--- title: How many dogs or cats you can keep in Coquitlam question: "How many dogs or cats can I keep?" place: Coquitlam, British Columbia, Canada place_path: ca/bc/coquitlam category: Pets, animals and wildlife owner: municipal owner_body: City of Coquitlam sources_read: 2026-11-05 review: machine_checked canonical: "https://govhandbook.com/ca/bc/coquitlam/how-many-pets/" json: "https://govhandbook.com/ca/bc/coquitlam/how-many-pets.json" --- # How many dogs or cats you can keep in Coquitlam **Question:** How many dogs or cats can I keep? **Short answer:** In the City of Coquitlam, the Animal Care and Control Bylaw allows no more than three animals in total in any dwelling unit, with no separate limit for dogs or cats, unless the Zoning Bylaw or another enactment expressly allows more. Poultry and livestock may not be kept in a dwelling unit. **Who handles it:** Municipal (City of Coquitlam, https://www.coquitlam.ca) **Cost:** Too many animals: bylaw notice $150 ($100 if paid within 14 days); municipal ticket $1,000. **Where:** - Phone: Bylaw Enforcement and Animal Services, 604-927-3580 ## Key facts - **Dogs allowed:** No separate dog limit. The bylaw allows no more than three animals in total (all kinds) in any dwelling unit, unless the Zoning Bylaw or another enactment expressly permits more. (Sources differ: The Animal Care and Control Bylaw limits animals per dwelling unit, not per property; the Animal Care and Control web page says "3 pets per property including a combination of dogs and cats". The bylaw text is followed.) - Source: [Animal Care and Control Bylaw No. 4240, 2011 (consolidated June 2022), s. 6.2](https://publicdocs.coquitlam.ca/coquitlamdoc/getdocIF.asp?doc=4572110) - Official wording: "Except where expressly permitted by the Zoning Bylaw or other enactment, a person must" … "not keep more than three (3) animals in any dwelling unit within the City." - Source: [Animal Care and Control, Number of Pets Per Household](https://www.coquitlam.ca/1059/Animal-Care-and-Control) - Official wording: "Residents are limited to 3 pets per property including a combination of dogs and cats." - Check: wording matched the official text retrieved 2026-11-06 - **Cats allowed:** No separate cat limit. The bylaw allows no more than three animals in total (dogs, cats and other animals) in any dwelling unit, unless the Zoning Bylaw or another enactment expressly permits more. (Sources differ: The Animal Care and Control Bylaw limits animals per dwelling unit, not per property; the Animal Care and Control web page says "3 pets per property including a combination of dogs and cats". The bylaw text is followed.) - Source: [Animal Care and Control Bylaw No. 4240, 2011 (consolidated June 2022), s. 6.2](https://publicdocs.coquitlam.ca/coquitlamdoc/getdocIF.asp?doc=4572110) - Official wording: "not keep more than three (3) animals in any dwelling unit within the City." - Source: [Animal Care and Control, Number of Pets Per Household](https://www.coquitlam.ca/1059/Animal-Care-and-Control) - Official wording: "Residents are limited to 3 pets per property including a combination of dogs and cats." - Check: wording matched the official text retrieved 2026-11-06 - **Other animal limits:** The limit of three covers all animals combined. Poultry and livestock may not be kept in a dwelling unit unless zoning expressly permits. Zoning treats the keeping of three or fewer household pets normally kept within a dwelling unit, not kept for financial gain, as part of a home's residential use. - Source: [Animal Care and Control Bylaw No. 4240, 2011 (consolidated June 2022), s. 6.1, 6.2](https://publicdocs.coquitlam.ca/coquitlamdoc/getdocIF.asp?doc=4572110) - Official wording: "a person must not keep any poultry or livestock, temporarily or permanently, in a dwelling unit." … "not keep more than three (3) animals in any dwelling unit within the City." - Source: [Zoning Bylaw 3000, Parts 1 and 2 (definitions), s. 201, ACCESSORY RESIDENTIAL](https://www.coquitlam.ca/DocumentCenter/View/1166) - Official wording: "the keeping of three or fewer" … "animals as household pets that are normally kept within a dwelling unit and are not kept" … "for financial gain" - Check: wording matched the official text retrieved 2026-11-06 - **Exceptions:** More than three animals are allowed only where the Zoning Bylaw or another enactment expressly permits it. - Source: [Animal Care and Control Bylaw No. 4240, 2011 (consolidated June 2022), s. 6.2](https://publicdocs.coquitlam.ca/coquitlamdoc/getdocIF.asp?doc=4572110) - Official