---
title: How many dogs or cats you can keep in Mackenzie
question: "How many dogs or cats can I keep in Mackenzie?"
place: Mackenzie, British Columbia, Canada
place_path: ca/bc/mackenzie
category: Pets, animals and wildlife
owner: municipal
owner_body: District of Mackenzie
sources_read: 2026-11-08
review: machine_checked
canonical: "https://govhandbook.com/ca/bc/mackenzie/how-many-pets/"
json: "https://govhandbook.com/ca/bc/mackenzie/how-many-pets.json"
---

# How many dogs or cats you can keep in Mackenzie

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

**Short answer:** In Mackenzie, you may keep no more than 2 dogs and no more than 2 cats on a property without a permit. A District permit can allow up to 4 dogs or cats, or a mix of the two up to 4.

**Who handles it:** Municipal (District of Mackenzie, https://districtofmackenzie.ca)  
**Cost:** Permit to keep up to 4 dogs or cats: $58 (renewal $58). Ticket for keeping animals without a permit: $150.  
**How long:** A permit lasts up to 1 year.  
**Where:**
- Phone: Animal Control & Bylaw Services, 250-997-3882 (If the officer is on patrol: 250-997-7617)
- Phone: District Main Office, 250-997-3221

## Key facts

- **Dogs allowed:** No more than 2 dogs per property without a permit or kennel permit. A permit can allow up to 4 dogs or cats (or a combination up to 4).
  - Source: [Animal Control and Licencing Bylaw No. 1354, 2016, consolidated, s. 5(e)](https://districtofmackenzie.ca/wp-content/uploads/2024/04/Bylaw.1354-Consolidated-Animal-Control-and-Licencing-Bylaw.pdf)
  - Official wording: "No Owner shall Keep more than two (2) Dogs and two (2) Cats on the Owner’s Premises"
  - Check: wording matched the official text retrieved 2026-11-08
- **Cats allowed:** No more than 2 cats per property without a permit or kennel permit.
  - Source: [Animal Control and Licencing Bylaw No. 1354, 2016, consolidated, s. 5(e)](https://districtofmackenzie.ca/wp-content/uploads/2024/04/Bylaw.1354-Consolidated-Animal-Control-and-Licencing-Bylaw.pdf)
  - Official wording: "No Owner shall Keep more than two (2) Dogs and two (2) Cats on the Owner’s Premises"
  - Check: wording matched the official text retrieved 2026-11-08
- **Other animal limits:** Livestock (domestic use, penned) on RR1, RRB1 and RRC1 land: 5 horses, donkeys, llamas or hinnies; 2 cows, goats, sheep or pigs; 15 rabbits; or 25 chickens, turkeys, geese or ducks. RR2 has lower limits (s. 11(b)). None on a parcel under 0.4 ha. No exotic animals. One litter under 4 months at a time.
  - Source: [Animal Control and Licencing Bylaw No. 1354, 2016, consolidated, s. 11(a), (c); s. 5(a), (g)](https://districtofmackenzie.ca/wp-content/uploads/2024/04/Bylaw.1354-Consolidated-Animal-Control-and-Licencing-Bylaw.pdf)
  - Official wording: "5 horses; or" … "25 chickens, turkeys, geese or ducks." … "No Livestock are permitted on a Land Parcel that is smaller than .4 hectares (1 acre)." … "No person shall Keep an Exotic animal anywhere within the District of Mackenzie." … "Only one litter of Animals under the age of four (4) months may be present on any Land Parcel at any one time" … "An Owner is permitted to Keep Livestock on the Owner’s Premises located within the Rural Residential 2 Zone (RR2), subject to the following:" … "20 chicken or turkeys or geese or ducks or"
  - Check: wording matched the official text retrieved 2026-11-08
- **Exceptions:** A permit (s. 9) lets an owner keep up to 4 dogs or 4 cats, or a combination not over 4, aged 4 months or more, for up to 1 year; it needs adjacent neighbours' written consent for any period over 6 months, and a tenant needs the landlord's written authorization. A Kennel Permit allows more for a kennel in a zone where kennels are allowed.
  - Source: [Animal Control and Licencing Bylaw No. 1354, 2016, consolidated, s. 9(a), s. 10](https://districtofmackenzie.ca/wp-content/uploads/2024/04/Bylaw.1354-Consolidated-Animal-Control-and-Licencing-Bylaw.pdf)
  - Official wording: "An Owner may obtain a Permit for a period of up to one(1) year to Keep up to four (4) Dogs or four (4) Cats" … "written consent of any property owners or tenants who live adjacent to the Owner’s Premises has been obtained" … "No person shall operate a Kennel on any Land Parcel that is a Zone in which a Kennel is not a lawful use under the Zoning Bylaw."
  - Source: [Animal Licences & Control, Annual Licence Fees](https://districtofmackenzie.ca/public-services/animal-control-bylaw-services/animal-licences-control/)
  - Official wording: "| Dog Licence replacement tag | $7.50 | $7.50 | Permit | $58.00 | $58.00 | Permit renewal | $58.00 | $58.00"
  - Check: wording matched the official text retrieved 2026-11-08
- **Fine:** Municipal ticket $150 for harbouring animals without a permit (s. 5(e)).
  - Source: [Municipal Ticket Information Bylaw No. 1465, 2022, amended by Nos. 1488 and 1502, Schedule 2](https://districtofmackenzie.ca/wp-content/uploads/2023/09/Bylaw-No.-1465-1488-1502-Municipal-Ticket-Information.pdf)
  - Official wording: "12. Harbouring animals without a permit. 5.(e) $150"
  - Check: wording matched the official text retrieved 2026-11-08
- **Bylaw:** Animal Control and Licencing Bylaw No. 1354, 2016 (amended by Nos. 1377, 1473, 1491, 1501).
  - Source: [Animal Control and Licencing Bylaw No. 1354, 2016, consolidated, cover](https://districtofmackenzie.ca/wp-content/uploads/2024/04/Bylaw.1354-Consolidated-Animal-Control-and-Licencing-Bylaw.pdf)
  - Official wording: "Animal Control and Licencing Bylaw 2016 No. 1354"
  - Check: wording matched the official text retrieved 2026-11-08

