How many dogs or cats you can keep in Prince Rupert

How many dogs can I keep?

Prince Rupert, British ColumbiaChecked against official textSources read 2026-11-05

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.

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.Dog Control Bylaw No. 3250, 2008, s. 401, 401.1 · Wording matched the official text retrieved 2026-11-06 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
Cats allowed	None set. Prince Rupert's bylaws and City pages set no limit on cats.Read: Dog Control Bylaw No. 3250, 2008
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.Livestock Prohibition Bylaw No. 2987, 1996, s. 1, 2 · Wording matched the official text retrieved 2026-11-06 Official wording shall include rabbits, poultry, pigeons and doves except those areas designated "M7-SPECIAL INDUSTRIAL"
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.Dog Control Bylaw No. 3250, 2008, s. 401.1-401.3; Sched. B · Wording matched the official text retrieved 2026-11-06 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
Fine	No current ticket amount found. Court fine under the Dog Control Bylaw: $1,000 to $10,000 per offence.Dog Control Bylaw No. 3250, 2008, s. 603 · Wording matched the official text retrieved 2026-11-06 Official wording liable to a fine not exceeding $10,000 and not less than $1,000
Bylaw	Dog Control Bylaw No. 3250, 2008 (dogs); Livestock Prohibition Bylaw No. 2987, 1996 (livestock)Dog Control Bylaw No. 3250, 2008, s. 605; Livestock Prohibition Bylaw No. 2987, 1996, s. 5 · Wording matched the official text retrieved 2026-11-06 Official wording This bylaw may be cited as the "DOG CONTROL BYLAW No. 3250, 2008" LIVESTOCK PROHIBITION BYLAW NO. 2987, 1996

How it works

Dog Control Bylaw 3250 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 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

The same question in other places

Port Edward · Kitimat · Terrace · New Hazelton · Telkwa · Houston

Dog and cat limits in British Columbia, by municipality →

Sources

Dog Control Bylaw No. 3250, 2008 (PDF), City of Prince Rupert (read 2026-11-05)
Livestock Prohibition Bylaw No. 2987, 1996 (PDF), City of Prince Rupert (read 2026-11-05)
Pet Licenses, City of Prince Rupert (read 2026-11-05)
Animal Control, City of Prince Rupert (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. How answers are checked.