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

# How many dogs or cats you can keep in Richmond

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

**Short answer:** In the City of Richmond you may keep up to 3 dogs in a one- or two-family home and 2 dogs per unit in a multiple-family dwelling. There is no separate cat limit, but all household pets together are capped at 5 (one- or two-family) or 3 (multiple-family).

**Who handles it:** Municipal (City of Richmond, https://www.richmond.ca)  
**Cost:** A bylaw notice for too many dogs is $200 ($175 if paid within 28 days, $225 after 60 days).  
**Where:**
- Phone: Dog Licences, 604-247-4633

## Key facts

- **Dogs allowed:** No more than 3 dogs in a one-family or two-family dwelling, and no more than 2 dogs in a unit of a multiple-family dwelling. These dog limits do not apply to the housing and training of assistance dogs.
  - Source: [Animal Control Regulation Bylaw 7932, Part Two, s. 2.3.1](https://www.richmond.ca/__shared/assets/Bylaw_No_7932_Consolidation_07272057004.pdf)
  - Official wording: "A person in a one-family dwelling or a two-family dwelling must not" … "permit more than three dogs to be kept in such dwelling at any time." … "A person in a unit of a multiple-family dwelling must not permit more" … "than two dogs to be kept in such unit at any time." … "do not apply to the housing and training of assistance dogs."
  - Source: [Dog Licences, Register a New Dog](https://www.richmond.ca/services/animals/dogs.htm)
  - Official wording: "There is a maximum of three (3) dogs per one or two family dwelling and two (2) dogs per multiple family dwelling unit."
  - Source: [Animal Control Regulation Bylaw 7932, Part Two, definition of Dog](https://www.richmond.ca/__shared/assets/Bylaw_No_7932_Consolidation_07272057004.pdf)
  - Official wording: "means any member of the canine species which is six (6) or more"
  - Check: wording matched the official text retrieved 2026-11-06
- **Cats allowed:** None set. Richmond's bylaw sets no separate limit on cats; they count toward the combined pet limit.
- **Other animal limits:** Combined limit: a maximum of 5 household pets in a one-family or two-family dwelling, or 3 in a multiple-family dwelling (subject to the per-species maximums and any strata bylaw). Rabbits: maximum 2 in any dwelling type. Pigeons (racing, homing or fancy): maximum 5 in a one- or two-family dwelling; none in a multiple-family dwelling. Exotic birds follow the pigeon rules. Aviaries must be at least 2 m from any property line.
  - Source: [Animal Control Regulation Bylaw 7932, Part Two, s. 2.1.1, 2.4.1.2, 2.5.2, 2.5.3](https://www.richmond.ca/__shared/assets/Bylaw_No_7932_Consolidation_07272057004.pdf)
  - Official wording: "a maximum of five (5) household pets in a one-family dwelling or two-" … "a maximum of three (3) household pets in a multiple-family dwelling;" … "A person may keep a maximum of two (2) rabbits in a one-family dwelling," … "A person may keep a maximum of five (5) pigeons in a one-family dwelling or" … "A person must not keep pigeons in a multiple-family dwelling." … "An aviary must be located at least two (2) metres from any property line." … "apply also to exotic birds."
  - Check: wording matched the official text retrieved 2026-11-06
- **Exceptions:** Litters of puppies or kittens are not counted. Dog limits do not apply to assistance dogs. Strata bylaws may set lower limits. Poultry: not on parcels under 2,000 m² or in homes, except as provincial farm law permits. Farm animals: not in homes or on parcels under 2,000 m²; one per 2,000 m².
  - Source: [Animal Control Regulation Bylaw 7932, Part Two, s. 2.1.2, 2.3.1.3, 3.1.1, 5.2](https://www.richmond.ca/__shared/assets/Bylaw_No_7932_Consolidation_07272057004.pdf)
  - Official wording: "The limits prescribed in subsection 2.1.1 do not include any litter of puppies" … "do not apply to the housing and training of assistance dogs." … "a parcel with an area of less than 2,000 square metres (21,529 square feet)" … "Except as otherwise permitted by the Farm Practices Protection (Right to Farm)" … "exceeds one (1) domestic farm animal for each 2,000 square metres"
  - Source: [Dog Licencing Bylaw 7138, s. 2.5.1(a)](https://www.richmond.ca/__shared/assets/Bylaw__7138__10231748842.pdf)
  - Official wording: "Commercial or Hobby Dog Kennels"
  - Check: wording matched the official text retrieved 2026-11-06
- **Fine:** Bylaw notice (Bylaw 8122 Schedule A): $200 for more than 3 dogs in a one- or two-family dwelling, or more than 2 dogs in one unit of a multi-family dwelling ($175 if paid within 28 days; $225 if paid after 60 days).
  - Source: [Notice of Bylaw Violation Dispute Adjudication Bylaw 8122, Schedule A, Schedule A - Animal Control Regulation Bylaw 7932](https://www.richmond.ca/__shared/assets/BL_8122_02092678501.pdf)
  - Official wording: "Possessing more than 3 dogs in a one-family 2.3.1.1 No $ 200.00 $ 175.00 $ 225.00 n/a" … "Possessing more than 2 dogs in one unit of a 2.3.1.2 No $ 200.00 $ 175.00 $ 225.00 n/a"
  - Check: wording matched the official text retrieved 2026-11-06
- **Bylaw:** Animal Control Regulation Bylaw No. 7932 (Part Two, Household Pets).
  - Source: [Animal Control Regulation Bylaw 7932, Part Two, title](https://www.richmond.ca/__shared/assets/Bylaw_No_7932_Consolidation_07272057004.pdf)
  - Official wording: "CITY OF RICHMOND ANIMAL CONTROL REGULATION BYLAW NO. 7932 EFFECTIVE DATE - JUNE 13, 2005 CONSOLIDATED FOR CONVENIENCE ONLY" … "ANIMAL CONTROL REGULATION BYLAW NO. 7932 The Council of the City of Richmond enacts as follows:"
  - Check: wording matched the official text retrieved 2026-11-06

