The Illawarra region has been ranked as Australia's ninth most pet-friendly region, according to a new report from Muval. The ranking places Wollongong and the Illawarra above Sydney and Newcastle, with Nowra-Bomaderry taking the top spot and Bowral-Mittagong in third.
The report used metrics across infrastructure, affordability, legislation and policy, and health and safety to determine the best locations. The Illawarra region has 31.4 veterinarians and 51.6 vet nurses per 100,000 people, along with 4.7 dog parks and 7.9 pet groomers per 100,000 people.
Justine Wallis from Flinders Pet said the region has improved for pets in recent years. "The councils are investing more in pet-friendly spaces, and I think businesses are investing more in accommodating pets," she said. "We've got a lot more higher-quality pet parks, fenced areas specific for dogs and an understanding that pets need a little bit more."
The region scored highly in affordability, with pet insurance averaging $764.66 for dogs and $719.84 for cats. The moderate climate also makes it generally suitable for year-round pet living. Shellharbour City has almost 30,000 dogs with a population of just over 70,000 people.
Wollongong council recently put its dogs on the beach policy up for public comment, while Shellharbour council earlier this year voted against increasing the limits on how many dogs residents could have. Wallis noted a strong community of support for pet owners, including Facebook groups like Pet Services Illawarra that link owners with services.
