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

# How many dogs or cats you can keep in Northern Rockies

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

**Short answer:** Inside the Animal Control boundary in Northern Rockies Regional Municipality, the bylaw limits an owner to three dogs, three cats or three animals, unless the property is zoned RR-1. The website says three dogs per household. A cat over six months old must be spayed or neutered.

**Who handles it:** Municipal (Northern Rockies Regional Municipality, https://www.northernrockies.ca)  
**Cost:** Bylaw notice for exceeding the limit: $100 ($90 if paid within 21 days, $110 after 32 days). Cat breeding permit: $35 for three years.  
**How long:** A cat breeding permit lasts three years.  
**Where:**
- Phone: Animal Control, 250.775.0048 (Patrol 8:00 a.m. to 4:00 p.m., Monday to Friday)
- Email: Bylaw Enforcement, Bylaw@NorthernRockies.ca

## Key facts

- **Dogs allowed:** Three dogs per household. The bylaw limits an owner to three dogs, three cats or three animals within the Animal Control boundary (Map 1), unless the property is zoned RR-1.
  - Source: [Animal Control, Pound and License Bylaw No. 09, 2009 (PDF, consolidated November 29, 2016), Northern Rockies Regional Municipality, s. 10.3](https://nr.civicweb.net/document/9400/)
  - Official wording: "No animal owner shall be permitted to possess or harbour more than a total of three (3) dogs, or three (3) cats, or three (3) animals within the geographic area identified in"
  - Source: [Dog Licences and Animal Control, Northern Rockies Regional Municipality, Number of dogs](https://www.northernrockies.ca/resident-services/dog-licences-animal-control)
  - Official wording: "You can have a maximum of three (3) dogs per household"
  - Check: wording matched the official text retrieved 2026-11-08
- **Cats allowed:** Three cats, inside the Animal Control boundary (Map 1), unless the property is zoned RR-1. A cat over six months old must be spayed or neutered unless the owner holds a cat breeding permit.
  - Source: [Animal Control, Pound and License Bylaw No. 09, 2009 (PDF, consolidated November 29, 2016), Northern Rockies Regional Municipality, s. 10.3](https://nr.civicweb.net/document/9400/)
  - Official wording: "No animal owner shall be permitted to possess or harbour more than a total of three (3) dogs, or three (3) cats, or three (3) animals within the geographic area identified in"
  - Source: [Animal Control, Pound and License Bylaw No. 09, 2009 (PDF, consolidated November 29, 2016), Northern Rockies Regional Municipality, s. 9.1](https://nr.civicweb.net/document/9400/)
  - Official wording: "No person may be or become an Owner of any cat that is actually or" … "the person holds a valid cat breeding permit for an unspayed or"
  - Check: wording matched the official text retrieved 2026-11-08
- **Other animal limits:** "Animal" means a domestic family pet and excludes fish, birds, reptiles and rodents. Cattle (defined to include horses, mules, llamas, swine, sheep, goats and cows) may not be kept in the boundary unless the Zoning Bylaw permits it.
  - Source: [Animal Control, Pound and License Bylaw No. 09, 2009 (PDF, consolidated November 29, 2016), Northern Rockies Regional Municipality, s. 5.1, 10.6](https://nr.civicweb.net/document/9400/)
  - Official wording: "means a domestic family pet but does not include fish, birds, reptiles, or rodents" … "No cattle shall be permitted to be kept within the municipal boundaries" … "any livestock including horse, mule, llama, swine, sheep,"
  - Check: wording matched the official text retrieved 2026-11-08
- **Exceptions:** Properties zoned RR-1 under the Zoning Bylaw are exempt from the three-animal limit.
  - Source: [Animal Control, Pound and License Bylaw No. 09, 2009 (PDF, consolidated November 29, 2016), Northern Rockies Regional Municipality, s. 10.3](https://nr.civicweb.net/document/9400/)
  - Official wording: "unless they are zoned RR-1 as defined by the Municipal Zoning Bylaw."
  - Check: wording matched the official text retrieved 2026-11-08
- **Fine:** Bylaw notice: $100 ($90 if paid within 21 days; $110 after 32 days).
  - Source: [Bylaw Notice Enforcement Bylaw No. 59, 2011 (PDF, consolidated May 2024), Northern Rockies Regional Municipality, Schedule A, Animal Control](https://nr.civicweb.net/document/59372/)
  - Official wording: "Possession of more than 3 animals 10.3 $100 $90 $110"
  - Check: wording matched the official text retrieved 2026-11-08
- **Bylaw:** Animal Control, Pound and License Bylaw No. 09, 2009.
  - Source: [Animal Control, Pound and License Bylaw No. 09, 2009 (PDF, consolidated November 29, 2016), Northern Rockies Regional Municipality, cover](https://nr.civicweb.net/document/9400/)
  - Official wording: "Animal Control, Pound and License Bylaw No. 09, 2009"
  - Check: wording matched the official text retrieved 2026-11-08

