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

# How many dogs or cats you can keep in Port Coquitlam

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

**Short answer:** In Port Coquitlam you may keep no more than three dogs at a dwelling unit on residential property. Four or more dogs on a parcel is a kennel, which needs a kennel licence. The City sets no limit on cats. The bylaw also limits snakes and rodents.

**Who handles it:** Municipal (City of Port Coquitlam, https://www.portcoquitlam.ca)  
**Cost:** Kennel licence $100 (Fees and Charges Bylaw).  
**Where:**
- Phone: Bylaw Services, 604-927-5440
- Email: Bylaw Services, bylawservices@portcoquitlam.ca

## Key facts

- **Dogs allowed:** No more than three dogs in or at a dwelling unit on residential property. A "kennel" (four or more dogs on a parcel) needs a kennel licence and must meet zoning.
  - Source: [Animal Control Bylaw 2017, No. 3990, s. 2, 13](https://www.portcoquitlam.ca/sites/default/files/2024-10/3990%20-%20Animal%20Control%20Bylaw.pdf)
  - Official wording: "Kennel means a parcel of land on which four or more Dogs are kept." … "No owner, tenant or occupier of residential property shall keep or permit to be" … "kept more than (3) three Dogs in or at an individual Dwelling Unit."
  - Check: wording matched the official text retrieved 2026-11-06
- **Cats allowed:** No set limit on cats. If the number is excessive enough to create a health hazard or public nuisance, the BC SPCA or Fraser Health may step in.
  - Source: [Animal Control, FAQ](https://www.portcoquitlam.ca/services/pets-wildlife/animal-control)
  - Official wording: "There is no specific limit on the number of cats that can be at a property, however, if cat ownership is excessive to the point of creating a health hazard or public nuisance, there may be intervention by the BC SPCA or the Fraser Health Authority."
  - Check: wording matched the official text retrieved 2026-11-06
- **Other animal limits:** No venomous snakes; no more than four non-venomous snakes or four rodents (including rats and mice) in a household or on a parcel, except pet shops and school premises. 'Farm animals', which include rabbits, pigeons, fowl, poultry, goats and horses, are banned in residential zones.
  - Source: [Animal Control Bylaw 2017, No. 3990, s. 15.1, 16.1](https://www.portcoquitlam.ca/sites/default/files/2024-10/3990%20-%20Animal%20Control%20Bylaw.pdf)
  - Official wording: "No person shall keep a Farm Animal in any residential zone." … "b) more than four non-venomous snakes; or" … "c) more than four rodents, including rats and mice;" … "poultry, pigeon, rabbit, hare, mink, or otter, and includes without limitation any other" … "more than four rodents, including rats and mice;"
  - Check: wording matched the official text retrieved 2026-11-06
- **Exceptions:** A kennel licence allows four or more dogs; the City says kennel licences go only to agriculturally zoned properties. The bylaw has no puppy exception. A farm animal may be designated an emotional support animal by the Bylaw Services Manager.
  - Source: [Animal Control Bylaw 2017, No. 3990, s. 13.1, 13.3, 16.4](https://www.portcoquitlam.ca/sites/default/files/2024-10/3990%20-%20Animal%20Control%20Bylaw.pdf)
  - Official wording: "The use of land or buildings or other premises as a Kennel is subject to the" … "No person shall operate a Kennel within the City unless that person has applied" … "A person may apply to the Bylaw Services Manager to have a Farm Animal"
  - Source: [Animal Control, FAQ](https://www.portcoquitlam.ca/services/pets-wildlife/animal-control)
  - Official wording: "It is not lawful to possess more than three dogs unless a kennel licence has been issued. Kennel licences are issued only to properties with agricultural zoning."
  - Check: wording matched the official text retrieved 2026-11-06
- **Fine:** More than three dogs: $150 ($105 if paid within 30 days, $225 after 90 days). Unpermitted kennel: $250 ($175 / $325). More than four snakes or rodents: $150. Venomous snake: $300.
  - Source: [Bylaw Notice Enforcement Bylaw No. 3814, Schedule A, Schedule A, Animal Control](https://www.portcoquitlam.ca/sites/default/files/2025-10/3814%20-%20Bylaw%20Notice%20Enforcement.pdf)
  - Official wording: "More Than Three Dogs 13.2 150 105 225 50%" … "Unpermitted Kennel 13.3 250 175 325 N/A" … "Keep Venomous Snake 16.1 (a) 300 210 375 N/A" … "Keep More Than Four Snakes 16.1 (b) 150 105 225 50%"
  - Check: wording matched the official text retrieved 2026-11-06
- **Bylaw:** Animal Control Bylaw, 2017, No. 3990
  - Source: [Animal Control Bylaw 2017, No. 3990, s. 1](https://www.portcoquitlam.ca/sites/default/files/2024-10/3990%20-%20Animal%20Control%20Bylaw.pdf)
  - Official wording: "This Bylaw may be cited for all purposes as “Animal Control Bylaw, 2017, No. 3990”."
  - Check: wording matched the official text retrieved 2026-11-06

