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

# How many dogs or cats you can keep in Prince Rupert

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

**Short answer:** A Prince Rupert household may keep up to three dogs under Dog Control Bylaw 3250. More than three needs a kennel licence, and the zoning bylaw lists no kennel use. No cat limit was found. Livestock, including poultry and rabbits, is banned outside one industrial zone.

**Who handles it:** Municipal (City of Prince Rupert, https://www.princerupert.ca)  
**Cost:** Kennel licence $100 per dog by March 1, $120 after (Dog Control Bylaw schedule).  
**Where:**
- Phone: Bylaw Department, 250-624-6852
- Email: Bylaw Department, bylaw@princerupert.ca

## Key facts

- **Dogs allowed:** Three dogs per household (no zone or lot-size distinction in the bylaw). More than three means applying for a kennel licence and operating as a kennel.
  - Source: [Dog Control Bylaw No. 3250, 2008, s. 401, 401.1](https://www.princerupert.ca/sites/7/files/2023-06/3250%20-%20%20Dog%20Control%20Bylaw%20%28VERSION%202.00%20-%20January%202008%29.pdf)
  - Official wording: "The number of dogs is limited to a maximum of three (3) within any household." … "Anyone keeping, harbouring or sheltering more than three (3) dogs, shall apply for a"
  - Check: wording matched the official text retrieved 2026-11-06
- **Cats allowed:** None set. Prince Rupert's bylaws and City pages set no limit on cats.
- **Other animal limits:** Livestock may not be kept anywhere in the City except areas designated "M7-SPECIAL INDUSTRIAL" in the 1980 zoning bylaw. Livestock means horses, mules, asses, swine, sheep, goats, cows and, for this bylaw, rabbits, poultry, pigeons and doves.
  - Source: [Livestock Prohibition Bylaw No. 2987, 1996, s. 1, 2](https://www.princerupert.ca/media/627)
  - Official wording: "shall include rabbits, poultry, pigeons and doves" … "except those areas designated "M7-SPECIAL INDUSTRIAL""
  - Check: wording matched the official text retrieved 2026-11-06
- **Exceptions:** More than 3 dogs needs a kennel licence, allowed only where zoning and the OCP permit a kennel (Zoning Bylaw 3462 lists no kennel use), with 24 sq. ft. per dog and a building permit. Fee $100 per dog by March 1, $120 after. Puppies under 6 months are not "dogs" for the limit.
  - Source: [Dog Control Bylaw No. 3250, 2008, s. 401.1-401.3; Sched. B](https://www.princerupert.ca/sites/7/files/2023-06/3250%20-%20%20Dog%20Control%20Bylaw%20%28VERSION%202.00%20-%20January%202008%29.pdf)
  - Official wording: "provided that it is a permitted use within the municipal zoning bylaw and Official Community Plan bylaw" … "there is 24 sq. ft. of floor space provided for each dog" … "Kennel Licence (per dog) $ 100.00 $120.00" … "any animal of the canine species being 6 months of age or greater"
  - Check: wording matched the official text retrieved 2026-11-06
- **Fine:** No current ticket amount found. Court fine under the Dog Control Bylaw: $1,000 to $10,000 per offence.
  - Source: [Dog Control Bylaw No. 3250, 2008, s. 603](https://www.princerupert.ca/sites/7/files/2023-06/3250%20-%20%20Dog%20Control%20Bylaw%20%28VERSION%202.00%20-%20January%202008%29.pdf)
  - Official wording: "liable to a fine not exceeding $10,000 and not less than $1,000"
  - Check: wording matched the official text retrieved 2026-11-06
- **Bylaw:** Dog Control Bylaw No. 3250, 2008 (dogs); Livestock Prohibition Bylaw No. 2987, 1996 (livestock)
  - Source: [Dog Control Bylaw No. 3250, 2008, s. 605](https://www.princerupert.ca/sites/7/files/2023-06/3250%20-%20%20Dog%20Control%20Bylaw%20%28VERSION%202.00%20-%20January%202008%29.pdf)
  - Official wording: "This bylaw may be cited as the "DOG CONTROL BYLAW No. 3250, 2008""
  - Source: [Livestock Prohibition Bylaw No. 2987, 1996, s. 5](https://www.princerupert.ca/media/627)
  - Official wording: "LIVESTOCK PROHIBITION BYLAW NO. 2987, 1996"
  - Check: wording matched the official text retrieved 2026-11-06

## How it works

[Dog Control Bylaw 3250](https://www.princerupert.ca/sites/7/files/2023-06/3250%20-%20%20Dog%20Control%20Bylaw%20%28VERSION%202.00%20-%20January%202008%29.pdf) sets a limit of three dogs per household. It makes no distinction by zone or lot size. A "dog" is one 6 months or older, so younger puppies do not count toward the limit.

