Pet-Friendly Region

No matter where you go in the St. Louis metropolitan area, you are likely to encounter people out having a good time with their pets. Whether it’s a dog park, hiking trail or outdoor patio at a restaurant, our Midwestern pet-friendly culture stands out.

Dog and cat lovers find countless opportunities to connect with like-minded pet lovers at a cornucopia of annual events. At Purina Pooches at the Ballpark, dog lovers enjoy a St. Louis Cardinals ballgame with their dogs. A dog-and-master boat race fundraiser, called Paddle with Your Pooch, is held in July at Forest Park. The Beggin’ Barkus Pet Parade held in St. Louis’ historic Soulard neighborhood during Mardi Gras is one of the largest pet parades in the world. Something fun and exciting is always just around the corner.

St. Louis has a long history of helping animals in need that continues today. Most recently, the St. Louis Petlover Coalition, founded in spring 2009, was organized by Nestlé Purina PetCare to bring together animal rescue groups, shelters, veterinary organizations, and city and county health departments to improve animal welfare through shared goals and plans.

Pet-Friendly Apartments

Search metroanimal.org for pet-friendly apartments throughout the St. Louis metropolitan area.

Dog Parks & Hiking Trails

St. Louis has a rich array of dog parks and trails to enjoy with dogs. In fact, outdoor enthusiasts can choose from more than 120 trails to go hiking with their dogs. Likewise, tucked into neighborhoods throughout the St. Louis area are dog parks where dogs romp and play while their owners keep a watchful eye. In the historic Soulard area, south of downtown, are the John and Lucille Wendling Soulard Dog Park and the Frenchtown Park.

Others in the metropolitan area include Forest Park, one of the largest urban parks in the country, Shaw Dog Park, Maplewood Dog Park at Kellogg Park, Tilles Park in Ladue, Creve Coeur Dog Park at Conway Park, Quail Ridge Dog Park in Wentzville, DuSable Dog Park at Ed Boles Memorial Park, Florissant Dog Park at Duchesne Park, Southwest City Dog Park at Willmore Park, and many others. For additional information on dog parks and hiking trails, visit Wag World by Beneful or Dog Park USA.

Restaurants

Dining out with dogs is no problem at many St. Louis restaurants. The Boathouse in Forest Park hosts Yappy Hour the first Wednesday of the month during the summer, allowing dog lovers to socialize under the tent on the patio and make a $5 donation to Forest Park Forever. Among many other restaurants that allow dogs are Hammerstone’s in Soulard and the Coffee Cartel and Duff’s in the Central West End. Visit Wag World by Beneful or DogFriendly.com for more information on dog-friendly restaurants.

Destinations

Plan your day around a visit to one of St. Louis' unique destinations centered on dogs, and you won't be disappointed. Visit frequently to catch new happenings.

• Museum of the Dog
  Dog lovers will enjoy a visit to the AKC Museum of the Dog located in Queeny Park in west St. Louis County, home of the world’s finest exhibition of art devoted exclusively to dogs. More than 700 works include original paintings, drawings, watercolors, prints, sculptures, bronzes and porcelain figurines. Dogs are allowed in the museum with their owners. A visit would not be complete with a walk with your beloved pooch on one of the trails in the 569-acre park.

• Purina Farms
  Purina Farms located in Gray Summit, Mo., a scenic one-hour drive from downtown St. Louis, is the venue for dog sports. A new Purina Event Center, opening in fall 2010, will provide the first custom-built arena for dog shows in the country. The state-of-the-art, 84,000-square-foot indoor facility will complement existing venues for outdoor dog shows, herding, lure coursing, and earthdog, agility and obedience trials. Families and schoolchildren alike enjoy the Visitors Center, where a dog performance and cat show are both entertaining and educational.