---
title: How many dogs or cats you can keep in Cranbrook
question: "How many dogs or cats can I keep?"
place: Cranbrook, British Columbia, Canada
place_path: ca/bc/cranbrook
category: Pets, animals and wildlife
owner: municipal
owner_body: City of Cranbrook
sources_read: 2026-11-05
review: machine_checked
canonical: "https://govhandbook.com/ca/bc/cranbrook/how-many-pets/"
json: "https://govhandbook.com/ca/bc/cranbrook/how-many-pets.json"
---

# How many dogs or cats you can keep in Cranbrook

**Question:** How many dogs or cats can I keep?

**Short answer:** In the City of Cranbrook you may keep no more than 6 pets in a dwelling unit or on a residential parcel with one dwelling unit, and no more than 3 of them may be dogs and no more than 3 cats. Only one of the dogs may be a designated vicious dog.

**Who handles it:** Municipal (City of Cranbrook, https://www.cranbrook.ca)  
**Cost:** No fee for the limit. Keeping too many pets: bylaw notice $125 ($100 if paid within 14 days, $150 after 28 days); municipal ticket $100.  
**Where:**
- Phone: Animal Control (Bylaw Services), 250-489-9598 (Officer generally on duty 8:30 a.m. to 4:30 p.m., Monday to Friday.)

## Key facts

- **Dogs allowed:** No more than 3 dogs within a single dwelling unit or on a residential parcel with one dwelling unit (within an overall limit of 6 pets). Only one of them may be a vicious dog.
  - Source: [Animal Control Bylaw No. 3845, 2016 (consolidated to February 27, 2023), s. 3.7(a)](https://cranbrook.civicweb.net/document/76528)
  - Official wording: "keep or harbour more than" … "six (6) PETS; and within the aforementioned six (6) PETS, no more than" … "three (3) DOGS and no more than three (3) CATS; and for certainty, must" … "not keep more than one (1) VICIOUS DOG within the aforementioned"
  - Check: wording matched the official text retrieved 2026-11-06
- **Cats allowed:** No more than 3 cats within a single dwelling unit or on a residential parcel with one dwelling unit (within the overall limit of 6 pets).
  - Source: [Animal Control Bylaw No. 3845, 2016 (consolidated to February 27, 2023), s. 3.7(a)](https://cranbrook.civicweb.net/document/76528)
  - Official wording: "three (3) DOGS and no more than three (3) CATS"
  - Check: wording matched the official text retrieved 2026-11-06
- **Other animal limits:** A combined limit of 6 pets per dwelling unit (or per residential parcel with one dwelling unit). 'Pet' means an animal kept for companionship that is lawfully kept on residential property; rabbits, mice, rats, guinea pigs, hamsters, gerbils and chinchillas count as rodents, which may be kept in an escape-proof enclosure that meets zoning setbacks.
  - Source: [Animal Control Bylaw No. 3845, 2016 (consolidated to February 27, 2023), s. 3.7(a); s. 1.2.1 'Pet'; s. 6.3(a)](https://cranbrook.civicweb.net/document/76528)
  - Official wording: "six (6) PETS; and within the aforementioned six (6) PETS, no more than" … "means an ANIMAL kept for companionship rather than utility," … "RODENTS may be kept on any PARCEL of land within the CITY provided" … "that they are kept in a building, structure, pen or enclosure that prevents"
  - Check: wording matched the official text retrieved 2026-11-06
- **Exceptions:** The bylaw states no exception to the limit for puppies or kittens. A kennel (a place where four or more dogs, cats or other animals are kept for training, care, breeding, boarding or keeping for any purpose) needs a kennel licence under the Business Licence Bylaw.
  - Source: [Animal Control Bylaw No. 3845, 2016 (consolidated to February 27, 2023), s. 1.2.1 'Kennel'; s. 3.6(a)](https://cranbrook.civicweb.net/document/76528)
  - Official wording: "means any lands or premises on which four (4) or more DOGS" … "No PERSON shall operate a KENNEL on any PARCEL of land within the" … "unless a valid and subsisting KENNEL LICENCE has been issued as"
  - Check: wording matched the official text retrieved 2026-11-06
- **Fine:** Keeping pets in excess of the allowed number: bylaw notice $125 ($100 if paid within 14 days; $150 after 28 days); municipal ticket $100.
  - Source: [https://cranbrook.civicweb.net/document/106176/, Schedule A1, s. 3.7(a)](https://cranbrook.civicweb.net/document/106176/)
  - Official wording: "3.7(a) $125.00 $100.00 $150.00" … "Keep/Harbour Pets in Excess of"
  - Source: [Municipal Ticketing Information System Bylaw No. 3856, 2016, Schedule B1, Schedule B1, s. 3.7(a)](https://cranbrook.civicweb.net/document/106172)
  - Official wording: "Keep/Harbour Pets in Excess of Allowed Number 3.7(a) $100.00"
  - Check: wording matched the official text retrieved 2026-11-06
- **Bylaw:** City of Cranbrook Animal Control Bylaw No. 3845, 2016
  - Source: [Animal Control Bylaw No. 3845, 2016 (consolidated to February 27, 2023), s. 1.1](https://cranbrook.civicweb.net/document/76528)
  - Official wording: "City of Cranbrook Animal Control" … "Bylaw No. 3845, 2016"
  - Check: wording matched the official text retrieved 2026-11-06

