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

# How many dogs or cats you can keep in Colwood

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

**Short answer:** In Colwood, the Animal Control Bylaw limits dogs and cats to four in total per dwelling unit, but its wording is inconsistent: it bars "four or more" dogs or cats and also any combination "greater than four". Ask Bylaw Services how it is applied. The fine is $100.

**Who handles it:** Municipal (City of Colwood, https://www.colwood.ca)  
**Cost:** Bylaw notice $100 ($80 within 14 days, $120 after 28 days); municipal ticket $100. Unlawful kennel $500.  
**Where:**
- Phone: Bylaw Services, 250-478-5999 local 146
- Email: Bylaw Services, bylaw@colwood.ca

## Key facts

- **Dogs allowed:** Bylaw s. 6.2 says no one may keep four or more dogs per dwelling unit on any parcel in the City (so three at most). It also bars any dog and cat combination greater than four, while the fine schedule says 'more than 4'. The wording is inconsistent; confirm with Bylaw Services. (Sources differ: Bylaw s. 6.2 prohibits 'four (4) or more Dogs' and also 'any combination ... greater than four (4)'; Schedule B and the BNE/MTI schedules say 'more than 4'. A dog or cat is an animal over four months old.)
  - Source: [Animal Control Bylaw No. 1533, 2014 (consolidated to September 4, 2025), s. 6.2](https://colwood.civicweb.net/document/86366)
  - Official wording: "No person may Keep four (4) or more Dogs, four (4) or more Cats or any combination of Dogs" … "or Cats greater than four (4) per dwelling unit at any one time on any parcel of land in the" … "Keeping more than 4 Dogs/Cats"
  - Check: wording matched the official text retrieved 2026-11-06
- **Cats allowed:** Same rule as dogs: no one may keep four or more cats per dwelling unit (s. 6.2), though the fine schedule reads 'more than 4 Dogs/Cats'. (Sources differ: Cat means a cat over four months old (s. 3.0). See dog_limit note on the inconsistent wording.)
  - Source: [Animal Control Bylaw No. 1533, 2014 (consolidated to September 4, 2025), s. 6.2](https://colwood.civicweb.net/document/86366)
  - Official wording: "No person may Keep four (4) or more Dogs, four (4) or more Cats or any combination of Dogs"
  - Check: wording matched the official text retrieved 2026-11-06
- **Other animal limits:** Dogs and cats combined: no more than four per dwelling unit (s. 6.2). Pigeons: no more than 25 pairs or 50 in total per parcel (s. 11.1). Chickens: up to four, only on lots of 550 m² to under 4,000 m² with a detached one-family dwelling (Land Use Bylaw 2.1.19). Farm animals only as part of a farm operation allowed by the Land Use Bylaw (s. 12.1).
  - Source: [Animal Control Bylaw No. 1533, 2014 (consolidated to September 4, 2025), s. 6.2, 11.1, 12.1](https://colwood.civicweb.net/document/86366)
  - Official wording: "or Cats greater than four (4) per dwelling unit at any one time" … "No person shall keep more than 25 pairs of Pigeons, or a total of 50 Pigeons on any parcel of land within the City;" … "Except if the Keeping of the Farm Animals is part of a Farm Operation"
  - Source: [Land Use Bylaw No. 151, 1989 (consolidated to August 24, 2026), s. 2.1.19(1)(a)](https://colwood.civicweb.net/document/1999)
  - Official wording: "is limited to four (4);" … "but not less than 550 m2 (5,920 ft2) in any residential zone"
  - Check: wording matched the official text retrieved 2026-11-06
- **Exceptions:** The limit does not apply to a kennel, dog or cat groomer or dog or cat daycare where the Land Use Bylaw permits it on the parcel. Anyone who already kept four or more dogs or cats when the bylaw was adopted (2014) may keep them for the lives of those animals.
  - Source: [Animal Control Bylaw No. 1533, 2014 (consolidated to September 4, 2025), s. 6.3, 6.4](https://colwood.civicweb.net/document/86366)
  - Official wording: "The limitation in paragraph 6.2 does not apply to a Kennel, dog or cat groomer or dog or cat" … "may continue to do so for the duration of the lives of those Dogs or Cats."
  - Check: wording matched the official text retrieved 2026-11-06
- **Fine:** Keeping more than 4 dogs/cats: bylaw notice $100 ($80 within 14 days, $120 after 28 days); municipal ticket $100. Unlawful kennel: $500.
  - Source: [Bylaw Notice Enforcement Bylaw No. 1911, 2021 (consolidated to March 9, 2026), Schedule B, Animal Control Bylaw](https://colwood.civicweb.net/document/187475)
  - Official wording: "Keeping more than 4 dogs/cats" … "Keeping more than 4 dogs/cats 6.2 $100.00 $80.00 $120.00"
  - Source: [Municipal Ticket Information Bylaw No. 1314, 2010 (consolidated to April 8, 2022), Schedule 11](https://colwood.civicweb.net/document/1091)
  - Official wording: "Keeping more than 4 Dogs/Cats" … "Keeping more than 4 Dogs/Cats 6.2 $100.00"
  - Check: wording matched the official text retrieved 2026-11-06
- **Bylaw:** Animal Control Bylaw No. 1533, 2014 (kennels and zoning: Land Use Bylaw No. 151, 1989)
  - Source: [Animal Control Bylaw No. 1533, 2014 (consolidated to September 4, 2025), s. 1.0](https://colwood.civicweb.net/document/86366)
  - Official wording: "This Bylaw may be cited for all purposes as the "Animal Control Bylaw No. 1533, 2014”."
  - Check: wording matched the official text retrieved 2026-11-06

