# @denverwestword on Instagram

- **Type:** Image
- **Original URL:** https://www.instagram.com/p/DKPiV3JApbe
- **Gondola URL:** https://gondola.cc/posts/31062032-denverwestword-instagram
- **Thumbnail:** https://img.gondola.cc/tr:w-,h-,fo-auto/postThumbnails/1d22db5840.jpg
- **Posted:** 2025-05-29T15:37:20.000+00:00
- **Account Owner:** Denver Westword (@denverwestword) — https://gondola.cc/denverwestword

## Caption

Denver is no longer a cowtown. It’s a dog city. 🐩

Long known as a hub for livestock, Denver has corraled several more amenities over the years. Outdoor sports, craft beer, legal weed, live music and a wave of tech jobs have attracted travelers and transplants alike. But those who stay in this city must acknowledge its four-legged rulers, whether you own one or not.

Around 50 percent of Denver’s residents have a dog, with 68 percent reporting that they own at least one pet, according to a 2024 survey by the Colorado Polling Institute. In the same poll, just 20 percent of Denver residents said they had children under eighteen. Population numbers back that up, with Denver Parks & Recreation estimating the dog population in Denver at around 160,000, while the latest U.S. Census Bureau puts Denver’s eighteen-and-under human population at about 129,000.

As we see more and more businesses and institutions catering to canines, it’s hard not to occasionally wonder: Has Denver gone to the dogs? 🐾🦮

In this week’s issue, we’re talking about everything from the city’s dog poop problem, to dogs being sent to the pound in record numbers, to dog influencers. Pick up a copy on stands now or read it online at westword.com (linked in bio). 

✍️ @tompettie 
Cover Illustration: @monikaswiderski.art 

#denver #dogs #denvercolorado #westword #milehighcity #denvercolorado #denverdogs

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## Tags

denverdogs, denver, milehighcity, denvercolorado, westword, dogs

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