{"title":"How many dogs or cats you can keep in Duncan","question":"How many dogs or cats can I keep in Duncan?","slug":"how-many-pets","place":{"path":"ca/bc/duncan","name":"Duncan","region":{"code":"bc","name":"British Columbia"},"country":{"code":"ca","name":"Canada"}},"category":{"slug":"pets-and-wildlife","name":"Pets, animals and wildlife"},"owner":"municipal","owner_label":"Municipal","owner_body":{"name":"City of Duncan","url":"https://duncan.ca"},"short_answer":"In the City of Duncan you may keep no more than 3 dogs over 8 weeks old and no more than 5 cats over 12 weeks old on a property, and no more than 6 companion animals in total. Guide animals do not count toward the limits.","aliases":["pet limit duncan","maximum dogs per property","maximum cats","rabbit limit"],"cost":null,"how_long":null,"where":[{"type":"phone","label":"Coastal Animal Control Services","value":"250-748-3395"},{"type":"phone","label":"City Hall","value":"250-746-6126"}],"documents":[],"forms":[{"title":"Animal Control, City of Duncan","url":"https://duncan.ca/city-hall/finance/animal_control/"},{"title":"Animal Care and Control Bylaw No. 3197 (PDF)","url":"https://duncan.civicweb.net/document/60229"},{"title":"Bylaw Offence Notice Enforcement Bylaw No. 3200 (PDF)","url":"https://duncan.civicweb.net/document/181059"}],"related":[{"slug":"dog-licence","title":"Duncan dog licences: fees and how to get one","url":"https://govhandbook.com/ca/bc/duncan/dog-licence/"},{"slug":"backyard-chickens","title":"Duncan backyard chickens, bees and livestock rules","url":"https://govhandbook.com/ca/bc/duncan/backyard-chickens/"}],"nearby":[{"place":"ca/bc/north-cowichan","name":"North Cowichan","url":"https://govhandbook.com/ca/bc/north-cowichan/how-many-pets/"},{"place":"ca/bc/north-saanich","name":"North Saanich","url":"https://govhandbook.com/ca/bc/north-saanich/how-many-pets/"},{"place":"ca/bc/lake-cowichan","name":"Lake Cowichan","url":"https://govhandbook.com/ca/bc/lake-cowichan/how-many-pets/"},{"place":"ca/bc/sidney","name":"Sidney","url":"https://govhandbook.com/ca/bc/sidney/how-many-pets/"},{"place":"ca/bc/central-saanich","name":"Central Saanich","url":"https://govhandbook.com/ca/bc/central-saanich/how-many-pets/"},{"place":"ca/bc/highlands","name":"Highlands","url":"https://govhandbook.com/ca/bc/highlands/how-many-pets/"}],"topic":{"title":"Dog and cat limits in British Columbia, by municipality","url":"https://govhandbook.com/ca/bc/how-many-pets/"},"facts":{"dog_limit":{"label":"Dogs allowed","value":"No more than 3 dogs over 8 weeks old on any property (Guide Animals excluded).","short":"Max 3 dogs","status":"stated","sources":[{"url":"https://duncan.civicweb.net/document/60229","title":"Animal Care and Control Bylaw No. 3197, 2019 (PDF), City of Duncan","section":"s. 3.1.1","quotes":["not more than 3 Dogs over the age of 8 weeks and not more than 5 Cats over the age of 12 weeks, excluding Guide Animals"]}],"check":{"result":"matched","text_date":"2026-11-06"}},"cat_limit":{"label":"Cats allowed","value":"No more than 5 cats over 12 weeks old on any property (Guide Animals excluded). Outdoor cats must be spayed or neutered and carry identification.","short":"Max 5 cats","status":"stated","sources":[{"url":"https://duncan.civicweb.net/document/60229","title":"Animal Care and Control Bylaw No. 3197, 2019 (PDF), City of Duncan","section":"s. 3.1.1, 6.6.1, 6.6.3","quotes":["not more than 3 Dogs over the age of 8 weeks and not more than 5 Cats over the age of 12 weeks, excluding Guide Animals","Every Owner of a Cat that is permitted to go outside must have the Cat spayed or neutered."]}],"check":{"result":"matched","text_date":"2026-11-06"}},"other_limits":{"label":"Other animal limits","value":"No more than 6 companion animals in total per property, including those dogs and cats. Also at most 6 rabbits and 4 guinea pigs; no mammals with hooves, mink or chinchilla; no poultry or roosters other than up to 6 hens.","status":"stated","sources":[{"url":"https://duncan.civicweb.net/document/60229","title":"Animal Care and Control Bylaw No. 3197, 2019 (PDF), City of Duncan","section":"s. 3.1.1, 3.1.2","quotes":["No person may keep, or allow to be kept on any Property, more than 6 Companion Animals","more than 6 rabbits;","more than 4 guinea pigs;","any mammal with hooves; or","any mink or chinchilla."]