## Good to know

- To keep more than three dogs you must apply for a kennel licence and operate as a kennel. A kennel is allowed only where zoning and the Official Community Plan permit one, with 24 sq. ft. per dog and a building permit. Zoning Bylaw 3462 lists no kennel use, so ask the City whether one is possible. The fee is $100 per dog by March 1 and $120 after.
- A kennel licence expires December 31 and must be renewed by April 1.
- The bylaws and City pages do not set a limit on cats, and no cat licence was found.
- The [Livestock Prohibition Bylaw 2987](https://www.princerupert.ca/media/627) bans keeping livestock anywhere in the City except areas zoned "M7-SPECIAL INDUSTRIAL" in the 1980 zoning bylaw. Livestock means horses, mules, asses, swine, sheep, goats and cows and, for this bylaw, rabbits, poultry, pigeons and doves. That zoning bylaw has since been replaced and the current one has no M7 zone, so ask the City where the exception applies today.
- No current ticket amount for keeping too many dogs was found. A court can fine $1,000 to $10,000 per offence under the Dog Control Bylaw.

## Official forms and pages

- [Pet Licenses page](https://www.princerupert.ca/city-hall/bylaws-policies/animal-control/pet-licenses)
- [Dog Control Bylaw 3250 (PDF)](https://www.princerupert.ca/sites/7/files/2023-06/3250%20-%20%20Dog%20Control%20Bylaw%20%28VERSION%202.00%20-%20January%202008%29.pdf)
- [Livestock Prohibition Bylaw 2987 (PDF)](https://www.princerupert.ca/media/627)

## Related questions

- [Prince Rupert dog licences: fees and how to get one](https://govhandbook.com/ca/bc/prince-rupert/dog-licence.md)
- [Prince Rupert backyard chickens, bees and livestock rules](https://govhandbook.com/ca/bc/prince-rupert/backyard-chickens.md)
- [Prince Rupert rules for aggressive and dangerous dogs](https://govhandbook.com/ca/bc/prince-rupert/dangerous-dogs.md)

## The same question elsewhere

- [Dog and cat limits in British Columbia, by municipality](https://govhandbook.com/ca/bc/how-many-pets.md)
- [Port Edward](https://govhandbook.com/ca/bc/port-edward/how-many-pets.md)
- [Kitimat](https://govhandbook.com/ca/bc/kitimat/how-many-pets.md)
- [Terrace](https://govhandbook.com/ca/bc/terrace/how-many-pets.md)
- [New Hazelton](https://govhandbook.com/ca/bc/new-hazelton/how-many-pets.md)
- [Telkwa](https://govhandbook.com/ca/bc/telkwa/how-many-pets.md)
- [Houston](https://govhandbook.com/ca/bc/houston/how-many-pets.md)

## Sources

- [Dog Control Bylaw No. 3250, 2008 (PDF), City of Prince Rupert](https://www.princerupert.ca/sites/7/files/2023-06/3250%20-%20%20Dog%20Control%20Bylaw%20%28VERSION%202.00%20-%20January%202008%29.pdf) (read 2026-11-05)
- [Livestock Prohibition Bylaw No. 2987, 1996 (PDF), City of Prince Rupert](https://www.princerupert.ca/media/627) (read 2026-11-05)
- [Pet Licenses, City of Prince Rupert](https://www.princerupert.ca/city-hall/bylaws-policies/animal-control/pet-licenses) (read 2026-11-05)
- [Animal Control, City of Prince Rupert](https://www.princerupert.ca/city-hall/bylaws-policies/animal-control) (read 2026-11-05)

_Checked by script, not yet by a person: the official wording behind 5 of 6 facts was matched to the official text; 1 is recorded as not set. Gov Handbook is an independent guide, not affiliated with City of Prince Rupert. How answers are checked: https://govhandbook.com/methods/ · Canonical page: https://govhandbook.com/ca/bc/prince-rupert/how-many-pets/_