---
title: How many dogs or cats you can keep in Central Saanich
question: "How many dogs or cats can I keep in Central Saanich?"
place: Central Saanich, British Columbia, Canada
place_path: ca/bc/central-saanich
category: Pets, animals and wildlife
owner: municipal
owner_body: District of Central Saanich
sources_read: 2026-11-06
review: machine_checked
canonical: "https://govhandbook.com/ca/bc/central-saanich/how-many-pets/"
json: "https://govhandbook.com/ca/bc/central-saanich/how-many-pets.json"
---

# How many dogs or cats you can keep in Central Saanich

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

**Short answer:** In Central Saanich, you can keep no more than four dogs over four months old on a parcel, and no more than four cats over four months old unless the parcel is larger than two hectares. Keeping a kennel is not allowed.

**Who handles it:** Municipal (District of Central Saanich, https://www.centralsaanich.ca)  
**Cost:** No fee for the limit itself. Dogs must be licensed (see the dog licence answer).  
**How long:** Limits apply at all times.  
**Where:**
- Phone: Bylaw Enforcement Officer, 250-544-4237 (Bylaw@csaanich.ca; Monday to Friday, 8:30 a.m. to 4:30 p.m.)
- In person: Municipal Hall, 1903 Mount Newton Cross Road, Saanichton, BC V8M 2A9

## Key facts

- **Dogs allowed:** No more than four dogs over four months old on any parcel of land in the District. Keeping a kennel (more than four dogs) is not allowed on any premises.
  - Source: [Animal Control Bylaw No. 2097, 2021 (consolidated June 2026), ss. 3.1, 3.5, definition of Kennel](https://www.centralsaanich.ca/sites/default/files/2026-07/Animal%20Control%20Consolidated%20Bylaw%20JUNE%202026.pdf)
  - Official wording: "No person shall keep more than four dogs over the age of four months on any parcel of land" … "shall cause, suffer or permit such premises to be used as or for a kennel"
  - Check: wording matched the official text retrieved 2026-11-06
- **Cats allowed:** No more than four cats over four months old on a parcel, unless the parcel is larger than two hectares.
  - Source: [Animal Control Bylaw No. 2097, 2021 (consolidated June 2026), s. 6.6](https://www.centralsaanich.ca/sites/default/files/2026-07/Animal%20Control%20Consolidated%20Bylaw%20JUNE%202026.pdf)
  - Official wording: "more than four cats over the age of four months on any parcel of land in the Municipality unless the area of the parcel exceeds two hectares"
  - Check: wording matched the official text retrieved 2026-11-06
- **Other animal limits:** Chickens and ducks combined: 8 on lots under 1,858 m²; 10 on lots over 1,858 m² and under 4,047 m²; 12 on lots of 4,047 m² or more. Pigeons: 50 maximum outside Agriculture Zones. No wild animals.
  - Source: [Animal Control Bylaw No. 2097, 2021 (consolidated June 2026), ss. 9.3, 11.1, 8.1](https://www.centralsaanich.ca/sites/default/files/2026-07/Animal%20Control%20Consolidated%20Bylaw%20JUNE%202026.pdf)
  - Official wording: "more than 8 chickens or ducks on a parcel of land less than 1858 square metres" … "no person shall keep more than 50 pigeons" … "No person shall keep or harbour any wild animal on any parcel" … "more than 10 chickens or ducks on a parcel of land greater than 1858 square metres"
  - Check: wording matched the official text retrieved 2026-11-06
- **Exceptions:** No limit on chickens or ducks where agriculture is a permitted use of the parcel. The cat limit does not apply to parcels over two hectares. The pigeon limit does not apply in Agriculture Zones. The bylaw states no exception to the four-dog limit.
  - Source: [Animal Control Bylaw No. 2097, 2021 (consolidated June 2026), ss. 9.4, 6.6, 11.1](https://www.centralsaanich.ca/sites/default/files/2026-07/Animal%20Control%20Consolidated%20Bylaw%20JUNE%202026.pdf)
  - Official wording: "there is no limit to the maximum number of" … "unless the area of the parcel exceeds two hectares" … "other than on land in an Agriculture Zone"
  - Check: wording matched the official text retrieved 2026-11-06
- **Fine:** Not confirmed for the current bylaw. The 2020 municipal ticket schedule (naming Animal Control Bylaw No. 2054) lists keeping more than four dogs (s. 3.1) and too many chickens (s. 9.3) at $100 each. Bylaw Notice amounts under No. 2242 could not be read.
  - Source: [Municipal Ticket Information System Bylaw No. 2057, 2020, with schedules, Appendix 13](https://www.centralsaanich.ca/sites/default/files/2023-05/2057_-_mti.pdf)
  - Official wording: "Keep more than four dogs 3.1 $100.00" … "Keep too many chickens 9.3 $100.00" … "CENTRAT SAANICH ANIMAL CONTROT BYTAW NO. 2054, 2O2O"
  - Check: wording matched the official text retrieved 2026-11-06
- **Bylaw:** Central Saanich Animal Control Bylaw No. 2097, 2021
  - Source: [Animal Control Bylaw No. 2097, 2021 (consolidated June 2026), s. 14.1](https://www.centralsaanich.ca/sites/default/files/2026-07/Animal%20Control%20Consolidated%20Bylaw%20JUNE%202026.pdf)
  - Official wording: "Central Saanich Animal Control Bylaw No. 2097, 2021"
  - Check: wording matched the official text retrieved 2026-11-06

