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

# How many dogs or cats you can keep in Maple Ridge

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

**Short answer:** Maple Ridge allows no more than three dogs on a parcel, and no more than six weaned, altered (spayed or neutered) cats. A dog under four months old does not count. The bylaw does not say how many unaltered cats are allowed.

**Who handles it:** Municipal (City of Maple Ridge, https://www.mapleridge.ca)  
**Cost:** More than three dogs, or more than six cats: a $150 bylaw notice ($100 within 14 days, $200 after 28 days) or a $100 municipal ticket.  
**Where:**
- Phone: Bylaw, Licensing and Community Safety, 604-467-7305
- Email: Bylaw, Licensing and Community Safety, Bylaws@MapleRidge.ca

## Key facts

- **Dogs allowed:** No more than 3 dogs on any parcel. A dog under four months old does not count.
  - Source: [Animal Control and Licencing Bylaw No. 6908-2012, s. 6.1.1, 6.4.1](https://www.mapleridge.ca/media/file/animal-control-and-licencing-bylaw-no-6908-2012)
  - Official wording: "No Owner shall Keep, or permit to be kept, more than three (3) dogs on any" … "A dog established by the Owner to be under the age of four (4) months"
  - Check: wording matched the official text retrieved 2026-11-06
- **Cats allowed:** No more than six (6) weaned altered (spayed or neutered) cats on any one parcel.
  - Source: [Animal Control and Licencing Bylaw No. 6908-2012, s. 10.1.1](https://www.mapleridge.ca/media/file/animal-control-and-licencing-bylaw-no-6908-2012)
  - Official wording: "more than six (6) weaned Altered Cats on any one parcel"
  - Check: wording matched the official text retrieved 2026-11-06
- **Other animal limits:** No one may walk more than three dogs in a public place at one time. Livestock may be kept only as the Zoning Bylaw permits. Hobby beekeeping is limited to two hives per lot.
  - Source: [Animal Control and Licencing Bylaw No. 6908-2012, s. 6.5.1(c), 11.1.1](https://www.mapleridge.ca/media/file/animal-control-and-licencing-bylaw-no-6908-2012)
  - Official wording: "walk more than three (3) Dogs in any Public Place at any one time." … "No Owner shall Keep or permit to be kept Livestock except as permitted"
  - Source: [Zoning Bylaw 7600-2019, s. 402.13](https://www.mapleridge.ca/media/file/zoning-bylaw-7600-2019)
  - Official wording: "a maximum of two (2) bee hives per Lot shall be permitted;"
  - Check: wording matched the official text retrieved 2026-11-06
- **Exceptions:** The dog limit does not apply at the Animal Control Facility or in a lawfully licenced pet store, veterinary clinic, pet care establishment, commercial kennel or hobby kennel. The cat limit has the same exceptions except kennels. Dogs under four months old do not count.
  - Source: [Animal Control and Licencing Bylaw No. 6908-2012, s. 6.1.1, 10.1.1, 6.4.1](https://www.mapleridge.ca/media/file/animal-control-and-licencing-bylaw-no-6908-2012)
  - Official wording: "except at the Animal Control Facility, or in the lawful and licenced" … "operation of a Pet store, veterinary medical clinic, or Pet care" … "A dog established by the Owner to be under the age of four (4) months"
  - Check: wording matched the official text retrieved 2026-11-06
- **Fine:** Bylaw notice: more than 3 dogs $150 and more than six cats $150 (each $100 within 14 days, $200 after 28 days). Municipal ticket: $100 for each.
  - Source: [Bylaw Notice Enforcement (Consolidated) Bylaw No. 7626-2020, Schedule A, Part 1](https://www.mapleridge.ca/media/file/bylaw-notice-enforcement-consolidated-bylaw-no-7626-2020)
  - Official wording: "6908-2012 6.1.1 More than 3 dogs $150 $100 $200 Yes" … "6908-2012 10.1.1 More than six cats $150 $100 $200 Yes"
  - Source: [Ticket Information Utilization Bylaw No. 6929-2012 (Consolidated), Schedule 2](https://www.mapleridge.ca/media/file/ticket-information-utilization-bylaw-no-6929-2012-consolidated)
  - Official wording: "More than 3 dogs 6.1.1 $100" … "More than six cats 10.1.1 $100"
  - Check: wording matched the official text retrieved 2026-11-06
- **Bylaw:** Animal Control and Licencing Bylaw No. 6908-2012 (dogs s. 6.1, cats s. 10.1)
  - Source: [Animal Control and Licencing Bylaw No. 6908-2012, title](https://www.mapleridge.ca/media/file/animal-control-and-licencing-bylaw-no-6908-2012)
  - Official wording: "Animal Control and Licencing Bylaw No. 6908-2012"
  - Check: wording matched the official text retrieved 2026-11-06

