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Pet Friendly Cities & Grant Opportunities

Pet Friendly Cities & Grant Opportunities

By -Published On: March 7th, 2019-Categories: Little Know Facts-
Lady in red shorts and sleeveless black top jogging in a park while pushing a stroller and with a light brown dog on a leash

Mars Petcare launched the Better Cities For Pets program in 2017 to promote pet-friendly cities so that people and pets can have a better life together. It is no secret that pets reduce anxiety and depression, improve attendance at pet-friendly workspaces, provide protection, and help pet owners exercise by going on walks or having play dates at the park. With all the known benefits of owning a pet, wouldn’t it be great to live in a city that was accepting of and accommodating to these four-legged friends? Communities can now become recognized as being pet-friendly cities.

Recognized Pet Friendly Cities

  • Fort Worth, TX
  • Richmond, VA
  • Franklin, TN
  • Washington, D.C.
  • Cleveland, TN
  • St. Petersburg, FL

Qualifications Required to be Named a Pet Friendly City

Better Cities For Pets has an online assessment to determine if your city is pet-friendly. The assessment includes factors such as your city profile, a city survey, and priorities. The city profile asks questions regarding how many pets are in the city and what pet programs are available such as pet-friendly parks. The city survey evaluates animal shelters and whether the city has a plan in place to protect pets should a natural disaster occur. Priorities include a city taking an active position in moving towards becoming a more pet-friendly city.

12 Traits of Pet Friendly Cities according to the Better Cities for Pets Model

  • Shelters: Partners collaborate to end pet homelessness, shelters are warm and welcoming to encourage adoption, community cat programs humanely address overpopulation.
  • Homes: Pet-friendly housing options exist for all families and pets, in tough times, support exists to help keep pets in homes, pet amenities are available in housing and neighborhoods.
  • Parks: People know the expectations for pets in public places, public pet amenities support good health for all, pet needs are included in city, park, and green space planning.
  • Businesses: Workplaces know and support the benefits of pets at work, traveling with dogs and cats is accessible and affordable, businesses make it easy to be out with your pet.

Since its inaugural year, the program has impacted more than 100 cities, providing $100,000 in grants and $1 million in pet food donations, as well as resources and city-specific guidance to help more communities become pet-friendly.

2018 Better Cities For Pets Grant Recipients

  • Large City Winner: Ft. Worth, TX/ Pets for Life: received a $50,000 grant to locally implement “Pets for Life”, a national program that provides pet wellness resources to residents in underserved communities.
  • Medium City Winner: Richmond, VA/ Pet Partners: received a $30,000 grant to work with Pet Partners, a national non-profit organization that focuses on improving human health and wellness through the power of pet therapy.
  • Small City Winner: Hallandale Beach, FL/ Happy/ Healthy Pets: received a $20,000 grant to establish a Responsible Pet Ownership campaign to provide education to drive positive outcomes for health and safety of pets, pet owners, and the community.
  • In a surprise announcement, Mars Petcare decided to give EVERY city that applied for the 2018 grant free pet food donations for their local shelters and care facilities.

In a surprise announcement, Mars Petcare decided to give EVERY city that applied for the 2018 grant free pet food donations for their local shelters and care facilities.

To apply for the Better Cities For Pets certificate visit: Better Cities For Pets

To apply for grant funding visit: Mars Petcare

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Pet parents can select accident and illness coverage with the option to add-on preventative wellness care.

Pin Paws Pet Care is budget friendly. Click below to personalize your pet’s insurance plan today.

comprehensive plans you can customize

Pet parents can select accident and illness coverage with the option to add-on preventative wellness care.

Pin Paws Pet Care is budget-friendly. Click below to personalize your pet’s insurance plan today.

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© 2018 - 2025 Pin Paws, LLC • All Rights Reserved.

1For policies issued by IAIC, coverage for these conditions is subject to a 6-month wait period. Please review your policy for complete details.

2Covered only if related to an illness, injury, or medically necessary

3Grief Counseling services are provided through an agreement with TELUS Health, an unaffiliated third-party service provider. Grief counseling services provided by TELUS Health are separate and apart from the insurance provided by MetLife. Not available to NY residents.

4 Covered only if recommended by a vet for illness, injury, or prevention

5Reimbursement options include: 70%, 80% and 90% and a 50% option for MetGen policies and a 65% option for IAIC policies only. Pet age restrictions may apply.

