---
title: How many dogs or cats you can keep in Hope
question: "How many dogs or cats can I keep in Hope?"
place: Hope, British Columbia, Canada
place_path: ca/bc/hope
category: Pets, animals and wildlife
owner: municipal
owner_body: District of Hope
sources_read: 2026-11-06
review: machine_checked
canonical: "https://govhandbook.com/ca/bc/hope/how-many-pets/"
json: "https://govhandbook.com/ca/bc/hope/how-many-pets.json"
---

# How many dogs or cats you can keep in Hope

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

**Short answer:** In Hope, you can keep no more than three dogs and no more than three cats per property, and no more than five pets in total (dogs and cats combined). The District's page states no exceptions.

**Who handles it:** Municipal (District of Hope, https://www.hope.ca)  
**Cost:** No fee for the limit itself. A bylaw notice is $200 ($150 if paid within 14 days); a municipal ticket is $1,000.  
**How long:** Not applicable.  
**Where:**
- Phone: Bylaw Services, 604-869-5671 (Weekdays, 9:00 a.m. to 4:00 p.m.)
- Email: Bylaw Services, bylaw@hope.ca

## Key facts

- **Dogs allowed:** No more than three dogs per property.
  - Source: [Bylaw Enforcement & Animal Control, Dog Control & Licensing](https://hope.ca/bylaw-animal-control)
  - Official wording: "no more than three (3) dogs or three (3) cats per property"
  - Check: wording matched the official text retrieved 2026-11-06
- **Cats allowed:** No more than three cats per property.
  - Source: [Bylaw Enforcement & Animal Control, Dog Control & Licensing](https://hope.ca/bylaw-animal-control)
  - Official wording: "no more than three (3) dogs or three (3) cats per property"
  - Check: wording matched the official text retrieved 2026-11-06
- **Other animal limits:** No more than five pets in total (dogs and cats combined) per property.
  - Source: [Bylaw Enforcement & Animal Control, Dog Control & Licensing](https://hope.ca/bylaw-animal-control)
  - Official wording: "no more than five (5) pets per property" … "a combination within the limits, not to exceed 5 in total"
  - Check: wording matched the official text retrieved 2026-11-06
- **Exceptions:** Not confirmed. Dog Responsibility Bylaw No. 1245 is a scan that could not be read, so exceptions are unconfirmed.
- **Fine:** Bylaw notice: $200 ($150 if paid within 14 days; $50 surcharge after 28 days). Municipal ticket: $1,000. The schedules list one amount for any offence against the Dog Responsibility Bylaw.
  - Source: [Bylaw Notice Enforcement Bylaw No. 1627, 2026, Schedule A (BNE Bylaw No. 1627, 2026)](https://hope.ca/uploads/dm/136112/1627%20-%20Bylaw%20Notice%20Enforcement%20Bylaw%20%28website%29.pdf)
  - Official wording: "Dog Responsibility Bylaw No. 1245, 2008" … "$200.00 $150.00 $50.00 Yes"
  - Source: [Municipal Ticket Information Bylaw No. 1628, 2026, Schedule A (MTI Bylaw No. 1628, 2026)](https://hope.ca/uploads/dm/136113/1628%20-%20Municipal%20Ticket%20Information%20Bylaw%20%28website%29.pdf)
  - Official wording: "Dog Responsibility Bylaw No. 1245, 2008 $1,000.00"
  - Check: wording matched the official text retrieved 2026-11-06
- **Bylaw:** Dog Responsibility Bylaw No. 1245, 2008
  - Source: [Bylaw Notice Enforcement Bylaw No. 1627, 2026, Schedule A (BNE Bylaw No. 1627, 2026)](https://hope.ca/uploads/dm/136112/1627%20-%20Bylaw%20Notice%20Enforcement%20Bylaw%20%28website%29.pdf)
  - Official wording: "Dog Responsibility Bylaw No. 1245, 2008" … "$200.00 $150.00 $50.00 Yes"
  - Check: wording matched the official text retrieved 2026-11-06

## How it works

The District of Hope's Bylaw Enforcement & Animal Control page sets limits per property under the [Dog Responsibility Bylaw No. 1245](<https://hope.ca/uploads/dm/86972/Dog_Responsibility_Bylaw>):

- No more than three dogs.
- No more than three cats.
- No more than five pets in total, dogs and cats combined.