## How it works

The District of Mackenzie's [Animal Control and Licencing Bylaw No. 1354](https://districtofmackenzie.ca/wp-content/uploads/2024/04/Bylaw.1354-Consolidated-Animal-Control-and-Licencing-Bylaw.pdf) sets the same limit across its premises: no more than 2 dogs and no more than 2 cats per property without a permit or kennel permit. The bylaw gives no separate rule by zone.

## Steps

1. For more than 2 dogs or 2 cats, ask Animal Control & Bylaw Services (250-997-3882) for a permit. It covers up to 4 dogs or 4 cats, or a mix up to 4, aged 4 months or more, for up to 1 year.
2. Get written consent from your adjacent neighbours if the permit is for more than 6 months. A tenant needs the landlord's written authorization.
3. Pay the $58 fee ($58 to renew).

## Good to know

- A Kennel Permit allows more animals for a kennel in a zone where kennels are allowed. The kennel licence is $28.50.
- The District may revoke a permit without notice if the bylaw is broken.
- Also under the bylaw: no exotic animals, and one litter under 4 months at a time.
- Livestock and hens have their own rules, by zone: see the backyard chickens answer.
- A municipal ticket for keeping animals without a permit is $150.

## Official forms and pages

- [Animal Control and Licencing Bylaw No. 1354 (consolidated PDF)](https://districtofmackenzie.ca/wp-content/uploads/2024/04/Bylaw.1354-Consolidated-Animal-Control-and-Licencing-Bylaw.pdf)
- [Animal Licences & Control page](https://districtofmackenzie.ca/public-services/animal-control-bylaw-services/animal-licences-control/)

## Related questions

- [Mackenzie dog licences: fees and how to get one](https://govhandbook.com/ca/bc/mackenzie/dog-licence.md)
- [Mackenzie backyard chickens, bees and livestock rules](https://govhandbook.com/ca/bc/mackenzie/backyard-chickens.md)
- [Mackenzie dog leash rules and off-leash areas](https://govhandbook.com/ca/bc/mackenzie/dog-leash-rules.md)
- [Mackenzie bylaw fines and how tickets work](https://govhandbook.com/ca/bc/mackenzie/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)
- [Chetwynd](https://govhandbook.com/ca/bc/chetwynd/how-many-pets.md)
- [Tumbler Ridge](https://govhandbook.com/ca/bc/tumbler-ridge/how-many-pets.md)
- [Fort St James](https://govhandbook.com/ca/bc/fort-st-james/how-many-pets.md)
- [Vanderhoof](https://govhandbook.com/ca/bc/vanderhoof/how-many-pets.md)
- [Prince George](https://govhandbook.com/ca/bc/prince-george/how-many-pets.md)
- [Fort St. John](https://govhandbook.com/ca/bc/fort-st-john/how-many-pets.md)

## Sources

- [Animal Control and Licencing Bylaw No. 1354, 2016, consolidated (PDF)](https://districtofmackenzie.ca/wp-content/uploads/2024/04/Bylaw.1354-Consolidated-Animal-Control-and-Licencing-Bylaw.pdf) (read 2026-11-08)
- [Animal Licences & Control, District of Mackenzie](https://districtofmackenzie.ca/public-services/animal-control-bylaw-services/animal-licences-control/) (read 2026-11-08)
- [Municipal Ticket Information Bylaw No. 1465, 2022, amended by Nos. 1488 and 1502 (PDF)](https://districtofmackenzie.ca/wp-content/uploads/2023/09/Bylaw-No.-1465-1488-1502-Municipal-Ticket-Information.pdf) (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. Gov Handbook is an independent guide, not affiliated with District of Mackenzie. How answers are checked: https://govhandbook.com/methods/ · Canonical page: https://govhandbook.com/ca/bc/mackenzie/how-many-pets/_