6Accident and optional Preventive Care coverage begins on midnight EST of the effective day of your policy compared to a wait time of 2 to 15 days for many competitors; Illness coverage begins 14 days from the effective day of your policy compared to 14 to 30 days for many competitors. Based on a March 2023 review of publicly available summary information. Competitors did not furnish copies of their policies for review. If you have questions about a particular competitor’s policy or coverage, please contact them or their representative directly.

Health Coverage for Your Furriest Family Members

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© 2018 - 2025 Pin Paws, LLC • All Rights Reserved.

1For policies issued by IAIC, coverage for these conditions is subject to a 6-month wait period. Please review your policy for complete details.

2Covered only if related to an illness, injury, or medically necessary

3Grief counseling services are provided through an agreement with TELUS Health, an unaffiliated third-party service provider. Read More

4 Covered only if recommended by a vet for illness, injury, or prevention

5Reimbursement options include: 70%, 80% and 90% and a 50% option for MetGen policies and a 65% option for IAIC policies only. Pet age restrictions may apply.

6Accident and optional Preventive Care coverage begins on midnight EST of the effective day of your policy compared to a wait time of 2 to 15 days for many competitors; Read More

Our Pin Paws team will be out of office for the Christmas break from December 23rd to December 29th to enjoy some much-needed time with their loved ones, both two- and four-legged. We’ll be back and ready to assist you on December 30th. If you need immediate assistance or have found a lost pet, please call our 24/7 hotline at 844-746-7297. Thank you for your understanding, and we wish you a wonderful holiday season!

Our Pin Paws team will be out of office for the Christmas break from December 23rd to December 29th to enjoy some much-needed time with their loved ones, both two- and four-legged. We’ll be back and ready to assist you on December 30th. If you need immediate assistance or have found a lost pet, please call our 24/7 hotline at 844-746-7297. Thank you for your understanding, and we wish you a wonderful holiday season!

How Does the Pin Paws Family Plan Work?

The Family plan from Pin Paws Pet Care, backed by MetLife Pet, provides coverage for all your furry family members. You’ll enjoy the advantages of a typical MetLife Pet Insurance plan, but with a single policy and a shared deductible for up to three dogs or cats.

The benefits of the Family Plan are as follows:

  • Enroll up to three pets under one policy
  • Customizable plan options
  • Policies can be a mix of cats and dogs
  • Optional Preventive Care coverage

  • One annual limit shared across all pets in the family plan

  • One annual deductible per policy
  • No per-pet coverage limits

Multiple Pet Discount

Get a discount when you group up to three dogs and cats together on the same plan for easy savings.

Shared Deductible

Add up to three dogs and cats onto the same policy, and hit your deductible faster.

Combine Cats & Dogs

No need to manage multiple plans. Group your cats and dogs into a single plan for simplicity and ease.

Flexible Coverage

A shared annual limit lets you allocate more coverage where needed, while protecting your other pets.

How Pin Paws Pet Care Can Help You Save

Our customizable pet insurance plans can reimburse up to 90% of your vet bills.
Here’s an example of how Pin Paws Pet Care can help a pet parent save.

Skin Allergies

What You Can Save 6

. .
You Pay
$250 Total Vet Bill
$2,500
Piggy Bank
Pin Paws Pet Care Covers $2,250

Growth or Tumor

What You Can Save 6

. .
You Pay
$160 Total Vet Bill
$1,600
Piggy Bank
Pin Paws Pet Care Covers $1,440

Heart Disease

What You Can Save 6

. .
You Pay
$250 Total Vet Bill
$2,500
Piggy Bank
Pin Paws Pet Care Covers $2,250

Diabetes

What You Can Save 6

. .
You Pay
$290 Total Vet Bill
$2,900
Piggy Bank
Pin Paws Pet Care Covers $2,610

Broken Bone

What You Can Save 6

. .
You Pay
$240 Total Vet Bill
$2,400
Piggy Bank
Pin Paws Pet Care Covers $2,160

Severe Trauma

What You Can Save 6

. .
You Pay
$1,000 Total Vet Bill
$10,000
Piggy Bank
Pin Paws Pet Care Covers $9,000

Poisoning

What You Can Save 6

. .
You Pay
$300 Total Vet Bill
$3,000
Piggy Bank
Pin Paws Pet Care Covers $2,700

Cruciate Ligament Tear

What You Can Save 6

. .
You Pay
$500 Total Vet Bill
$5,000
Piggy Bank
Pin Paws Pet Care Covers $4,500