## How it works

Section 3.7 of the City of Cranbrook's [Animal Control Bylaw 3845](https://cranbrook.civicweb.net/document/76528) sets a combined limit of 6 pets per dwelling unit, or per residential parcel with one dwelling unit. Within that, no more than 3 dogs and no more than 3 cats. The bylaw does not say how the limit applies to a parcel with more than one dwelling unit; ask Bylaw Services.

## Good to know

- A "pet" is an animal kept for companionship that is lawfully kept on residential property. Rabbits, mice, rats, guinea pigs, hamsters, gerbils and chinchillas count as rodents, which must be kept in an escape-proof enclosure that meets the zoning setbacks.
- The bylaw states no exception to the limit for puppies or kittens.
- A "kennel" is a place where four or more dogs, cats or other animals are kept for training, care, breeding, boarding or keeping for any purpose. It needs a kennel licence under the Business Licence Bylaw. The bylaw does not say whether that lifts the pet limit, so confirm first.
- Poultry, bees and farm animals follow the Zoning Bylaw; see the backyard-chickens answer.
- Keeping too many pets: bylaw notice $125 ($100 if paid within 14 days, $150 after 28 days), or a municipal ticket of $100.
- To ask about your situation, call Animal Control at 250-489-9598.

## Official forms and pages

- [Animal Control Bylaw 3845, 2016 (consolidated to February 27, 2023, PDF)](https://cranbrook.civicweb.net/document/76528)
- [Animal Control page, City of Cranbrook](https://www.cranbrook.ca/our-city/city-departments/bylaw-services/animal-control)

## Related questions

- [Cranbrook dog licences: fees and how to get one](https://govhandbook.com/ca/bc/cranbrook/dog-licence.md)
- [Cranbrook backyard chickens, bees and livestock rules](https://govhandbook.com/ca/bc/cranbrook/backyard-chickens.md)
- [Cranbrook rules for aggressive and dangerous dogs](https://govhandbook.com/ca/bc/cranbrook/dangerous-dogs.md)

## The same question elsewhere

- [Dog and cat limits in British Columbia, by municipality](https://govhandbook.com/ca/bc/how-many-pets.md)
- [Kimberley](https://govhandbook.com/ca/bc/kimberley/how-many-pets.md)
- [Fernie](https://govhandbook.com/ca/bc/fernie/how-many-pets.md)
- [Canal Flats](https://govhandbook.com/ca/bc/canal-flats/how-many-pets.md)
- [Sparwood](https://govhandbook.com/ca/bc/sparwood/how-many-pets.md)
- [Creston](https://govhandbook.com/ca/bc/creston/how-many-pets.md)
- [Elkford](https://govhandbook.com/ca/bc/elkford/how-many-pets.md)

## Sources

- [Animal Control Bylaw No. 3845, 2016 (consolidated to February 27, 2023) (PDF)](https://cranbrook.civicweb.net/document/76528) (read 2026-11-05)
- [Bylaw Notice Enforcement Bylaw No. 4049, 2021, Schedule A1 (PDF)](https://cranbrook.civicweb.net/document/106176) (read 2026-11-05)
- [Municipal Ticketing Information System Bylaw No. 3856, 2016, Schedule B1 (PDF)](https://cranbrook.civicweb.net/document/106172) (read 2026-11-05)
- [Animal Control, City of Cranbrook](https://www.cranbrook.ca/our-city/city-departments/bylaw-services/animal-control) (read 2026-11-05)
- [https://cranbrook.civicweb.net/document/106176/](https://cranbrook.civicweb.net/document/106176/) (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 Cranbrook. How answers are checked: https://govhandbook.com/methods/ · Canonical page: https://govhandbook.com/ca/bc/cranbrook/how-many-pets/_