{"title":"How many dogs or cats you can keep in Port Hardy","question":"How many dogs or cats can I keep in Port Hardy?","slug":"how-many-pets","place":{"path":"ca/bc/port-hardy","name":"Port Hardy","region":{"code":"bc","name":"British Columbia"},"country":{"code":"ca","name":"Canada"}},"category":{"slug":"pets-and-wildlife","name":"Pets, animals and wildlife"},"owner":"municipal","owner_label":"Municipal","owner_body":{"name":"District of Port Hardy","url":"https://porthardy.ca"},"short_answer":"In Port Hardy you may keep no more than three dogs over four months old and no more than three cats over four months old per dwelling unit or parcel, and no more than four dogs and cats combined. Keeping too many is a $100 ticket.","aliases":["pet limit port hardy","how many dogs port hardy","how many cats port hardy","kennel port hardy"],"cost":"Municipal ticket $100 for excessive dogs or cats. No permit fee is listed.","how_long":null,"where":[{"type":"phone","label":"Animal Control Officer","value":"250-949-6113","note":"After hours, leave a message."},{"type":"phone","label":"District Office","value":"250-949-6665"}],"documents":[],"forms":[{"title":"Animal Care and Control Bylaw No. 11-2012, consolidated March 2023 (PDF), District of Port Hardy","url":"https://porthardy.ca/wp-content/uploads/2017/01/11-2012-Animal-Care-and-Control-consolidated-March-2023.pdf"}],"related":[{"slug":"dog-licence","title":"Port Hardy dog licences: fees and how to get one","url":"https://govhandbook.com/ca/bc/port-hardy/dog-licence/"},{"slug":"backyard-chickens","title":"Port Hardy backyard chickens, bees and livestock rules","url":"https://govhandbook.com/ca/bc/port-hardy/backyard-chickens/"},{"slug":"dog-leash-rules","title":"Port Hardy dog leash rules and off-leash areas","url":"https://govhandbook.com/ca/bc/port-hardy/dog-leash-rules/"},{"slug":"bylaw-fines","title":"Port Hardy bylaw fines and how tickets work","url":"https://govhandbook.com/ca/bc/port-hardy/bylaw-fines/"}],"nearby":[{"place":"ca/bc/alert-bay","name":"Alert Bay","url":"https://govhandbook.com/ca/bc/alert-bay/how-many-pets/"},{"place":"ca/bc/tahsis","name":"Tahsis","url":"https://govhandbook.com/ca/bc/tahsis/how-many-pets/"},{"place":"ca/bc/sayward","name":"Sayward","url":"https://govhandbook.com/ca/bc/sayward/how-many-pets/"},{"place":"ca/bc/gold-river","name":"Gold River","url":"https://govhandbook.com/ca/bc/gold-river/how-many-pets/"},{"place":"ca/bc/campbell-river","name":"Campbell River","url":"https://govhandbook.com/ca/bc/campbell-river/how-many-pets/"},{"place":"ca/bc/cumberland","name":"Cumberland","url":"https://govhandbook.com/ca/bc/cumberland/how-many-pets/"}],"topic":{"title":"Dog and cat limits in British Columbia, by municipality","url":"https://govhandbook.com/ca/bc/how-many-pets/"},"facts":{"dog_limit":{"label":"Dogs allowed","value":"No more than three dogs over four months old per dwelling unit or on its legal parcel, and no more than four dogs and cats combined.","short":"Max three dogs (four dogs and cats combined)","status":"stated","sources":[{"url":"https://porthardy.ca/wp-content/uploads/2017/01/11-2012-Animal-Care-and-Control-consolidated-March-2023.pdf","title":"Animal Care and Control Bylaw No. 11-2012, consolidated March 2023 (PDF), District of Port Hardy","section":"s. 4.9(a)","quotes":["more than three dogs over the age of four months","c) more than a combined maximum of four (4) such animals."]}],"check":{"result":"matched","text_date":"2026-11-08"}},"cat_limit":{"label":"Cats allowed","value":"No more than three cats over four months old per dwelling unit or on its legal parcel (within the combined maximum of four dogs and cats).","short":"Max three cats","status":"stated","sources":[{"url":"https://porthardy.ca/wp-content/uploads/2017/01/11-2012-Animal-Care-and-Control-consolidated-March-2023.pdf","title":"Animal Care and Control Bylaw No. 11-2012, consolidated March 2023 (PDF), District of Port Hardy","section":"s. 4.9(b)","quotes":["more than three cats over the age of four months"]}],"check":{"result":"matched","text_date":"2026-11-08"}},"other_limits":{"label":"Other animal limits","value":"Combined maximum of four dogs and cats. A cattery is a place housing more than three cats; a hobby kennel is not more than three dogs or cats kept for breeding or showing.","status":"stated","sources":[{"url":"https://porthardy.ca/wp-content/uploads/2017/01/11-2012-Animal-Care-and-Control-consolidated-March-2023.pdf","title":"Animal Care and Control Bylaw No. 11-2012, consolidated March 2023 (PDF), District of Port Hardy","section":"s. 2.1, 4.9","quotes":["Cattery means any establishment which houses more than three cats","Kennel Hobby means a kennel where not more than three (3) dogs or cats are kept on","c) more than a combined maximum of four (4) such animals."]