Dental Cleaning

What You Can Save 6

. .
You Pay
$50 Total Vet Bill
$500
Piggy Bank
Pin Paws Pet Care Covers $450

Spay or Neuter

What You Can Save 6

. .
You Pay
$60 Total Vet Bill
$600
Piggy Bank
Pin Paws Pet Care Covers $540

Vaccination

What You Can Save 6

. .
You Pay
$6 Total Vet Bill
$60
Piggy Bank
Pin Paws Pet Care Covers $54

Parasite Prevention

What You Can Save 6

. .
You Pay
$21 Total Vet Bill
$210
Piggy Bank
Pin Paws Pet Care Covers $189

Skin Allergies

What You Can Save 6

. .
You Pay
$250 Total Vet Bill
$2,500
Piggy Bank
Pin Paws Pet Care Covers $2,250

Growth or Tumor

What You Can Save 6

. .
You Pay
$160 Total Vet Bill
$1,600
Piggy Bank
Pin Paws Pet Care Covers $1,440

Heart Disease

What You Can Save 6

. .
You Pay
$250 Total Vet Bill
$2,500
Piggy Bank
Pin Paws Pet Care Covers $2,250

Diabetes

What You Can Save 6

. .
You Pay
$290 Total Vet Bill
$2,900
Piggy Bank
Pin Paws Pet Care Covers $2,610

Broken Bone

What You Can Save 6

. .
You Pay
$240 Total Vet Bill
$2,400
Piggy Bank
Pin Paws Pet Care Covers $2,160

Severe Trauma

What You Can Save 6

. .
You Pay
$1,000 Total Vet Bill
$10,000
Piggy Bank
Pin Paws Pet Care Covers $9,000

Poisoning

What You Can Save 6

. .
You Pay
$300 Total Vet Bill
$3,000
Piggy Bank
Pin Paws Pet Care Covers $2,700

Cruciate Ligament Tear

What You Can Save 6

. .
You Pay
$500 Total Vet Bill
$5,000
Piggy Bank
Pin Paws Pet Care Covers $4,500

Dental Cleaning

What You Can Save 6

. .
You Pay
$50 Total Vet Bill
$500
Piggy Bank
Pin Paws Pet Care Covers $450

Spay or Neuter

What You Can Save 6

. .
You Pay
$60 Total Vet Bill
$600
Piggy Bank
Pin Paws Pet Care Covers $540

Vaccination

What You Can Save 6

. .
You Pay
$6 Total Vet Bill
$60
Piggy Bank
Pin Paws Pet Care Covers $54

Parasite Prevention

What You Can Save 6

. .
You Pay
$21 Total Vet Bill
$210
Piggy Bank
Pin Paws Pet Care Covers $189

Cost info sourced from How Much Does a Vet Visit Cost? and Average emergency vet costs what to expect.

What’s Not Covered Under Pin Paws Pet Care?

To help make insurance premiums affordable for all pet parents, there are some exclusions- as with every pet insurance company. The following are not covered under any Pin Paws Pet Care policy:

  • Pre-existing conditions*
  • Microchipping
  • Breeding or conditions related to breeding
  • Obedience training
  • Grooming costs and routine nail trims
  • Non-prescription food
  • Organ transplant

  • Illness or injury that arises out of racing, coursing, commercial guarding, law enforcement, or organized fighting of your pet

  • Health/travel certificates
  • Elective surgeries

  • Cosmetic or aesthetic procedures

*Pet insurance companies typically don’t fully cover pre-existing conditions, which are generally illnesses, injuries, or symptoms that occurred prior to the coverage date and/or any applicable waiting period. However, MetLife Pet may actually cover certain pre-existing conditions when switching providers. These include conditions that were covered by a previous insurance provider for group policyholders.

What’s Not Covered Under Pin Paws Pet Care?

To help make insurance premiums affordable for all pet parents, there are some exclusions- as with every pet insurance company. The following are not covered under any Pin Paws Pet Care policy:

  • Pre-existing conditions*
  • Microchipping
  • Breeding or conditions related to breeding
  • Obedience training
  • Grooming costs and routine nail trims
  • Non-prescription food
  • Organ transplant

  • Illness or injury that arises out of racing, coursing, commercial guarding, law enforcement, or organized fighting of your pet

  • Health/travel certificates
  • Elective surgeries

  • Cosmetic or aesthetic procedures

*Pet insurance companies typically don’t fully cover pre-existing conditions, which are generally illnesses, injuries, or symptoms that occurred prior to the coverage date and/or any applicable waiting period. However, MetLife Pet may actually cover certain pre-existing conditions when switching providers. These include conditions that were covered by a previous insurance provider for group policyholders.

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