## How it works

Colwood's [Animal Control Bylaw No. 1533](https://colwood.civicweb.net/document/86366) limits dogs and cats per dwelling unit on a parcel, but the wording in section 6.2 is inconsistent. It bars "four or more" dogs per dwelling unit (so three at most), and "four or more" cats, and also any dog and cat combination "greater than four". The fine schedules say "more than 4". Ask Bylaw Services for the limit that applies to you before taking in another animal.

## Good to know

- The limit does not apply to a kennel, dog or cat groomer, or dog or cat daycare, where the [Land Use Bylaw No. 151](https://colwood.civicweb.net/document/1999) permits it on the parcel.
- Anyone who already kept four or more dogs or cats when the bylaw was adopted (2014) may keep them for the lives of those animals.
- Fine for keeping too many: a bylaw notice is $100 ($80 if paid within 14 days, $120 after 28 days); a municipal ticket is $100. An unlawful kennel is $500.
- Pigeons: no more than 25 pairs or 50 in total per parcel.
- Chickens: up to four, only on lots of 550 m² to under 4,000 m² with a detached one-family dwelling. See the backyard chickens answer.
- Farm animals are allowed only as part of a farm operation permitted by the Land Use Bylaw.
- Every dog still needs a licence; see the dog licence answer.

## Official forms and pages

- [Animal Control Bylaw No. 1533 (PDF)](https://colwood.civicweb.net/document/86366)
- [Land Use Bylaw No. 151 (PDF)](https://colwood.civicweb.net/document/1999)

## Related questions

- [Colwood dog licences: fees and how to get one](https://govhandbook.com/ca/bc/colwood/dog-licence.md)
- [Colwood backyard chickens, bees and livestock rules](https://govhandbook.com/ca/bc/colwood/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)
- [View Royal](https://govhandbook.com/ca/bc/view-royal/how-many-pets.md)
- [Esquimalt](https://govhandbook.com/ca/bc/esquimalt/how-many-pets.md)
- [Langford](https://govhandbook.com/ca/bc/langford/how-many-pets.md)
- [Victoria](https://govhandbook.com/ca/bc/victoria/how-many-pets.md)
- [Metchosin](https://govhandbook.com/ca/bc/metchosin/how-many-pets.md)
- [Highlands](https://govhandbook.com/ca/bc/highlands/how-many-pets.md)

## Sources

- [Animal Control Bylaw No. 1533, 2014 (consolidated to September 4, 2025) (PDF), City of Colwood](https://colwood.civicweb.net/document/86366) (read 2026-11-05)
- [Land Use Bylaw No. 151, 1989 (consolidated to August 24, 2026) (PDF), City of Colwood](https://colwood.civicweb.net/document/1999) (read 2026-11-05)
- [Municipal Ticket Information Bylaw No. 1314, 2010 (consolidated to April 8, 2022) (PDF), City of Colwood](https://colwood.civicweb.net/document/1091) (read 2026-11-05)
- [Bylaw Notice Enforcement Bylaw No. 1911, 2021 (consolidated to March 9, 2026) (PDF), City of Colwood](https://colwood.civicweb.net/document/187475) (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 Colwood. How answers are checked: https://govhandbook.com/methods/ · Canonical page: https://govhandbook.com/ca/bc/colwood/how-many-pets/_