}],"check":{"result":"matched","text_date":"2026-11-06"}},"exceptions":{"label":"Exceptions","value":"Guide Animals do not count toward the limits. Up to 90 racing pigeons are allowed for members of a pigeon racing club if each bird wears a valid club band. Up to 6 hens are allowed under the hen rules.","status":"stated","sources":[{"url":"https://duncan.civicweb.net/document/60229","title":"Animal Care and Control Bylaw No. 3197, 2019 (PDF), City of Duncan","section":"s. 3.1.1, 3.1.3","quotes":["excluding Guide Animals","a person may keep on a Property up to 90 racing pigeons for the purpose of pigeon racing, if that person is a member of a pigeon racing club"]}],"check":{"result":"matched","text_date":"2026-11-06"}},"fine":{"label":"Fine","value":"Bylaw notice: $100 for each of keeping more than 3 dogs, more than 5 cats, or more than 6 companion animals ($85 if paid within 14 days, $115 if paid more than 28 days after receiving it). No municipal ticket amount is listed.","status":"stated","sources":[{"url":"https://duncan.civicweb.net/document/181059","title":"Bylaw Offence Notice Enforcement Bylaw No. 3200 (PDF, consolidated June 8, 2026), City of Duncan","section":"Schedule A, Animal Care and Control Bylaw s. 3.1.1","quotes":["Keep more than 3 dogs $100.00 $85.00 $115.00 YES","Keep more than 5 cats $100.00 $85.00 $115.00 YES","Keep more than 6 companion animals $100.00 $85.00 $115.00 YES"]}],"check":{"result":"matched","text_date":"2026-11-06"}},"bylaw":{"label":"Bylaw","value":"Animal Care and Control Bylaw No. 3197, 2019","status":"stated","sources":[{"url":"https://duncan.civicweb.net/document/60229","title":"Animal Care and Control Bylaw No. 3197, 2019 (PDF), City of Duncan","section":"s. 1 (Title)","quotes":["This bylaw may be cited as the “Animal Care and Control Bylaw No. 3197, 2019”."]}],"check":{"result":"matched","text_date":"2026-11-06"}}},"facts_summary":{"total":6,"stated":6,"matched":6,"none":0,"unknown":0},"body_markdown":"## How it works\n\nThe [Animal Care and Control Bylaw No. 3197](https://duncan.civicweb.net/document/60229) sets pet limits per property in the City of Duncan. The limits count the animals on the whole property, not per person.\n\n## Good to know\n\n- Dogs: no more than 3 over 8 weeks old.\n- Cats: no more than 5 over 12 weeks old. Outdoor cats must be spayed or neutered and carry identification.\n- Total: no more than 6 companion animals, including those dogs and cats.\n- Other animals: up to 6 rabbits and 4 guinea pigs. No mammals with hooves, no mink or chinchilla, and no poultry or roosters other than up to 6 hens (see the backyard chickens answer).\n- Exceptions: guide animals do not count. Members of a pigeon racing club may keep up to 90 racing pigeons if each bird wears a valid club band.\n- No kennel licence or larger-limit permit appears in the bylaw. The [Zoning Bylaw No. 3166](https://duncan.civicweb.net/document/175322) lists a kennel as a use prohibited in all zones except as otherwise stated.\n- Keeping more than 3 dogs, more than 5 cats or more than 6 companion animals is a bylaw notice of $100 for each ($85 if paid within 14 days, $115 after 28 days), under [Bylaw No. 3200](https://duncan.civicweb.net/document/181059).","sources":[{"url":"https://duncan.ca/city-hall/finance/animal_control/","title":"Animal Control, City of Duncan","accessed":"2026-11-05"},{"url":"https://duncan.civicweb.net/document/60229","title":"Animal Care and Control Bylaw No. 3197, 2019 (PDF), City of Duncan","accessed":"2026-11-05"},{"url":"https://duncan.civicweb.net/document/175322","title":"Zoning Bylaw No. 3166, 2017, consolidated to August 24, 2026 (PDF), City of Duncan","accessed":"2026-11-05"},{"url":"https://duncan.civicweb.net/document/181059","title":"Bylaw Offence Notice Enforcement Bylaw No. 3200 (PDF, consolidated June 8, 2026), City of Duncan","accessed":"2026-11-05"}],"sources_read":"2026-11-05","review":{"status":"machine_checked","badge":"Checked against official text","label":"Checked by script, not yet by a person: the official wording behind 6 of 6 facts was matched to the official text."},"urls":{"html":"https://govhandbook.com/ca/bc/duncan/how-many-pets/","markdown":"https://govhandbook.com/ca/bc/duncan/how-many-pets.md","json":"https://govhandbook.com/ca/bc/duncan/how-many-pets.json"}}