With up to 40% of America’s native animal species at risk of extinction and millions of pets in households across the country relying on our support to survive, the non-profit organization SmileHub today released a new report on the Best and Worst States for Animals in 2025. Maryland came in ranked as the third worst (from second worst last year).
In order to determine where America’s wildlife and animal companions live their best lives, SmileHub compared the animal-friendliness of all 50 states across 18 key metrics. The data set ranges from the number of animal charities per capita to the share of pet-owning households to the number of veterinarians per pet-owning household.
Animal-Friendliness of Maryland (1=Best, 25=Avg.):
- Overall Rank: 48th
- 44th – Share of Pet-Owning Households
- 26th – Share of State Land Designated for Parks and Wildlife
- 32nd – Animal Protection Laws Ranking
- 20th – Veterinarians Per 1,000 Pet-Owning Households
- 50th – Share of No-Kill Shelters
To view the full report and your state’s rank, please visit:
https://smilehub.org/blog/best-states-for-animals/107