wording: "Except where expressly permitted by the Zoning Bylaw or other enactment, a person must" - Check: wording matched the official text retrieved 2026-11-06 - **Fine:** Bylaw notice: $150 ($100 if paid within 14 days). Municipal ticket: $1,000. - Source: [Bylaw Notice Enforcement Bylaw No. 3749, 2006 (consolidated July 2026), Schedule A, Animal Care and Control Bylaw](https://publicdocs.coquitlam.ca/coquitlamdoc/getdocIF.asp?doc=6303017) - Official wording: "Too many animals 6.2 100 150 n/a" - Source: [Municipal Ticket Information Bylaw No. 4320, 2012 (consolidated July 2026), Schedule B-1](https://publicdocs.coquitlam.ca/coquitlamdoc/getdocIF.asp?doc=6303001) - Official wording: "Too many animals 6.2 1000" - Check: wording matched the official text retrieved 2026-11-06 - **Bylaw:** Animal Care and Control Bylaw No. 4240, 2011 - Source: [Animal Care and Control Bylaw No. 4240, 2011 (consolidated June 2022), s. 1](https://publicdocs.coquitlam.ca/coquitlamdoc/getdocIF.asp?doc=4572110) - Official wording: "Animal Care and Control Bylaw No. 4240, 2011" - Check: wording matched the official text retrieved 2026-11-06 ## How it works Section 6.2 of the [Animal Care and Control Bylaw 4240](https://publicdocs.coquitlam.ca/coquitlamdoc/getdocIF.asp?doc=4572110) says nobody may keep more than three animals in any dwelling unit in the City of Coquitlam, except where the Zoning Bylaw or another enactment expressly permits more. The three is a total for all animals combined, not three dogs plus three cats. The bylaw does not set a separate limit for dogs or for cats. ## Good to know - The City's web page says residents are limited to "3 pets per property including a combination of dogs and cats". The bylaw says "per dwelling unit" and is the rule that applies; confirm with Bylaw Services if your situation is unusual. - Poultry and livestock may not be kept in a dwelling unit unless zoning expressly permits it. - Zoning treats keeping three or fewer household pets normally kept within a dwelling unit, and not kept for financial gain, as part of a home's residential use. - The bylaw states no exception for puppies or kittens and no rule for farm zones. - Every dog over six months old needs a licence. - A bylaw notice for too many animals is $150 ($100 if paid within 14 days); a municipal ticket is $1,000. - Questions about a specific case: Bylaw Enforcement and Animal Services, 604-927-3580. ## Official forms and pages - [Animal Care and Control page](https://www.coquitlam.ca/1059/Animal-Care-and-Control) - [Animal Care and Control Bylaw 4240 (PDF)](https://publicdocs.coquitlam.ca/coquitlamdoc/getdocIF.asp?doc=4572110) ## Related questions - [Coquitlam dog licences: fees and how to get one](https://govhandbook.com/ca/bc/coquitlam/dog-licence.md) ## The same question elsewhere - [Dog and cat limits in British Columbia, by municipality](https://govhandbook.com/ca/bc/how-many-pets.md) - [Port Coquitlam](https://govhandbook.com/ca/bc/port-coquitlam/how-many-pets.md) - [Port Moody](https://govhandbook.com/ca/bc/port-moody/how-many-pets.md) - [Belcarra](https://govhandbook.com/ca/bc/belcarra/how-many-pets.md) - [Anmore](https://govhandbook.com/ca/bc/anmore/how-many-pets.md) - [New Westminster](https://govhandbook.com/ca/bc/new-westminster/how-many-pets.md) - [Burnaby](https://govhandbook.com/ca/bc/burnaby/how-many-pets.md) ## Sources - [Animal Care and Control, City of Coquitlam](https://www.coquitlam.ca/1059/Animal-Care-and-Control) (read 2026-11-05) - [Animal Care and Control Bylaw No. 4240, 2011 (consolidated June 2022) (PDF), City of Coquitlam](https://publicdocs.coquitlam.ca/coquitlamdoc/getdocIF.asp?doc=4572110) (read 2026-11-05) - [Zoning Bylaw 3000, Parts 1 and 2 (definitions), City of Coquitlam](https://www.coquitlam.ca/DocumentCenter/View/1166) (read 2026-11-05) - [Bylaw Notice Enforcement Bylaw No. 3749, 2006 (consolidated July 2026) (PDF), City of Coquitlam](https://publicdocs.coquitlam.ca/coquitlamdoc/getdocIF.asp?doc=6303017) (read 2026-11-05) - [Municipal Ticket Information Bylaw No. 4320, 2012 (consolidated July 2026) (PDF), City of Coquitlam](https://publicdocs.coquitlam.ca/coquitlamdoc/getdocIF.asp?doc=6303001) (read 2026-11-05) _Checked by script, not yet by a person: the official wording behind 6 of 6 facts was matched to the official text. Gov Handbook is an independent guide, not affiliated with City of Coquitlam. How answers are checked: https://govhandbook.com/methods/ · Canonical page: https://govhandbook.com/ca/bc/coquitlam/how-many-pets/_