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

# How many dogs or cats you can keep in Merritt

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

**Short answer:** In the City of Merritt you may keep no more than two dogs over six months old and no more than two cats at any residence, including a home with a suite, boarder or tenant. Bylaw Services can approve more dogs.

**Who handles it:** Municipal (City of Merritt, https://www.merritt.ca)  
**Where:**
- Phone: Bylaw Services, 250-378-4224 ext. 216
- Email: Bylaw Services, bylaw@merritt.ca

## Key facts

- **Dogs allowed:** No more than two dogs over six months old at any residence, including a premises with a suite, boarder or tenant, unless otherwise approved by Bylaw Services.
  - Source: [Animal Control Bylaw No. 2241, 2018, consolidated to Bylaw 2425, 2026, s. 11](http://www.merritt.ca/wp-content/uploads/2026/09/2241-Animal-Control-CONSOLIDATED.pdf)
  - Official wording: "No person shall keep, harbour, or permit to kept more than two (2) Dogs over the age of six (6) months at any residence, including any premises that houses a suite, boarder or tenant, unless otherwise approved by Bylaw Services."
  - Check: wording matched the official text retrieved 2026-11-06
- **Cats allowed:** No more than two cats at any residence, including a premises with a suite, boarder or tenant.
  - Source: [Animal Control Bylaw No. 2241, 2018, consolidated to Bylaw 2425, 2026, s. 12](http://www.merritt.ca/wp-content/uploads/2026/09/2241-Animal-Control-CONSOLIDATED.pdf)
  - Official wording: "No person shall keep or harbour more than two Cats at any residence, including any premise that houses a suite, boarder or tenant."
  - Check: wording matched the official text retrieved 2026-11-06
- **Other animal limits:** No horses, mules, donkeys, cows, pigs, llamas, alpacas, cattle, sheep, goats, poultry or fowl may be kept in the City, except as allowed in the Zoning Bylaw or the Animal Control Bylaw (which allows 2 to 6 hens on certain zoned lots, and bees with a permit).
  - Source: [Animal Control Bylaw No. 2241, 2018, consolidated to Bylaw 2425, 2026, s. 13](http://www.merritt.ca/wp-content/uploads/2026/09/2241-Animal-Control-CONSOLIDATED.pdf)
  - Official wording: "Except as may be allowed in the City of Merritt Zoning Bylaw, or provision of this Bylaw, no horses, mules, donkeys, cows, pigs, llamas, alpacas, cattle, sheep, goats, poultry or fowl shall be harboured within the City." … "a minimum of two and a maximum of six (6) Hens may be kept on any such property"
  - Check: wording matched the official text retrieved 2026-11-06
- **Exceptions:** Dogs: more than two only if Bylaw Services approves; only dogs over six months old count toward the limit. Cats: none. Hens: 2 to 6 where zoning allows. No kennel licence exception is stated in the bylaw.
  - Source: [Animal Control Bylaw No. 2241, 2018, consolidated to Bylaw 2425, 2026, s. 11, 50](http://www.merritt.ca/wp-content/uploads/2026/09/2241-Animal-Control-CONSOLIDATED.pdf)
  - Official wording: "unless otherwise approved by Bylaw Services." … "The parcel must be appropriately Zoned to allow the keeping of Hens according to the City’s Zoning Bylaw." … "No person shall keep, harbour, or permit to kept more than two (2) Dogs over the age of six (6) months at any residence, including any premises that houses a suite, boarder or tenant, unless otherwise approved by Bylaw Services."
  - Check: wording matched the official text retrieved 2026-11-06
- **Fine:** Bylaw notice: $200 for more than 2 dogs or more than 2 cats ($150 if paid within 14 days; $250 after 28 days).
  - Source: [Bylaw Notice Enforcement Bylaw No. 2424, 2026, Schedule A, Schedule A, Animal Control Bylaw ss. 11, 12](http://www.merritt.ca/wp-content/uploads/2026/09/BNE-Bylaw-2424-2026.pdf)
  - Official wording: "Harbouring more than 2 dogs 11 $200.00 $150.00 $250.00 No" … "Harbouring more than 2 cats 12 $200.00 $150.00 $250.00 No"
  - Check: wording matched the official text retrieved 2026-11-06
- **Bylaw:** City of Merritt Animal Control Bylaw No. 2241, 2018.
  - Source: [Animal Control Bylaw No. 2241, 2018, consolidated to Bylaw 2425, 2026, s. 1](http://www.merritt.ca/wp-content/uploads/2026/09/2241-Animal-Control-CONSOLIDATED.pdf)
  - Official wording: "This Bylaw shall be cited as the “City of Merritt Animal Control Bylaw No. 2241, 2018”."
  - Check: wording matched the official text retrieved 2026-11-06