## How it works

[Animal Control Regulation Bylaw 7932](https://www.richmond.ca/__shared/assets/Bylaw_No_7932_Consolidation_07272057004.pdf) sets the limits in Richmond. For this limit a "dog" is a canine six months or older. Litters of puppies or kittens are not counted toward the household-pet limit. The dog limits do not apply to housing and training assistance dogs. A strata bylaw may set stricter limits.

## Good to know

- Dogs: no more than 3 in a one-family or two-family dwelling, and no more than 2 in a unit of a multiple-family dwelling.
- Cats: the bylaw sets no separate limit. They count toward the combined limit.
- All household pets together: a maximum of 5 in a one-family or two-family dwelling, or 3 in a multiple-family dwelling, subject to the per-species limits.
- Rabbits: at most 2 in any dwelling type.
- Pigeons (racing, homing or fancy): at most 5 in a one- or two-family dwelling, and none in a multiple-family dwelling. Exotic birds follow the pigeon rules. Aviaries must be at least 2 m from any property line.
- Poultry are not allowed on parcels under 2,000 m² or in homes, except as provincial farm law permits. Farm animals are not allowed in homes or on parcels under 2,000 m², and the limit is one per 2,000 m².
- A bylaw notice for too many dogs is $200 ($175 early, $225 late). No ticket amount is listed for exceeding the combined pet limit.
- Every dog over eight weeks old needs a City licence.

## Official forms and pages

- [Animal Control Regulation Bylaw 7932 (PDF)](https://www.richmond.ca/__shared/assets/Bylaw_No_7932_Consolidation_07272057004.pdf)

## Related questions

- [Richmond dog licences: fees and how to get one](https://govhandbook.com/ca/bc/richmond/dog-licence.md)
- [Richmond backyard chickens, bees and livestock rules](https://govhandbook.com/ca/bc/richmond/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)
- [Burnaby](https://govhandbook.com/ca/bc/burnaby/how-many-pets.md)
- [North Vancouver](https://govhandbook.com/ca/bc/north-vancouver/how-many-pets.md)
- [New Westminster](https://govhandbook.com/ca/bc/new-westminster/how-many-pets.md)
- [Delta](https://govhandbook.com/ca/bc/delta/how-many-pets.md)
- [District of North Vancouver](https://govhandbook.com/ca/bc/north-vancouver-district/how-many-pets.md)
- [Belcarra](https://govhandbook.com/ca/bc/belcarra/how-many-pets.md)

## Sources

- [Animal Control Regulation Bylaw 7932, Part Two (PDF)](https://www.richmond.ca/__shared/assets/Bylaw_No_7932_Consolidation_07272057004.pdf) (read 2026-11-05)
- [Dog Licences, City of Richmond](https://www.richmond.ca/services/animals/dogs.htm) (read 2026-11-05)
- [Dog Licencing Bylaw 7138 (PDF)](https://www.richmond.ca/__shared/assets/Bylaw__7138__10231748842.pdf) (read 2026-11-05)
- [Notice of Bylaw Violation Dispute Adjudication Bylaw 8122, Schedule A (PDF)](https://www.richmond.ca/__shared/assets/BL_8122_02092678501.pdf) (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 Richmond. How answers are checked: https://govhandbook.com/methods/ · Canonical page: https://govhandbook.com/ca/bc/richmond/how-many-pets/_