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

# How many dogs or cats you can keep in Fort St. John

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

**Short answer:** In Fort St. John you may keep no more than three dogs on a parcel or in a dwelling. The Animal Control Bylaw sets no limit on cats. Keeping more than three dogs is a $200 bylaw notice.

**Who handles it:** Municipal (City of Fort St. John, https://www.fortstjohn.ca)  
**Where:**
- Phone: Bylaw Services, 250-787-8150

## Key facts

- **Dogs allowed:** No more than three dogs on a parcel or within a dwelling.
  - Source: [Animal Control Bylaw No. 2556, 2021 (consolidated to Bylaw 2584, 2023), s. 16](https://www.fortstjohn.ca/media/file/animal-control-bylaw)
  - Official wording: "No person may Keep more than three Dogs on a parcel or within a dwelling."
  - Source: [Animal Control, Regulations](https://www.fortstjohn.ca/municipal-services/bylaw-services/animal-control)
  - Official wording: "maximum of three (3) dogs per household"
  - Check: wording matched the official text retrieved 2026-11-06
- **Cats allowed:** None set. Fort St. John's Animal Control Bylaw sets no limit on cats.
- **Other animal limits:** No fowl (chickens, ducks, geese, turkeys and similar birds) may be kept in the city. Livestock may be kept only as part of an agricultural use permitted by the Zoning Bylaw. Animals listed in Schedule B (such as exotic mammals, large snakes, venomous animals) are prohibited.
  - Source: [Animal Control Bylaw No. 2556, 2021 (consolidated to Bylaw 2584, 2023), ss. 45, 48, 50](https://www.fortstjohn.ca/media/file/animal-control-bylaw)
  - Official wording: "No person shall Keep Fowl within the city limits." … "No person shall Keep Livestock, unless the keeping is part of an agricultural use of land permitted" … "No person shall Keep an Animal listed in Schedule “B”"
  - Check: wording matched the official text retrieved 2026-11-06
- **Exceptions:** No kennel, zoning or puppy-age exception is stated. Visitors for up to two consecutive weeks, or 30 days a year, are exempt from Part Two, which includes the three-dog limit (s. 15). RCMP dogs are exempt (s. 72). Animals in vet hospitals, SPCA pounds or school research facilities are not covered (s. 71).
  - Source: [Animal Control Bylaw No. 2556, 2021 (consolidated to Bylaw 2584, 2023), s. 71](https://www.fortstjohn.ca/media/file/animal-control-bylaw)
  - Official wording: "in a veterinary hospital under the care of a licensed veterinarian" … "in a public or BC SPCA pound" … "not exceeding thirty days in a calendar year;" … "is exempt from this Part." … "Part Two of this Bylaw shall not apply to Dogs owned by the Royal Canadian Mounted Police."
  - Check: wording matched the official text retrieved 2026-11-06
- **Fine:** Bylaw notice: keeping more than three dogs is $200 ($150 if paid within 14 days; $250 on days 31–60). A compliance agreement is available.
  - Source: [Animal Control Bylaw No. 2556, 2021 (consolidated to Bylaw 2584, 2023), Schedule C](https://www.fortstjohn.ca/media/file/animal-control-bylaw)
  - Official wording: "Keep more than three dogs" … "$200.00" … "$150.00" … "$250.00"
  - Source: [Animal Control brochure (revised January 2024), Bylaw Infractions](https://www.fortstjohn.ca/media/file/animal-control-brochure)
  - Official wording: "Keep more than 3 dogs" … "$200"
  - Check: wording matched the official text retrieved 2026-11-06
- **Bylaw:** Animal Control Bylaw No. 2556, 2021 (consolidated to include Bylaw 2584, 2023)
  - Source: [Animal Control Bylaw No. 2556, 2021 (consolidated to Bylaw 2584, 2023), s. 1](https://www.fortstjohn.ca/media/file/animal-control-bylaw)
  - Official wording: "This Bylaw may be cited as “Animal Control Bylaw No. 2556, 2021”."
  - Check: wording matched the official text retrieved 2026-11-06

## How it works

The [Animal Control Bylaw](https://www.fortstjohn.ca/media/file/animal-control-bylaw) says no more than three dogs may be kept on a parcel or within a dwelling. It defines "animal" so that it excludes domestic cats, and we found no limit on cats in the bylaw, the brochure or the City's Animal Control page. The bylaw states no kennel, zoning or puppy-age exception to the dog limit.

## Good to know

- A bylaw notice for keeping more than three dogs is $200 ($150 if paid within 14 days; $250 on days 31–60). A compliance agreement may be available.
- Visitors for up to two consecutive weeks, or 30 days a year, are exempt from this part of the bylaw. RCMP dogs are exempt.
- No fowl (chickens, ducks, geese, turkeys and similar birds) may be kept in the city. Livestock is allowed only as part of an agricultural use permitted by the Zoning Bylaw. Animals listed in Schedule B, such as exotic mammals, large snakes and venomous animals, are prohibited.
- No limit on other small pets, such as rabbits, caged birds or fish, was found.
- To ask about a particular situation, such as a kennel or a breeder, call Bylaw Services at 250-787-8150.

## Official forms and pages

- [Animal Control Bylaw 2556, 2021 (consolidated PDF)](https://www.fortstjohn.ca/media/file/animal-control-bylaw)
- [Animal Control page, City of Fort St. John](https://www.fortstjohn.ca/municipal-services/bylaw-services/animal-control)

## Related questions

- [Fort St. John dog licences: fees and how to get one](https://govhandbook.com/ca/bc/fort-st-john/dog-licence.md)
- [Fort St. John backyard chickens, bees and livestock rules](https://govhandbook.com/ca/bc/fort-st-john/backyard-chickens.md)
- [Fort St. John rules for aggressive and dangerous dogs](https://govhandbook.com/ca/bc/fort-st-john/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)
- [Dawson Creek](https://govhandbook.com/ca/bc/dawson-creek/how-many-pets.md)
- [Pouce Coupe](https://govhandbook.com/ca/bc/pouce-coupe/how-many-pets.md)
- [Chetwynd](https://govhandbook.com/ca/bc/chetwynd/how-many-pets.md)
- [Tumbler Ridge](https://govhandbook.com/ca/bc/tumbler-ridge/how-many-pets.md)
- [Mackenzie](https://govhandbook.com/ca/bc/mackenzie/how-many-pets.md)
- [Prince George](https://govhandbook.com/ca/bc/prince-george/how-many-pets.md)

## Sources

- [Animal Control Bylaw No. 2556, 2021 (consolidated to Bylaw 2584, 2023) (PDF)](https://www.fortstjohn.ca/media/file/animal-control-bylaw) (read 2026-11-05)
- [Animal Control, City of Fort St. John](https://www.fortstjohn.ca/municipal-services/bylaw-services/animal-control) (read 2026-11-05)
- [Animal Control brochure (revised January 2024) (PDF)](https://www.fortstjohn.ca/media/file/animal-control-brochure) (read 2026-11-05)

_Checked by script, not yet by a person: the official wording behind 5 of 6 facts was matched to the official text; 1 is recorded as not set. Gov Handbook is an independent guide, not affiliated with City of Fort St. John. How answers are checked: https://govhandbook.com/methods/ · Canonical page: https://govhandbook.com/ca/bc/fort-st-john/how-many-pets/_