## How it works

Sections 11 and 12 of the City of Merritt's [Animal Control Bylaw 2241](http://www.merritt.ca/wp-content/uploads/2026/09/2241-Animal-Control-CONSOLIDATED.pdf) limit a residence to two dogs over six months old and two cats. Both limits apply to a premises with a suite, boarder or tenant. Only dogs over six months old count toward the dog limit, so younger puppies are not counted, but a dog over three months old still needs a licence.

## Steps

1. Count the dogs over six months old and the cats at the residence.
2. If you want more than two dogs, ask Bylaw Services (250-378-4224 ext. 216) for approval first. The bylaw says approval is up to Bylaw Services.
3. Licence every dog over three months old. See the dog licence answer.

## Good to know

- The bylaw sets no combined limit on dogs and cats, and states no kennel exception.
- Livestock and poultry are a different rule: no horses, cows, pigs, goats, sheep, poultry or fowl, except 2 to 6 hens on certain lots and bees with a permit. See the answer on chickens.
- Having more than 2 dogs or more than 2 cats is a $200 bylaw notice ($150 if paid within 14 days, $250 after 28 days).

## Official forms and pages

- [Animal Control Bylaw 2241 (PDF)](http://www.merritt.ca/wp-content/uploads/2026/09/2241-Animal-Control-CONSOLIDATED.pdf)

## Related questions

- [Merritt dog licences: fees and how to get one](https://govhandbook.com/ca/bc/merritt/dog-licence.md)
- [Merritt backyard chickens, bees and livestock rules](https://govhandbook.com/ca/bc/merritt/backyard-chickens.md)

## The same question elsewhere

- [Dog and cat limits in British Columbia, by municipality](https://govhandbook.com/ca/bc/how-many-pets.md)
- [Logan Lake](https://govhandbook.com/ca/bc/logan-lake/how-many-pets.md)
- [Kamloops](https://govhandbook.com/ca/bc/kamloops/how-many-pets.md)
- [Princeton](https://govhandbook.com/ca/bc/princeton/how-many-pets.md)
- [Ashcroft](https://govhandbook.com/ca/bc/ashcroft/how-many-pets.md)
- [Peachland](https://govhandbook.com/ca/bc/peachland/how-many-pets.md)
- [West Kelowna](https://govhandbook.com/ca/bc/west-kelowna/how-many-pets.md)

## Sources

- [Animal Control Bylaw No. 2241, 2018 (PDF), consolidated to Bylaw 2425, 2026, City of Merritt](http://www.merritt.ca/wp-content/uploads/2026/09/2241-Animal-Control-CONSOLIDATED.pdf) (read 2026-11-05)
- [Contact, City of Merritt](https://www.merritt.ca/contact/) (read 2026-11-05)
- [Bylaw Notice Enforcement Bylaw No. 2424, 2026 (PDF), Schedule A, City of Merritt](http://www.merritt.ca/wp-content/uploads/2026/09/BNE-Bylaw-2424-2026.pdf) (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 Merritt. How answers are checked: https://govhandbook.com/methods/ · Canonical page: https://govhandbook.com/ca/bc/merritt/how-many-pets/_