## How it works

Under s. 10.3 of the [Animal Control, Pound and License Bylaw No. 09, 2009](https://nr.civicweb.net/document/9400/), an owner inside the Animal Control boundary (Map 1) may keep no more than three dogs, three cats or three animals. Properties zoned RR-1 under the Zoning Bylaw are exempt. "Animal" means a domestic family pet and excludes fish, birds, reptiles and rodents.

## Steps

1. Check that your property is inside the Animal Control boundary (Map 1 of the bylaw) and whether it is zoned RR-1.
2. Spay or neuter any cat over six months old, unless you hold a cat breeding permit.
3. Ask Animal Control if you are unsure how the limit applies to your mix of pets.

## Good to know

- The bylaw wording does not make clear whether the limit is three animals in total or three of each kind. The website says three dogs per household. Confirm with Animal Control.
- Cattle (including horses, mules, llamas, swine, sheep, goats and cows) may not be kept inside the boundary unless the Zoning Bylaw permits it.
- No exception for puppies, kittens or kennel licences was found in the bylaw.

## Official forms and pages

- [Animal Control, Pound and License Bylaw No. 09, 2009 (PDF)](https://nr.civicweb.net/document/9400/)

## Related questions

- [Northern Rockies dog licences: fees and how to get one](https://govhandbook.com/ca/bc/northern-rockies/dog-licence.md)
- [Northern Rockies dog leash rules and off-leash areas](https://govhandbook.com/ca/bc/northern-rockies/dog-leash-rules.md)
- [Northern Rockies backyard chickens, bees and livestock rules](https://govhandbook.com/ca/bc/northern-rockies/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)
- [New Hazelton](https://govhandbook.com/ca/bc/new-hazelton/how-many-pets.md)
- [Granisle](https://govhandbook.com/ca/bc/granisle/how-many-pets.md)
- [Mackenzie](https://govhandbook.com/ca/bc/mackenzie/how-many-pets.md)
- [Fort St. John](https://govhandbook.com/ca/bc/fort-st-john/how-many-pets.md)
- [Chetwynd](https://govhandbook.com/ca/bc/chetwynd/how-many-pets.md)
- [Telkwa](https://govhandbook.com/ca/bc/telkwa/how-many-pets.md)

## Sources

- [Animal Control, Pound and License Bylaw No. 09, 2009 (PDF, consolidated November 29, 2016), Northern Rockies Regional Municipality](https://nr.civicweb.net/document/9400/) (read 2026-11-08)
- [Dog Licences and Animal Control, Northern Rockies Regional Municipality](https://www.northernrockies.ca/resident-services/dog-licences-animal-control) (read 2026-11-08)
- [Bylaw Notice Enforcement Bylaw No. 59, 2011 (PDF, consolidated May 2024), Northern Rockies Regional Municipality](https://nr.civicweb.net/document/59372/) (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 Northern Rockies Regional Municipality. How answers are checked: https://govhandbook.com/methods/ · Canonical page: https://govhandbook.com/ca/bc/northern-rockies/how-many-pets/_