## How it works

The [Animal Control Bylaw No. 2097](<https://www.centralsaanich.ca/sites/default/files/2026-07/Animal%20Control%20Consolidated%20Bylaw%20JUNE%202026.pdf>) limits how many animals you can keep on a parcel of land in the District.

- Dogs: no more than four dogs over four months old. Keeping a kennel (more than four dogs) is not allowed on any premises. The bylaw states no exception.
- Cats: no more than four cats over four months old, unless the parcel is larger than two hectares.
- Chickens and ducks: see the backyard chickens answer.
- Pigeons: 50 at most outside Agriculture Zones.
- Wild animals: not allowed.

## Steps

1. Count the dogs and cats over four months old on your parcel.
2. If you are over a limit, find new homes before a complaint is made. Enforcement is complaint-driven.
3. Licence every dog (see the dog licence answer).

## Good to know

- The pigeon limit does not apply in Agriculture Zones.
- The 2020 municipal ticket schedule lists keeping more than four dogs at $100, but it names an earlier bylaw. Confirm the current amount with the District.
- Questions: Bylaw Enforcement, 250-544-4237.

## Official forms and pages

- [Animal Control Bylaw No. 2097, 2021 (consolidated June 2026) (PDF)](https://www.centralsaanich.ca/sites/default/files/2026-07/Animal%20Control%20Consolidated%20Bylaw%20JUNE%202026.pdf)

## Related questions

- [Central Saanich dog licences: fees and how to get one](https://govhandbook.com/ca/bc/central-saanich/dog-licence.md)
- [Central Saanich backyard chickens, bees and livestock rules](https://govhandbook.com/ca/bc/central-saanich/backyard-chickens.md)
- [Central Saanich dog leash rules and off-leash areas](https://govhandbook.com/ca/bc/central-saanich/dog-leash-rules.md)
- [Central Saanich bylaw fines and how tickets work](https://govhandbook.com/ca/bc/central-saanich/bylaw-fines.md)

## The same question elsewhere

- [Dog and cat limits in British Columbia, by municipality](https://govhandbook.com/ca/bc/how-many-pets.md)
- [Sidney](https://govhandbook.com/ca/bc/sidney/how-many-pets.md)
- [North Saanich](https://govhandbook.com/ca/bc/north-saanich/how-many-pets.md)
- [Highlands](https://govhandbook.com/ca/bc/highlands/how-many-pets.md)
- [Saanich](https://govhandbook.com/ca/bc/saanich/how-many-pets.md)
- [View Royal](https://govhandbook.com/ca/bc/view-royal/how-many-pets.md)
- [Esquimalt](https://govhandbook.com/ca/bc/esquimalt/how-many-pets.md)

## Sources

- [Animal Control Bylaw No. 2097, 2021 (consolidated June 2026) (PDF)](https://www.centralsaanich.ca/sites/default/files/2026-07/Animal%20Control%20Consolidated%20Bylaw%20JUNE%202026.pdf) (read 2026-11-06)
- [Municipal Ticket Information System Bylaw No. 2057, 2020, with schedules (PDF)](https://www.centralsaanich.ca/sites/default/files/2023-05/2057_-_mti.pdf) (read 2026-11-06)
- [Bylaw Enforcement, District of Central Saanich](https://www.centralsaanich.ca/programs-services/bylaw-enforcement) (read 2026-11-06)

_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 District of Central Saanich. How answers are checked: https://govhandbook.com/methods/ · Canonical page: https://govhandbook.com/ca/bc/central-saanich/how-many-pets/_