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

# How many dogs or cats you can keep in Kitimat

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

**Short answer:** In Kitimat a dwelling in a residential zone may have no more than 4 dogs, 6 cats, and 7 dogs and cats combined at any one time. Only animals apparently over 4 months old count. Registered backyard hens are allowed; other farm animals are not.

**Who handles it:** Municipal  
**Cost:** No cost. Too many dogs, cats or both: a bylaw notice is $100 ($50 if paid within 14 days; $150 late); a municipal ticket is $1,000 ($500 if paid within 30 days).  
**How long:** Not applicable.  
**Where:**
- In person: Municipal Hall, 270 City Centre, Kitimat, BC V8C 2H7 (Office hours are not stated in the documents we read.)
- Phone: Municipal Hall, 250-632-8900

## Key facts

- **Dogs allowed:** No more than 4 dogs at any one time on any dwelling in a residential zone.
  - Source: [Kitimat Municipal Code, consolidated 2026-02, s. 5.5.7.1](https://docs.kitimat.ca/docs/kmc-consolidated-2026-02.pdf)
  - Official wording: "No person shall keep, harbour or permit to remain on any dwelling" … "in a residential zone more than FOUR (4) Dogs at any one time"
  - Check: wording matched the official text retrieved 2026-11-06
- **Cats allowed:** No more than 6 cats at any one time on any dwelling in a residential zone.
  - Source: [Kitimat Municipal Code, consolidated 2026-02, s. 5.5.7.2](https://docs.kitimat.ca/docs/kmc-consolidated-2026-02.pdf)
  - Official wording: "in a residential zone more than SIX (6) Cats at any one time"
  - Check: wording matched the official text retrieved 2026-11-06
- **Other animal limits:** No more than 7 dogs and cats combined on a dwelling in a residential zone. Horses, mules, asses, cows, sheep, swine, reptiles, poultry and fur-producing animals (other than a pet rabbit) are not allowed in residential zones, unless otherwise permitted (registered hens may be kept: see backyard chickens).
  - Source: [Kitimat Municipal Code, consolidated 2026-02, s. 5.5.7.3; s. 9.4.1.28-29 (Part 9, Division 4)](https://docs.kitimat.ca/docs/kmc-consolidated-2026-02.pdf)
  - Official wording: "an aggregate of" … "more than SEVEN (7) Dogs and Cats" … "No person shall keep any horse, mule, ass, cow, sheep, swine," … "reptile, poultry or fur-producing animal other than a pet rabbit, in" … "the pets are not used or traded for commercial purposes in"
  - Source: [Council meeting agenda June 15, 2026 with Bylaw No. 2087, 2026, Bylaw No. 2087, 2026, s. 3 (amends 9.4.1.28)](https://docs.kitimat.ca/docs/2026-06-15-reg.pdf)
  - Official wording: "poultry or fur-producing animal other than a pet rabbit, in any residential zone," … "otherwise permitted elsewhere in the Kitimat Municipal Code."
  - Check: wording matched the official text retrieved 2026-11-06
- **Exceptions:** The limits count only dogs and cats apparently over 4 months old, so younger puppies and kittens are not counted. No kennel or licence exception is stated in the animal control rules.
  - Source: [Kitimat Municipal Code, consolidated 2026-02, s. 5.5.1.1 (Cat, Dog); s. 5.5.7](https://docs.kitimat.ca/docs/kmc-consolidated-2026-02.pdf)
  - Official wording: "Cat shall mean any domesticated Animal of the feline species apparently over the" … "Dog shall mean any domesticated Animal of the canine species apparently over the"
  - Check: wording matched the official text retrieved 2026-11-06
- **Fine:** Bylaw notice: $100 ($50 if paid within 14 days; $150 late) for too many dogs, cats, or dogs and cats combined, or for keeping prohibited animals. Municipal ticket: $1,000 ($500 if paid within 30 days).
  - Source: [Municipal Ticket Information System, Part 1 Division 3 of the Kitimat Municipal Code, Part 5 and Part 9 tables](https://docs.kitimat.ca/docs/part1-div3-municipalticket-20241202.pdf)
  - Official wording: "Keeping excessive number of animals" … "5.5.7.3" … "Keeping prohibited animals" … "9.4.1.28"
  - Source: [Municipal Enforcement Bylaw No. 2086, 2026, council agenda copy of May 19, 2026, Schedules A and B, rows 82-84, 187](https://docs.kitimat.ca/docs/2026-05-19-reg.pdf)
  - Official wording: "82 Keeping More Than Four (4) Dogs in a Residential Zone 5.5.7.1 $ 100.00 $ 50.00 $ 150.00" … "187 Keeping prohibited animals 9.4.1.28 $ 100.00 $ 50.00 $ 150.00" … "82 Keeping More Than Four (4) Dogs in a Residential Zone 5.5.7.1 $1,000.00 $500.00" … "187 Keeping prohibited animals 9.4.1.28 $1,000.00 $500.00"
  - Check: wording matched the official text retrieved 2026-11-06
- **Bylaw:** Kitimat Municipal Code, Part 5, Division 5 - Animal Control (Bylaw No. 2031, 2023), Subdivision 7; and Part 9, Division 4 - Residential Zoning
  - Source: [Kitimat Municipal Code, consolidated 2026-02, Part 5 Div 5 Subdivision 7](https://docs.kitimat.ca/docs/kmc-consolidated-2026-02.pdf)
  - Official wording: "Subdivision 7 - Number of Cats and Dogs"
  - Check: wording matched the official text retrieved 2026-11-06

