehoming Pets
• Local Lost and Found Pets Groups

Find Out More

• Pet Resources in Nashville