No Pet? No Problem. How to Hang Out with Furry Friends in the City

September 28, 2018

There are lots of reasons why having a pet of your own might be tough. Maybe your work schedule is demanding and requires you to be away from home for long hours. Maybe your roommate’s allergic. Or maybe your landlord just flat-out forbids it.

But don’t despair—even if you can’t bring them home, there are still plenty of creative ways to hang out with cats and dogs in the city (and give back at the same time). From volunteering at animal shelters to hitting up local pooch-centric events, here’s what you can do to ensure you get your regular dose of purrs and pats in.

1. PET-SIT FOR YOUR FRIENDS: One of the simplest ways to hang out with cats or dogs in the city? Make your pet-sitting services known to your friends, neighbors, and coworkers. If you know your pal has a big vacay planned, offer to take care of their pets while they go out of town. You get your hang-time in, and for both animals and owners, it's preferable to using a kennel—and likely more affordable, too. Win-win-win.

2. VOLUNTEER: Volunteering at a shelter doesn't just give you the chance to interact with an array of adorable doggos and cats—it's also an excellent way to donate your time. Many shelters are responsible for large numbers of animals and have limited resources, so volunteers are a valuable lifeline (just remember that most gigs can last for multiple months, if not more). If your schedule allows it, reach out to your nearest shelter or humane society to learn more about volunteering possibilities and sign up for training sessions.

3. THERE'S AN APP FOR THAT: Petless in the city? Don't worry: The internet can help. Rover, which bills itself as the world's largest network of pet sitters and dog walkers, lets you register for multiple different services, from house-sitting to drop-in visits. For those in the UK, BorrowMyDoggy is also a simple-to-use app that connects those with "a dog void in their life" to dog owners who need an extra hand taking their pupper for walks during the day.

4. HIT THE DOG PARK: Odds are, there are plenty of dog parks scattered across your city—and with them, the chance to interact with all kinds of excellent pups. Feel weird about waltzing in, sans furry friend of your own? Offer to accompany a dog-owning friend on their next outing, and come ready to join in the playtime.

5. VISIT A CAT CAFE: Cat cafes got their start in Taipei back in the late 1990s, and have since spread across East Asia and, now, the US. The best examples of the genre invite visitors in need of some feline company to relax in a clean and comfortable environment, and have strict rules to ensure that their kitties are happy, safe, and well looked-after. KitTea Cat Cafe in San Francisco and the non-profit Brooklyn Cat Cafe are both excellent examples of the genre.

Image courtesy of KitTea
6. SCOPE OUT DOG-FRIENDLY EVENTS: One of the best ways to hang out with dogs in the city? Scope out the pup-friendly events that are held around town. The good news is that you'll have plenty to chose from: from PAWS Chicago's dog-accompanied 5K to Bark in the Park, an adoption event and dog parade held at the Brooklyn Cyclones' stadium; from San Francisco's DogFest to LA's SurfDog events, there are almost as many dog-friendly events in the city as there are dogs. Woof!

Image courtesy of the Brooklyn Cyclones

1. PET-SIT FOR YOUR FRIENDS: One of the simplest ways to hang out with cats or dogs in the city? Make your pet-sitting services known to your friends, neighbors, and coworkers. If you know your pal has a big vacay planned, offer to take care of their pets while they go out of town. You get your hang-time in, and for both animals and owners, it's preferable to using a kennel—and likely more affordable, too. Win-win-win.

2. VOLUNTEER: Volunteering at a shelter doesn't just give you the chance to interact with an array of adorable doggos and cats—it's also an excellent way to donate your time. Many shelters are responsible for large numbers of animals and have limited resources, so volunteers are a valuable lifeline (just remember that most gigs can last for multiple months, if not more). If your schedule allows it, reach out to your nearest shelter or humane society to learn more about volunteering possibilities and sign up for training sessions.

3. THERE'S AN APP FOR THAT: Petless in the city? Don't worry: The internet can help. Rover, which bills itself as the world's largest network of pet sitters and dog walkers, lets you register for multiple different services, from house-sitting to drop-in visits. For those in the UK, BorrowMyDoggy is also a simple-to-use app that connects those with "a dog void in their life" to dog owners who need an extra hand taking their pupper for walks during the day.

4. HIT THE DOG PARK: Odds are, there are plenty of dog parks scattered across your city—and with them, the chance to interact with all kinds of excellent pups. Feel weird about waltzing in, sans furry friend of your own? Offer to accompany a dog-owning friend on their next outing, and come ready to join in the playtime.

5. VISIT A CAT CAFE: Cat cafes got their start in Taipei back in the late 1990s, and have since spread across East Asia and, now, the US. The best examples of the genre invite visitors in need of some feline company to relax in a clean and comfortable environment, and have strict rules to ensure that their kitties are happy, safe, and well looked-after. KitTea Cat Cafe in San Francisco and the non-profit Brooklyn Cat Cafe are both excellent examples of the genre.

Image courtesy of KitTea
6. SCOPE OUT DOG-FRIENDLY EVENTS: One of the best ways to hang out with dogs in the city? Scope out the pup-friendly events that are held around town. The good news is that you'll have plenty to chose from: from PAWS Chicago's dog-accompanied 5K to Bark in the Park, an adoption event and dog parade held at the Brooklyn Cyclones' stadium; from San Francisco's DogFest to LA's SurfDog events, there are almost as many dog-friendly events in the city as there are dogs. Woof!

Image courtesy of the Brooklyn Cyclones