## How it works

Under the [Animal Control and Licencing Bylaw No. 6908-2012](https://www.mapleridge.ca/media/file/animal-control-and-licencing-bylaw-no-6908-2012), no more than three dogs may be kept on any parcel, and no more than six weaned altered cats. A dog under four months old does not count toward the limit.

## Good to know

- The dog limit does not apply at the Animal Control Facility or in a lawfully licenced pet store, veterinary clinic, pet care establishment, commercial kennel or hobby kennel. The cat limit has the same exceptions except kennels.
- The bylaw text says nothing about how many unaltered cats you may keep. Ask the department.
- No one may walk more than three dogs in a public place at one time.
- Livestock may be kept only as the Zoning Bylaw permits. See the backyard chickens answer.
- Hobby beekeeping is limited to two hives per lot under the [Zoning Bylaw 7600-2019](https://www.mapleridge.ca/media/file/zoning-bylaw-7600-2019).
- Penalty for more than three dogs or more than six cats: a bylaw notice is $150 for each; a municipal ticket is $100 for each.
- To ask about a higher limit, call 604-467-7305.

## Official forms and pages

- [Animal Control and Licencing Bylaw No. 6908-2012 (PDF)](https://www.mapleridge.ca/media/file/animal-control-and-licencing-bylaw-no-6908-2012)

## Related questions

- [Maple Ridge dog licences: fees and how to get one](https://govhandbook.com/ca/bc/maple-ridge/dog-licence.md)
- [Maple Ridge backyard chickens, bees and livestock rules](https://govhandbook.com/ca/bc/maple-ridge/backyard-chickens.md)
- [Maple Ridge dog leash rules and off-leash areas](https://govhandbook.com/ca/bc/maple-ridge/dog-leash-rules.md)

## The same question elsewhere

- [Dog and cat limits in British Columbia, by municipality](https://govhandbook.com/ca/bc/how-many-pets.md)
- [Pitt Meadows](https://govhandbook.com/ca/bc/pitt-meadows/how-many-pets.md)
- [Port Coquitlam](https://govhandbook.com/ca/bc/port-coquitlam/how-many-pets.md)
- [Coquitlam](https://govhandbook.com/ca/bc/coquitlam/how-many-pets.md)
- [Anmore](https://govhandbook.com/ca/bc/anmore/how-many-pets.md)
- [Township of Langley](https://govhandbook.com/ca/bc/langley-township/how-many-pets.md)
- [Port Moody](https://govhandbook.com/ca/bc/port-moody/how-many-pets.md)

## Sources

- [Bylaw Notice (Ticket), City of Maple Ridge](https://www.mapleridge.ca/community-safety/bylaw-enforcement/bylaw-notice-ticket) (read 2026-11-05)
- [Animal Control and Licencing Bylaw No. 6908-2012](https://www.mapleridge.ca/media/file/animal-control-and-licencing-bylaw-no-6908-2012) (read 2026-11-05)
- [Zoning Bylaw 7600-2019](https://www.mapleridge.ca/media/file/zoning-bylaw-7600-2019) (read 2026-11-05)
- [Bylaw Notice Enforcement (Consolidated) Bylaw No. 7626-2020](https://www.mapleridge.ca/media/file/bylaw-notice-enforcement-consolidated-bylaw-no-7626-2020) (read 2026-11-05)
- [Ticket Information Utilization Bylaw No. 6929-2012 (Consolidated) (PDF)](https://www.mapleridge.ca/media/file/ticket-information-utilization-bylaw-no-6929-2012-consolidated) (read 2026-11-05)

_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 City of Maple Ridge. How answers are checked: https://govhandbook.com/methods/ · Canonical page: https://govhandbook.com/ca/bc/maple-ridge/how-many-pets/_