## How it works

The [Animal Control Bylaw 3990](https://www.portcoquitlam.ca/sites/default/files/2024-10/3990%20-%20Animal%20Control%20Bylaw.pdf) allows no more than three dogs in or at a dwelling unit on residential property. A "kennel" (four or more dogs on a parcel) needs a kennel licence and must meet zoning. The City says kennel licences go only to agriculturally zoned properties. The bylaw has no puppy exception.

## Limits

- Dogs: three per dwelling unit. A ticket for more than three dogs is $150 ($105 if paid within 30 days, $225 after 90 days).
- Cats: no set limit. If the number is excessive enough to create a health hazard or public nuisance, the BC SPCA or Fraser Health may step in.
- Snakes and rodents: no venomous snakes (ticket $300), and no more than four non-venomous snakes or four rodents (including rats and mice) in a household or on a parcel, except pet shops and school premises (ticket $150).
- Farm animals, which include rabbits, pigeons, fowl, poultry, goats and horses: banned in residential zones.
- Keeping a kennel without a permit: $250 ($175 if paid within 30 days, $325 after 90 days).

## Good to know

- The Bylaw Services Manager can designate a farm animal as an emotional support animal.
- Every dog over six months old needs a licence.

## Official forms and pages

- [Animal Control (City of Port Coquitlam)](https://www.portcoquitlam.ca/services/pets-wildlife/animal-control)
- [Animal Control Bylaw 3990 (PDF)](https://www.portcoquitlam.ca/sites/default/files/2024-10/3990%20-%20Animal%20Control%20Bylaw.pdf)

## Related questions

- [Port Coquitlam dog licences: fees and how to get one](https://govhandbook.com/ca/bc/port-coquitlam/dog-licence.md)
- [Port Coquitlam backyard chickens, bees and livestock rules](https://govhandbook.com/ca/bc/port-coquitlam/backyard-chickens.md)
- [Port Coquitlam dog leash rules and off-leash areas](https://govhandbook.com/ca/bc/port-coquitlam/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)
- [Coquitlam](https://govhandbook.com/ca/bc/coquitlam/how-many-pets.md)
- [New Westminster](https://govhandbook.com/ca/bc/new-westminster/how-many-pets.md)
- [Port Moody](https://govhandbook.com/ca/bc/port-moody/how-many-pets.md)
- [Belcarra](https://govhandbook.com/ca/bc/belcarra/how-many-pets.md)
- [Anmore](https://govhandbook.com/ca/bc/anmore/how-many-pets.md)
- [Burnaby](https://govhandbook.com/ca/bc/burnaby/how-many-pets.md)

## Sources

- [Animal Control, City of Port Coquitlam](https://www.portcoquitlam.ca/services/pets-wildlife/animal-control) (read 2026-11-05)
- [Animal Control Bylaw 2017, No. 3990 (PDF)](https://www.portcoquitlam.ca/sites/default/files/2024-10/3990%20-%20Animal%20Control%20Bylaw.pdf) (read 2026-11-05)
- [Fees and Charges Bylaw No. 4415, Schedule M (PDF)](https://www.portcoquitlam.ca/sites/default/files/2026-01/Bylaw%204415%20-%202026%20Fees%20and%20Charges.pdf) (read 2026-11-05)
- [Bylaw Notice Enforcement Bylaw No. 3814, Schedule A (PDF)](https://www.portcoquitlam.ca/sites/default/files/2025-10/3814%20-%20Bylaw%20Notice%20Enforcement.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 Port Coquitlam. How answers are checked: https://govhandbook.com/methods/ · Canonical page: https://govhandbook.com/ca/bc/port-coquitlam/how-many-pets/_