---
title: How many dogs or cats you can keep in Ashcroft
question: "How many dogs or cats can I keep in Ashcroft?"
place: Ashcroft, British Columbia, Canada
place_path: ca/bc/ashcroft
category: Pets, animals and wildlife
owner: municipal
owner_body: Village of Ashcroft
sources_read: 2026-11-08
review: machine_checked
canonical: "https://govhandbook.com/ca/bc/ashcroft/how-many-pets/"
json: "https://govhandbook.com/ca/bc/ashcroft/how-many-pets.json"
---

# How many dogs or cats you can keep in Ashcroft

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

**Short answer:** In Ashcroft, you may keep no more than two dogs over 3 months old in a residential area, unless the property is zoned Rural Residential and you buy a kennel licence. The bylaws we read state no limit on cats.

**Who handles it:** Municipal (Village of Ashcroft, https://ashcroftbc.ca)  
**Cost:** Kennel licence $150, plus the dog licences.  
**How long:** The limits apply at all times.  
**Where:**
- Phone: Village Office (ask about zoning and kennel licences), 250-453-9161 (Monday to Friday, 8:00 a.m. to 4:00 p.m.)
- Email: Bylaw Enforcement, bylaw@ashcroftbc.ca

## Key facts

- **Dogs allowed:** No more than two dogs over 3 months old in a residentially zoned area, unless the property is zoned Rural Residential and a kennel licence has been bought.
  - Source: [Dog Control and Pound Operation Bylaw No. 832, s. 5.9](https://ashcroftbc.ca/wp-content/uploads/2025/02/Dog-Control-and-Pound-Operation-Bylaw-No.-832.pdf)
  - Official wording: "No more than two (2) dogs over the age of three (3) months shall be kept in a residentially zoned area in the Village at one time, unless the property is zoned Rural Residential and a kennel license has been purchased for the property."
  - Check: wording matched the official text retrieved 2026-11-08
- **Cats allowed:** None set. The Ashcroft bylaws that were read set no limit on cats.
- **Other animal limits:** Hens: at most 4 per parcel (Good Neighbour Bylaw). Bees: 1 colony on parcels under 1,100 m², 2 on parcels 1,100 m² or larger. Pigeons and other homing birds may not be kept.
  - Source: [Good Neighbour Bylaw No. 879, 2025, s. 7.2, 7.3, 7.4](https://ashcroftbc.ca/wp-content/uploads/2025/12/Bylaw-No.-879-Good-Neighbour-Bylaw-2025.pdf)
  - Official wording: "A maximum of four (4) hens may be kept per parcel for personal egg consumption only." … "No more than two (2) colonies of bees are permitted on parcels 1,100 m² or larger." … "No more than one (1) colony of bees is permitted on parcels smaller than 1,100 m²." … "is not permitted within the Village of Ashcroft."
  - Source: [Zoning Bylaw No. 890, 2026, s. 3.13](https://ashcroftbc.ca/wp-content/uploads/2026/10/Bylaw-No.-890-2026-Village-of-Ashcroft-Zoning-Bylaw.pdf)
  - Official wording: "Pigeon keeping is prohibited in all zones."
  - Check: wording matched the official text retrieved 2026-11-08
- **Exceptions:** Three or more dogs need a kennel licence ($150), and the kennel needs a building permit and must meet the bylaw's conditions (floor space, provincial rules, Code of Practice). More than two dogs in a residentially zoned area is allowed only on Rural Residential land with a kennel licence. Dogs under 3 months are not counted.
  - Source: [Dog Control and Pound Operation Bylaw No. 832, s. 8.1, 8.2, 8.4, 5.9](https://ashcroftbc.ca/wp-content/uploads/2025/02/Dog-Control-and-Pound-Operation-Bylaw-No.-832.pdf)
  - Official wording: "The following Kennel provisions apply to all dogs except those under three (3) months of age:" … "Every owner of three (3) or more dogs shall possess a valid and subsisting kennel license." … "A building permit for the kennel has been obtained" … "No more than two (2) dogs over the age of three (3) months shall be kept in a residentially"
  - Source: [Fees and Charges Bylaw No. 887, 2026, Schedule G](https://ashcroftbc.ca/wp-content/uploads/2026/09/Bylaw-No.-887-2026-Village-of-Ashcroft-Fees-and-Charges.pdf)
  - Official wording: "Replacement of lost or damaged tag $5.00 Kennel $150.00"
  - Check: wording matched the official text retrieved 2026-11-08
- **Fine:** Exceeding the permitted number of hens (s. 7.2): bylaw notice $130, or $91 if paid within 5 days and $169 after 30 days; $300 for a 2nd offence and $500 for a 3rd or later.
  - Source: [Good Neighbour Bylaw No. 879, 2025, Schedule D](https://ashcroftbc.ca/wp-content/uploads/2025/12/Bylaw-No.-879-Good-Neighbour-Bylaw-2025.pdf)
  - Official wording: "The following contraventions are designated as ticketable offences under Bylaw No. 845." … "Contravention Section Penalty Early Late 2nd 3rd+ Payment Payment Offence Offences (within 5 (after 30 days) days)" … "Exceeding permitted 7.2 $130 $91 $169 $300 $500 number of hens"
  - Check: wording matched the official text retrieved 2026-11-08
- **Bylaw:** Dog Control and Pound Operation Bylaw No. 832, 2019 (dogs); Good Neighbour Bylaw No. 879, 2025 (hens, bees, pigeons).
  - Source: [Dog Control and Pound Operation Bylaw No. 832, title](https://ashcroftbc.ca/wp-content/uploads/2025/02/Dog-Control-and-Pound-Operation-Bylaw-No.-832.pdf)
  - Official wording: "Dog Control and Pound Operation Bylaw No. 832, 2019"
  - Source: [Good Neighbour Bylaw No. 879, 2025, s. 1.1](https://ashcroftbc.ca/wp-content/uploads/2025/12/Bylaw-No.-879-Good-Neighbour-Bylaw-2025.pdf)
  - Official wording: "This Bylaw shall be cited as the "Good Neighbour Bylaw No. 879, 2025"."
  - Check: wording matched the official text retrieved 2026-11-08

