st. louis: where the dogs outnumber the ghosts (maybe?)

so i’ve been in st. louis for a hot minute, chasing bumps in the night and trying to get my scottish terrier, mungo, to stop barking at the ‘shadow people’ in the central west end. people ask, ‘is this city pet-friendly?’ dude, it’s complicated. it’s not a straight-up yes or no. it’s a ‘bring your own lantern and maybe a shoebox of dog treats’ kind of situation.

first, the vibe. you ever feel a place? st. louis has that humid, soup-thick air that clings to your pores and makes your hair a science experiment. summer here isn't weather, it's an atmosphere. and the neighbors? they're a short flight away from basically everything-chicago’s cheap, kansas city’s weird, memphis has the barbecue. but the people here? they’re salt of the earth with a side of stubborn. they’ll tell you to your face that the cardinals are a religion and the blues are a coping mechanism.

let’s talk parks, because mungo needs to pee on something historic. forest park is the obvious beast. it’s massive, like, ‘you could get lost and find a new civil war museum’ massive. tripadvisor.com link: forest park dog areas is full of people ranting about off-leash zones. most of the park requires leashes, but there’s that one fenced area near the tennis courts that’s a total free-for-all. it’s like a furry convention with zero wifi. beware of the goose gangs in spring-they are not playmates, they are feathered war criminals.

then you got the smaller joints. tower grove park is cooler, literally and figuratively. more trees, less tourist foot traffic. saw a dude with three french bulldogs and a unicycle there once. no judgment, just facts. and if you’re downtown, there's the old courthouse grounds. small, but historic. your dog can piss on a piece of the dred scott case.progress?

now, the vet stuff. this is where you earn your stripes. i’ve heard the drunk advice at the local haunt (literally, i ghost hunt in old bars): ‘just go to chesterfield animal hospital, they won’t judge your weird pet.’ but it’s a 20-minute drive and my card is crying. so i asked around on r/stlouis. reddit.com link: r/stlouis pet recommendations is a cesspool of passionate, angry, helpful locals. someone swore by ‘the good doctor’ at laclede caretaker-reasonable prices, said they neutered his possum. another warned about a place in the benton park area that over-vaccinates like it’s a sport.

real talk on costs. i’m not a consultant, i chase ghosts, but even i know the score. median rent here is around $1,100 for a one-bedroom if you don’t mind a commute. it’s cheaper than coastal cities, sure, but the job market is… uneven. you get a stable gig at the hospital or anheuser-busch, you’re golden. freelance? bring popcorn and a strong stomach. violent crime stats are something a local actually warned me about one night over cheap beer: ‘don’t let your dog off-leash in north city after dark, not ’cause of people, ’cause of the literal junk and broken glass.’ he wasn’t being shady, just practical.

so, is st. louis pet-friendly? yeah, but it’s a gritty, real, sometimes rusty kind of friendly. it’s not all curated instagram parks and $300 organic treats. it’s about knowing where the good grass is, which vet has a payment plan, and accepting that your dog will probably roll in something dubious near the mississippi river.

final rumor, overheard from a tattooed barista: ‘the best dog park is the one you find on a random street corner after 2 am when no one’s around. just don’t let the raccoons near the snacks.’ i think that’s the st. louis motto for everything.

oh, and for the love of all that’s holy, if you take your dog to a game at bush stadium, they have a special section. it’s a thing. yelp.com link: bush stadium pet section. folks bring their beagles. i’ve seen it. it’s bizarre and wonderful. just like this city.

st. louis: where the dogs outnumber the ghosts (maybe?)

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About the author: Freya Holm

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