}],"check":{"result":"matched","text_date":"2026-11-08"}},"exceptions":{"label":"Exceptions","value":"A permit may allow one additional animal beyond the limit. It expires each year on its anniversary and the CAO or designate may approve, refuse or revoke it. Hobby and commercial kennels need a business licence.","status":"stated","sources":[{"url":"https://porthardy.ca/wp-content/uploads/2017/01/11-2012-Animal-Care-and-Control-consolidated-March-2023.pdf","title":"Animal Care and Control Bylaw No. 11-2012, consolidated March 2023 (PDF), District of Port Hardy","section":"s. 4.9 (permit clauses), 14.1, 17.1","quotes":["Not more than one additional animal can be permitted in excess of the number","Permits expire on the anniversary date","The CAO, or their designate, is authorized to review the permit application","No person shall own, operate, control or have on any property a hobby kennel without holding a current and valid District of Port Hardy business licence."]}],"check":{"result":"matched","text_date":"2026-11-08"}},"fine":{"label":"Fine","value":"$100 for keeping an excessive number of dogs or cats (Municipal ticket, s. 4.9).","status":"stated","sources":[{"url":"https://porthardy.ca/wp-content/uploads/2017/01/01-2010_mti_consolidated_august_2014.pdf","title":"Municipal Ticket Information System Bylaw No. 01-2010, consolidated August 2014 (PDF), District of Port Hardy","section":"Schedule B, Animal Care and Control Bylaw","quotes":["Keeping excessive number of dogs or cats"]}],"check":{"result":"matched","text_date":"2026-11-08"}},"bylaw":{"label":"Bylaw","value":"District of Port Hardy Animal Care and Control Bylaw No. 11-2012 (consolidated March 2023, includes Bylaw 1133-2021 and 1159-2023).","status":"stated","sources":[{"url":"https://porthardy.ca/wp-content/uploads/2017/01/11-2012-Animal-Care-and-Control-consolidated-March-2023.pdf","title":"Animal Care and Control Bylaw No. 11-2012, consolidated March 2023 (PDF), District of Port Hardy","section":"cover, s. 4.9","quotes":["Bylaw No.1133-2021 June 2021","Bylaw No. 1159-2023 March 2023"]}],"check":{"result":"matched","text_date":"2026-11-08"}}},"facts_summary":{"total":6,"stated":6,"matched":6,"none":0,"unknown":0},"body_markdown":"## How it works\n\nThe [Animal Care and Control Bylaw 11-2012](<https://porthardy.ca/wp-content/uploads/2017/01/11-2012-Animal-Care-and-Control-consolidated-March-2023.pdf>) limits pets per dwelling unit or on its legal parcel. The limit counts dogs and cats over four months old, and the bylaw states no exemption for younger animals.\n\n## Steps\n\n1. Count your dogs and cats over four months old. You may have at most three dogs, at most three cats and at most four dogs and cats combined.\n2. If you want one more animal than the limit, ask the District for a permit. Call the District Office at 250-949-6665.\n3. For breeding or showing, check the kennel and cattery rules below.\n\n## Good to know\n\n- A permit may allow one additional animal beyond the limit. It expires each year on its anniversary, and the CAO or designate may approve, refuse or revoke it.\n- A cattery is a place housing more than three cats. A hobby kennel is not more than three dogs or cats kept for breeding or showing. Hobby and commercial kennels need a business licence, and commercial kennels must be on property the Zoning Bylaw designates for kennels.\n- Hen and other livestock limits are in the Zoning Bylaw and the same animal bylaw; see the chickens answer.\n- Keeping an excessive number of dogs or cats is a $100 municipal ticket ([Municipal Ticket Information System Bylaw 01-2010](<https://porthardy.ca/wp-content/uploads/2017/01/01-2010_mti_consolidated_august_2014.pdf>)).","sources":[{"url":"https://porthardy.ca/wp-content/uploads/2017/01/11-2012-Animal-Care-and-Control-consolidated-March-2023.pdf","title":"Animal Care and Control Bylaw No. 11-2012, consolidated March 2023 (PDF), District of Port Hardy","accessed":"2026-11-08"},{"url":"https://porthardy.ca/wp-content/uploads/2017/01/01-2010_mti_consolidated_august_2014.pdf","title":"Municipal Ticket Information System Bylaw No. 01-2010, consolidated August 2014 (PDF), District of Port Hardy","accessed":"2026-11-08"},{"url":"https://porthardy.ca/community/bylaws/animal-control/","title":"Animal Control, District of Port Hardy","accessed":"2026-11-08"},{"url":"https://porthardy.ca/contact-us/","title":"Contact Us, District of Port Hardy","accessed":"2026-11-08"}],"sources_read":"2026-11-08","review":{"status":"machine_checked","badge":"Checked against official text","label":"Checked by script, not yet by a person: the official wording behind 6 of 6 facts was matched to the official text."},"urls":{"html":"https://govhandbook.com/ca/bc/port-hardy/how-many-pets/","markdown":"https://govhandbook.com/ca/bc/port-hardy/how-many-pets.md","json":"https://govhandbook.com/ca/bc/port-hardy/how-many-pets.json"}}