## How it works

The [Dog Control and Pound Operation Bylaw No. 832](https://ashcroftbc.ca/wp-content/uploads/2025/02/Dog-Control-and-Pound-Operation-Bylaw-No.-832.pdf) allows no more than two dogs over 3 months old in a residentially zoned area. Dogs under 3 months are not counted. The one exception is land zoned Rural Residential, where you may keep more with a kennel licence.

## Steps

1. If you want three or more dogs, check with the Village that your property is zoned Rural Residential.
2. Buy a kennel licence ($150, plus the dog licences).
3. Get a building permit for the kennel. It must meet the bylaw's conditions on floor space, provincial rules and the Code of Practice.

## Good to know

- Cats: the bylaws we read set no limit on cats. Ask the Village if you are unsure.
- Other animals: the [Good Neighbour Bylaw No. 879](https://ashcroftbc.ca/wp-content/uploads/2025/12/Bylaw-No.-879-Good-Neighbour-Bylaw-2025.pdf) allows at most 4 hens per parcel and one bee colony on a parcel under 1,100 m² or two on a larger one. Pigeons and other homing birds may not be kept. The [Zoning Bylaw No. 890](https://ashcroftbc.ca/wp-content/uploads/2026/10/Bylaw-No.-890-2026-Village-of-Ashcroft-Zoning-Bylaw.pdf) sets a different hen limit in the RR1 zone, so see the chickens answer.
- Keeping more hens than allowed brings a bylaw notice of $130 ($91 if paid within 5 days, $169 after 30 days). A 2nd offence is $300 and a 3rd or later is $500.
- We found no ticket amount for keeping too many dogs.

## Official forms and pages

- [Dog Control and Pound Operation Bylaw No. 832 (PDF)](https://ashcroftbc.ca/wp-content/uploads/2025/02/Dog-Control-and-Pound-Operation-Bylaw-No.-832.pdf)

## Related questions

- [Ashcroft dog licences: fees and how to get one](https://govhandbook.com/ca/bc/ashcroft/dog-licence.md)
- [Ashcroft backyard chickens, bees and livestock rules](https://govhandbook.com/ca/bc/ashcroft/backyard-chickens.md)
- [Ashcroft dog leash rules and off-leash areas](https://govhandbook.com/ca/bc/ashcroft/dog-leash-rules.md)
- [Ashcroft zoning: find your zone and what it allows](https://govhandbook.com/ca/bc/ashcroft/zoning-lookup.md)

## The same question elsewhere

- [Dog and cat limits in British Columbia, by municipality](https://govhandbook.com/ca/bc/how-many-pets.md)
- [Logan Lake](https://govhandbook.com/ca/bc/logan-lake/how-many-pets.md)
- [Lillooet](https://govhandbook.com/ca/bc/lillooet/how-many-pets.md)
- [Kamloops](https://govhandbook.com/ca/bc/kamloops/how-many-pets.md)
- [Merritt](https://govhandbook.com/ca/bc/merritt/how-many-pets.md)
- [Barriere](https://govhandbook.com/ca/bc/barriere/how-many-pets.md)
- [Sun Peaks](https://govhandbook.com/ca/bc/sun-peaks/how-many-pets.md)

## Sources

- [Dog Control and Pound Operation Bylaw No. 832, Village of Ashcroft (PDF)](https://ashcroftbc.ca/wp-content/uploads/2025/02/Dog-Control-and-Pound-Operation-Bylaw-No.-832.pdf) (read 2026-11-08)
- [Fees and Charges Bylaw No. 887, 2026, Schedule G, Village of Ashcroft (PDF)](https://ashcroftbc.ca/wp-content/uploads/2026/09/Bylaw-No.-887-2026-Village-of-Ashcroft-Fees-and-Charges.pdf) (read 2026-11-08)
- [Good Neighbour Bylaw No. 879, 2025, Village of Ashcroft (PDF)](https://ashcroftbc.ca/wp-content/uploads/2025/12/Bylaw-No.-879-Good-Neighbour-Bylaw-2025.pdf) (read 2026-11-08)
- [Zoning Bylaw No. 890, 2026, Village of Ashcroft (PDF)](https://ashcroftbc.ca/wp-content/uploads/2026/10/Bylaw-No.-890-2026-Village-of-Ashcroft-Zoning-Bylaw.pdf) (read 2026-11-08)

_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 Village of Ashcroft. How answers are checked: https://govhandbook.com/methods/ · Canonical page: https://govhandbook.com/ca/bc/ashcroft/how-many-pets/_