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

# How many dogs or cats you can keep in Terrace

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

**Short answer:** Terrace allows no more than three dogs (lap dogs count) and no more than four cats in a dwelling unit or on a parcel. More than three dogs needs a hobby kennel licence ($100), which covers up to five dogs for non-commercial use.

**Who handles it:** Municipal (City of Terrace, https://www.terrace.ca)  
**Cost:** Hobby kennel licence $100. Ticket for exceeding the limit $100.  
**Where:**
- In person: Animal Shelter, 5003 Graham Avenue, 5003 Graham Avenue, Terrace, BC (Monday to Saturday, 12:30 p.m. to 4:45 p.m.)
- Phone: Animal Control, 250-615-4031
- Email: Animal Control, shelter@terrace.ca

## Key facts

- **Dogs allowed:** No more than three dogs (lap dogs count) in a dwelling unit or on any parcel in the City. More than three only under a hobby dog kennel licence (up to five dogs, non-commercial).
  - Source: [Animal Control Consolidated Bylaw 2159 (to Bylaw 2284-2023), s. 5.2, 20.3, definition of Hobby Dog Kennel](https://www.terrace.ca/media/3998)
  - Official wording: "No more than three (3) dogs or lap dogs, and no more than four (4) cats" … "No person shall own, possess, keep or harbour more than three (3)" … "the keeping on a parcel of land, a maximum of five (5) dogs, for non-commercial purposes"
  - Check: wording matched the official text retrieved 2026-11-06
- **Cats allowed:** No more than four cats in a dwelling unit or on any parcel.
  - Source: [Animal Control Consolidated Bylaw 2159 (to Bylaw 2284-2023), s. 5.2](https://www.terrace.ca/media/3998)
  - Official wording: "no more than four (4) cats"
  - Check: wording matched the official text retrieved 2026-11-06
- **Other animal limits:** Only dogs, cats, small animals (e.g. hamsters, rabbits, guinea pigs, turtles), livestock, poultry, domestic pet birds and licensed fur-farm animals are permitted in the City. Livestock and poultry are limited by zoning; up to four backyard hens are allowed in some residential zones.
  - Source: [Animal Control Consolidated Bylaw 2159 (to Bylaw 2284-2023), s. 5.1, 5.5, 17.1](https://www.terrace.ca/media/3998)
  - Official wording: "only the following animals are permitted in the City of Terrace." … "No poultry shall be kept in any portion of the City that is zoned" … "subject to the regulations of the City of Terrace, Zoning Bylaw No."
  - Check: wording matched the official text retrieved 2026-11-06
- **Exceptions:** A hobby dog kennel licence ($100) allows up to five dogs for non-commercial purposes; commercial kennels are allowed on AR1, AR2 and M1 parcels over 4100 m² with a business licence. An unweaned animal and its mother count as one animal.
  - Source: [Animal Control Consolidated Bylaw 2159 (to Bylaw 2284-2023), s. 13.1, 20.1, 21.1, Schedule A](https://www.terrace.ca/media/3998)
  - Official wording: "All unweaned offspring of an animal together with the female parent" … "No person shall operate a hobby dog kennel, without being the holder" … "Commercial Kennels are permitted on parcels zoned AR1, AR2 and M1" … "Hobby Kennel"
  - Check: wording matched the official text retrieved 2026-11-06
- **Fine:** Keeping more than 3 dogs or 4 cats: $100. Operating a hobby dog kennel without a licence: $100.
  - Source: [Ticket Information Utilization Bylaw 1827 (consolidated to 2334-2025), Schedule 3](https://www.terrace.ca/media/4139)
  - Official wording: "Keeping of more than 3 dogs or 4 cats" … "Failure to obtain Hobby Dog Kennel license"
  - Check: wording matched the official text retrieved 2026-11-06
- **Bylaw:** Animal Control Bylaw No. 2159-2019 (consolidated to Bylaw No. 2284-2023)
  - Source: [Animal Control Consolidated Bylaw 2159 (to Bylaw 2284-2023), title](https://www.terrace.ca/media/3998)
  - Official wording: "AND AMENDMENTS THERETO UP TO & INCLUDING BYLAW #2284-2023 BYLAW NO. 2159-2019/2284-2023 "A BYLAW TO PROVIDE FOR REGULATING, LICENCING, AND CONTROL OF ANIMALS WITHIN THE CITY OF TERRACE.""
  - Check: wording matched the official text retrieved 2026-11-06

## How it works

[Animal Control Bylaw 2159](<https://www.terrace.ca/media/3998>), section 5.2, allows no more than three dogs or lap dogs and no more than four cats in a dwelling unit or on any parcel in the city. The bylaw's definition of a cat leaves out cats under four months old. Unweaned young count as one animal together with their mother.

## Good to know

- A hobby dog kennel licence ($100) lets you keep more than three dogs, up to five, for non-commercial purposes. Hobby kennel operators may not take in other people's dogs and must meet siting rules in the bylaw.
- Commercial kennels are allowed on parcels zoned AR1, AR2 and M1 over 4100 m², with a business licence.
- The bylaw permits only these animals in the city: dogs, cats, small animals (for example hamsters, rabbits, guinea pigs, turtles), livestock, poultry, domestic pet birds and licensed fur-farm animals. Livestock and poultry are limited by zoning; see the backyard chickens answer for hens.
- Keeping more than 3 dogs or 4 cats is a $100 municipal ticket. Operating a hobby kennel without a licence is also $100.

## Official forms and pages

- [Animal Control Consolidated Bylaw 2159 (PDF)](https://www.terrace.ca/media/3998)
- [Animal Control page](https://www.terrace.ca/city-services/animal-control)

## Related questions

- [Terrace dog licences: fees and how to get one](https://govhandbook.com/ca/bc/terrace/dog-licence.md)
- [Terrace backyard chickens, bees and livestock rules](https://govhandbook.com/ca/bc/terrace/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)
- [Kitimat](https://govhandbook.com/ca/bc/kitimat/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)
- [Port Edward](https://govhandbook.com/ca/bc/port-edward/how-many-pets.md)
- [Prince Rupert](https://govhandbook.com/ca/bc/prince-rupert/how-many-pets.md)
- [Houston](https://govhandbook.com/ca/bc/houston/how-many-pets.md)

## Sources

- [Animal Control, City of Terrace](https://www.terrace.ca/city-services/animal-control) (read 2026-11-05)
- [Animal Control Consolidated Bylaw 2159 (to Bylaw 2284-2023) (PDF)](https://www.terrace.ca/media/3998) (read 2026-11-05)
- [Ticket Information Utilization Bylaw 1827 (consolidated to 2334-2025) (PDF)](https://www.terrace.ca/media/4139) (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 Terrace. How answers are checked: https://govhandbook.com/methods/ · Canonical page: https://govhandbook.com/ca/bc/terrace/how-many-pets/_