The bylaw itself is a scan with no readable text, so these limits come from the web page.

## Steps

1. Count the dogs and cats living on your property against the three limits above.
2. Licence each dog. See the dog licence answer.
3. If you are over a limit or unsure, call Bylaw Services at 604-869-5671 or email bylaw@hope.ca before a complaint is made.

## Good to know

- The web page states no exceptions. It is not clear whether the limits apply to every type of property, because the bylaw could not be read.
- The Zoning Bylaw defines a kennel as keeping animals for commercial gain and allows kennels in some zones, but no pet-limit exception is stated. Ask the District if you breed or board animals.
- For any offence against the dog bylaw, a bylaw notice is $200 ($150 if paid within 14 days) and a municipal ticket is $1,000. There is no separate amount for too many animals.
- Chickens, bees and other livestock are covered by zoning. See the backyard chickens answer.

## Official forms and pages

- [Bylaw Enforcement & Animal Control](https://hope.ca/bylaw-animal-control)
- [Dog Responsibility Bylaw No. 1245 (scanned PDF)](https://hope.ca/uploads/dm/86972/Dog_Responsibility_Bylaw)

## Related questions

- [Hope dog licences: fees and how to get one](https://govhandbook.com/ca/bc/hope/dog-licence.md)
- [Hope backyard chickens, bees and livestock rules](https://govhandbook.com/ca/bc/hope/backyard-chickens.md)
- [Hope dog leash rules and off-leash areas](https://govhandbook.com/ca/bc/hope/dog-leash-rules.md)
- [Hope bylaw fines and how tickets work](https://govhandbook.com/ca/bc/hope/bylaw-fines.md)

## The same question elsewhere

- [Dog and cat limits in British Columbia, by municipality](https://govhandbook.com/ca/bc/how-many-pets.md)
- [Kent](https://govhandbook.com/ca/bc/kent/how-many-pets.md)
- [Harrison Hot Springs](https://govhandbook.com/ca/bc/harrison-hot-springs/how-many-pets.md)
- [Chilliwack](https://govhandbook.com/ca/bc/chilliwack/how-many-pets.md)
- [Princeton](https://govhandbook.com/ca/bc/princeton/how-many-pets.md)
- [Abbotsford](https://govhandbook.com/ca/bc/abbotsford/how-many-pets.md)
- [Mission](https://govhandbook.com/ca/bc/mission/how-many-pets.md)

## Sources

- [Bylaw Enforcement & Animal Control, District of Hope](https://hope.ca/bylaw-animal-control) (read 2026-11-06)
- [Dog Responsibility Bylaw No. 1245, 2008 (scanned PDF, not readable), District of Hope](https://hope.ca/uploads/dm/86972/Dog_Responsibility_Bylaw) (read 2026-11-06)
- [Bylaw Notice Enforcement Bylaw No. 1627, 2026 (PDF), District of Hope](https://hope.ca/uploads/dm/136112/1627%20-%20Bylaw%20Notice%20Enforcement%20Bylaw%20%28website%29.pdf) (read 2026-11-06)
- [Municipal Ticket Information Bylaw No. 1628, 2026 (PDF), District of Hope](https://hope.ca/uploads/dm/136113/1628%20-%20Municipal%20Ticket%20Information%20Bylaw%20%28website%29.pdf) (read 2026-11-06)
- [Staff Directory, District of Hope](https://hope.ca/staff-directory) (read 2026-11-06)

_Checked by script, not yet by a person: the official wording behind 5 of 6 facts was matched to the official text; 1 could not be confirmed. Gov Handbook is an independent guide, not affiliated with District of Hope. How answers are checked: https://govhandbook.com/methods/ · Canonical page: https://govhandbook.com/ca/bc/hope/how-many-pets/_