How many dogs or cats you can keep in Fort St James
How many dogs or cats can I keep in Fort St James?
Short answer
In Fort St James, a house or duplex may keep up to three dogs without a kennel licence, and an apartment up to two. There is no separate cat limit: cats count toward five household pets in a house or duplex, or three in an apartment.
Key facts
| Dogs allowed | Single-family dwelling or duplex: no more than three dogs on a parcel without a valid kennel licence. Apartment unit: no more than two dogs.Animal Regulation Bylaw No. 833, 2006, office consolidation March 2025, s. 4.2.1 · Wording matched the official text retrieved 2026-11-08Official wordingA person in a unit of an apartment building must not permit more than may not permit more than three dogs to be kept or harboured on a parcel without having procured |
|---|---|
| Cats allowed | No separate limit for cats. Cats count toward the household-pet total: no more than five in a single-family dwelling or duplex, or three in an apartment unit (litters of kittens not counted).Animal Regulation Bylaw No. 833, 2006, office consolidation March 2025, s. 4.1 · Wording matched the official text retrieved 2026-11-08Official wordinga maximum of five (5) household pets in a single-family dwelling or duplex; or a maximum of three (3) household pets in a unit of an apartment building. |
| Other animal limits | Household pets in total: no more than five in a single-family dwelling or duplex, or three in an apartment unit. Birds: no more than five in a single-family dwelling or duplex, two in an apartment unit.Animal Regulation Bylaw No. 833, 2006, office consolidation March 2025, s. 4.1; Animal Regulation Bylaw No. 833, 2006, office consolidation March 2025, s. 4.3.3 · Wording matched the official text retrieved 2026-11-08Official wordinga maximum of five (5) household pets in a single-family dwelling or duplex a maximum of three (3) household pets in a unit of an apartment building five (5) birds in a single-family dwelling or duplex |
| Exceptions | The household-pet limits do not include a litter of puppies or kittens. Four or more dogs need a kennel licence.Animal Regulation Bylaw No. 833, 2006, office consolidation March 2025, s. 4.1; Animal Regulation Bylaw No. 833, 2006, office consolidation March 2025, s. 4.2.1(b) · Wording matched the official text retrieved 2026-11-08Official wordingThe limits prescribed in this section do not include any litter of puppies or kittens. (b) A person in a single-family dwelling or duplex may not permit more than three dogs to be kept or harboured on a parcel without having procured a valid kennel licence. |
| Fine | $25 for exceeding the maximum number of household pets or of dogs.Animal Regulation Bylaw No. 833, 2006, office consolidation March 2025, Sched. D · Wording matched the official text retrieved 2026-11-08Official wordingExceed maximum number of household Exceed maximum number of dogs |
| Bylaw | Animal Regulation Bylaw No. 833, 2006 (office consolidation March 27, 2025, amended by Bylaw No. 1081, 2025)Animal Regulation Bylaw No. 833, 2006, office consolidation March 2025, s. 1.1 · Wording matched the official text retrieved 2026-11-08Official wording“District of Fort St. James Animal Regulation Bylaw No. 833, 2006” |
How it works
The District's Animal Regulation Bylaw 833 limits pets by type of home. Poultry, farm animals and bees are under a different part of the bylaw. See the backyard-chickens answer.
| Home | Dogs | Household pets in total | Birds |
|---|---|---|---|
| Single-family dwelling or duplex | 3 | 5 | 5 |
| Apartment unit | 2 | 3 | 2 |
Good to know
- The bylaw sets no separate limit for cats. Cats count toward the household-pet total.
- A litter of puppies or kittens, under six months old, does not count toward the limits.
- Four or more dogs need a kennel licence. A kennel is a building for four or more dogs, and the licence costs $50 and needs inspection and building-permit approval.
- Exceeding the maximum number of household pets or dogs is a $25 fine. Birds over the limit are also $25.
Official forms and pages
The same question in other places
Vanderhoof · Prince George · Mackenzie · Granisle · Houston · Telkwa
Sources
- Animal Regulation Bylaw No. 833, 2006, office consolidation March 2025 (PDF), District of Fort St James (read 2026-11-08)
Checked by script, not yet by a person: the official wording behind 6 of 6 facts was matched to the official text. How answers are checked.