## How it works

Part 5, Division 5 of the [Kitimat Municipal Code](https://docs.kitimat.ca/docs/kmc-consolidated-2026-02.pdf) limits pets on any dwelling in a residential zone at any one time: no more than 4 dogs, no more than 6 cats, and no more than 7 dogs and cats combined. Only dogs and cats apparently over 4 months old count, so young puppies and kittens are not counted.

Horses, mules, asses, cows, sheep, swine, reptiles, poultry and fur-producing animals (other than a pet rabbit) are not allowed in residential zones unless otherwise permitted. The exception is registered hens, covered in the backyard chickens answer.

## Steps

1. Count the dogs and cats over 4 months old at your dwelling.
2. If you are over a limit, rehome or reduce before a complaint is made.
3. Licence every dog (see the dog licence answer).

## Good to know

- The animal control rules state no exception for kennels, puppies or kittens.
- Too many dogs, cats or both, or keeping a prohibited animal: a bylaw notice is $100 ($50 if paid within 14 days; $150 late); a municipal ticket is $1,000 ($500 if paid within 30 days).
- Questions: Municipal Hall, 250-632-8900.

## Official forms and pages

- [Kitimat Municipal Code, consolidated 2026-02 (PDF)](https://docs.kitimat.ca/docs/kmc-consolidated-2026-02.pdf)

## Related questions

- [Kitimat dog licences: fees and how to get one](https://govhandbook.com/ca/bc/kitimat/dog-licence.md)
- [Kitimat backyard chickens, bees and livestock rules](https://govhandbook.com/ca/bc/kitimat/backyard-chickens.md)
- [Kitimat dog leash rules and off-leash areas](https://govhandbook.com/ca/bc/kitimat/dog-leash-rules.md)
- [Kitimat bylaw fines and how tickets work](https://govhandbook.com/ca/bc/kitimat/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)
- [Terrace](https://govhandbook.com/ca/bc/terrace/how-many-pets.md)
- [Port Edward](https://govhandbook.com/ca/bc/port-edward/how-many-pets.md)
- [Prince Rupert](https://govhandbook.com/ca/bc/prince-rupert/how-many-pets.md)
- [Telkwa](https://govhandbook.com/ca/bc/telkwa/how-many-pets.md)
- [Houston](https://govhandbook.com/ca/bc/houston/how-many-pets.md)
- [New Hazelton](https://govhandbook.com/ca/bc/new-hazelton/how-many-pets.md)

## Sources

- [Kitimat Municipal Code, consolidated 2026-02 (PDF)](https://docs.kitimat.ca/docs/kmc-consolidated-2026-02.pdf) (read 2026-11-06)
- [Council meeting agenda June 15, 2026 with Bylaw No. 2087, 2026 (PDF)](https://docs.kitimat.ca/docs/2026-06-15-reg.pdf) (read 2026-11-06)
- [Municipal Enforcement Bylaw No. 2086, 2026, council agenda copy of May 19, 2026 (PDF)](https://docs.kitimat.ca/docs/2026-05-19-reg.pdf) (read 2026-11-06)
- [Municipal Ticket Information System, Part 1 Division 3 of the Kitimat Municipal Code (PDF)](https://docs.kitimat.ca/docs/part1-div3-municipalticket-20241202.pdf) (read 2026-11-06)

_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 any government. How answers are checked: https://govhandbook.com/methods/ · Canonical page: https://govhandbook.com/ca/bc/kitimat/how-many-pets/_