High honor

Dallas neighbors saluted among best places in the U.S. for military veterans

Arlington and Fort Worth are saluted in the report.

Photo courtesy of Tarrant Co. Veterans Council

Ahead of Veterans Day on November 11, a new study ranks two North Texas cities among the best places in the U.S. for military veterans.

The study, done by Veterans United Home Loans, looked at the 100 largest U.S. cities as measured by population and weighed four broad factors: economic wellness, employment, availability of VA benefits, and quality of life for veterans. Next, the study used 20 metrics to evaluate the strength of those four factors in each city.

In the end, Arlington ranked No. 3 overall and Fort Worth followed at No. 9. There are 42,000 veterans in Fort Worth, while neighboring Arlington has a veteran population of 19,000; the cities offer 13 health centers for veterans (in a 50-mile radius), according to the study.

Both North Texas cities have a slightly higher than average cost of living, but homes are relatively affordable, with median home prices hovering around the $200,000 mark, says the report. Arlington comes out on top in part thanks to its above-average ranking for veteran unemployment.

They are in good company alongside San Antonio, which was ranked No. 1 on the list and boasts a low veteran unemployment rate and low cost of living. About 250,000 veterans and 80,000 active-duty personnel live in the San Antonio metro area.

Gov. Greg Abbott tweeted that it was “no surprise” that a Texas city topped the Veterans United Home Loans list.

In another new ranking, this one from personal finance website WalletHub, Austin claimed the No. 2 spot among the best places in the U.S. for veterans to live. WalletHub examined data for the 100 biggest U.S. cities based on population and broke down its rankings into four general categories.

In the WalletHub study, Fort Worth came in at No. 13 overall. Meanwhile, Plano landed at No. 14, Laredo at No. 19, and San Antonio at No. 21.

wallethub lists rankings

Animal News

Dallas' animal shelter hits milestone not achieved since pandemic

DAS

Husky at Dallas Animal Services

There's good news about Dallas' animal shelter: They are having a good month in January. According to a release, Dallas Animal Services (DAS) is on track to reach a 90 percent live release rate for January — a significant milestone not seen since October 2020.

"Live release rate" is a term used by animal shelters that describes how many animals "got out alive" either by adoption, fostering, or being returned to their original owner. A live release rate of 90 percent or above puts a shelter in the "no-kill" zone, meaning few animals have been euthanized.

According to a releasem the shelter is at a current 91 percent live release rate for cats and dogs. Fiscal year to date (October 1–present), DAS stands at an overall 87.5 percent live release rate for cats and dogs — also outstanding.

At the same time, DAS is at 130 percent capacity, meaning it has more animals than it can comfortably hold. As of January 22, 400 dogs were sharing 283 kennels. That figure does not account for 24 kennels not in use due to flooring repairs in progress.

“Our staff, volunteers and advocates have been working tirelessly to save lives. While we may not yet be at the point where sustaining a 90 percent live release rate consistently month-to-month is possible, it would truly be a huge morale boost to achieve this milestone for the month of January,” says Mary Martin, Assistant Director of DAS.

It's a huge milestone following the pandemic when many people adopted pets, then abandoned them in the return to "normalcy."

“The support we’ve received from all levels of the community, from individual Dallas residents to our partner organizations, is outstanding,” said Paul Ramon, Director of DAS. “We truly wouldn’t be here without our supporters like Operation Kindness and others. Today, we are asking those who have not yet gotten involved, to take that leap and join the fight in saving lives.”

The shelter’s current biggest need is for temporary fosters. Housing an adult dog for a week or more can greatly improve the pet’s chances for adoption and opens up a kennel for the 50–75 dogs that arrive daily at DAS.

Everyone should chip in and foster a pet, and can do so by going to the shelter during operating hours or by signing up at BeDallas90.org.

animals