GovHandbook

How many dogs or cats you can keep in Mackenzie

How many dogs or cats can I keep in Mackenzie?

Mackenzie, British ColumbiaChecked against official textSources read 2026-11-08

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.

Key facts

Dogs allowedNo 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).Animal Control and Licencing Bylaw No. 1354, 2016, consolidated, s. 5(e) · Wording matched the official text retrieved 2026-11-08
Official wording
No Owner shall Keep more than two (2) Dogs and two (2) Cats on the Owner’s Premises
Cats allowedNo more than 2 cats per property without a permit or kennel permit.Animal Control and Licencing Bylaw No. 1354, 2016, consolidated, s. 5(e) · Wording matched the official text retrieved 2026-11-08
Official wording
No Owner shall Keep more than two (2) Dogs and two (2) Cats on the Owner’s Premises
Other animal limitsLivestock (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.Animal Control and Licencing Bylaw No. 1354, 2016, consolidated, s. 11(a), (c); s. 5(a), (g) · Wording matched the official text retrieved 2026-11-08
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
ExceptionsA 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.Animal Control and Licencing Bylaw No. 1354, 2016, consolidated, s. 9(a), s. 10; Animal Licences & Control, Annual Licence Fees · Wording matched the official text retrieved 2026-11-08
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.
| Dog Licence replacement tag | $7.50 | $7.50 | Permit | $58.00 | $58.00 | Permit renewal | $58.00 | $58.00
FineMunicipal ticket $150 for harbouring animals without a permit (s. 5(e)).Municipal Ticket Information Bylaw No. 1465, 2022, amended by Nos. 1488 and 1502, Schedule 2 · Wording matched the official text retrieved 2026-11-08
Official wording
12. Harbouring animals without a permit. 5.(e) $150
BylawAnimal Control and Licencing Bylaw No. 1354, 2016 (amended by Nos. 1377, 1473, 1491, 1501).Animal Control and Licencing Bylaw No. 1354, 2016, consolidated, cover · Wording matched the official text retrieved 2026-11-08
Official wording
Animal Control and Licencing Bylaw 2016 No. 1354

How it works

The District of Mackenzie's Animal Control and Licencing Bylaw No. 1354 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

The same question in other places

Chetwynd · Tumbler Ridge · Fort St James · Vanderhoof · Prince George · Fort St. John

Dog and cat limits in British Columbia, by municipality →

Sources

  1. Animal Control and Licencing Bylaw No. 1354, 2016, consolidated (PDF) (read 2026-11-08)
  2. Animal Licences & Control, District of Mackenzie (read 2026-11-08)
  3. Municipal Ticket Information Bylaw No. 1465, 2022, amended by Nos. 1488 and 1502 (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. How answers are checked.