Dogs are said to be man’s best friend, but many countries have a dubious track record when it comes to animal rights, meaning that they are less than friendly when it comes to the four-legged members of society.
Online insurance comparison site The Swiftest have taken a deep-dive into how pups are treated around the globe, using a range of metrics to find where in the world it’s best to be a dog.
From the number of dog-friendly hotels and vets, to the Animal Protection Index rating and animal rights legislation, the numbers have been crunched to come up with a Dog-Friendly Country Index for 2022.
Here are the top 10 best countries in the world to be a dog.
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1. Italy
Italy is the best place in the world for dogs - rating particularly highly for the large number of dog-friendly hotels. Photo: Canva/Getty Images

2. France
Taking the bronze medal for dog friendliness, France scores highly across the board. Photo: Canva/Getty Images

3. New Zealand
New Zealand just misses out on top spot, with the most vets per million population of anywhere in the world. Photo: Canva/Getty Images

4. UK
The UK with its nation of dog lovers takes 4th spot. Like all the countries that made the top 10, the UK has animal rights laws. Photo: Canva/Getty Images