{"title":"How many dogs or cats you can keep in Esquimalt","question":"How many dogs or cats can I keep in Esquimalt?","slug":"how-many-pets","place":{"path":"ca/bc/esquimalt","name":"Esquimalt","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":"Township of Esquimalt","url":"https://www.esquimalt.ca"},"short_answer":"In Esquimalt, you may keep no more than 4 dogs over 4 months old on one property, and no more than 5 cats over 4 months old. A kennel (5 or more dogs) is not allowed on residential property.","aliases":["pet limit esquimalt","how many dogs esquimalt","how many cats esquimalt","kennel esquimalt"],"cost":"No cost. Bylaw notice: more than 4 dogs $250 ($187 if paid early); more than 5 cats $250 ($187 early); kennel on residential property $300 ($225 early).","how_long":"The limits apply at all times.","where":[{"type":"phone","label":"Victoria Animal Control Services (pound and animal control officers)","value":"250-414-0233"},{"type":"phone","label":"Bylaw enforcement","value":"250-414-7161","note":"Monday to Friday, 8:30 a.m. to 4:30 p.m."}],"documents":[],"forms":[{"title":"Animal Management Bylaw 2015, No. 2841 (consolidated February 2021) (PDF)","url":"https://www.esquimalt.ca/media/file/2021-02-bylaw-2841-animal-management-bylaw-consolidation"}],"related":[{"slug":"dog-licence","title":"Esquimalt dog licences: fees and how to get one","url":"https://govhandbook.com/ca/bc/esquimalt/dog-licence/"},{"slug":"dog-leash-rules","title":"Esquimalt dog leash rules and off-leash areas","url":"https://govhandbook.com/ca/bc/esquimalt/dog-leash-rules/"},{"slug":"backyard-chickens","title":"Esquimalt backyard chickens, bees and livestock rules","url":"https://govhandbook.com/ca/bc/esquimalt/backyard-chickens/"},{"slug":"bylaw-fines","title":"Esquimalt bylaw fines and how tickets work","url":"https://govhandbook.com/ca/bc/esquimalt/bylaw-fines/"}],"nearby":[{"place":"ca/bc/view-royal","name":"View Royal","url":"https://govhandbook.com/ca/bc/view-royal/how-many-pets/"},{"place":"ca/bc/victoria","name":"Victoria","url":"https://govhandbook.com/ca/bc/victoria/how-many-pets/"},{"place":"ca/bc/colwood","name":"Colwood","url":"https://govhandbook.com/ca/bc/colwood/how-many-pets/"},{"place":"ca/bc/saanich","name":"Saanich","url":"https://govhandbook.com/ca/bc/saanich/how-many-pets/"},{"place":"ca/bc/oak-bay","name":"Oak Bay","url":"https://govhandbook.com/ca/bc/oak-bay/how-many-pets/"},{"place":"ca/bc/langford","name":"Langford","url":"https://govhandbook.com/ca/bc/langford/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 4 dogs over 4 months old on one property (except dogs kept only during business hours at a veterinary practice).","short":"Max 4 dogs","status":"stated","sources":[{"url":"https://www.esquimalt.ca/media/file/2021-02-bylaw-2841-animal-management-bylaw-consolidation","title":"Animal Management Bylaw 2015, No. 2841 (consolidated February 2021) (PDF)","section":"s. 27(1)","quotes":["No person shall keep more than 4 dogs over the age of 4 months on one","property, unless the dogs are kept only during business hours on premises","where a registered veterinarian practices veterinary medicine."]}],"check":{"result":"matched","text_date":"2026-11-06"}},"cat_limit":{"label":"Cats allowed","value":"No more than 5 cats over 4 months old on any property.","short":"Max 5 cats","status":"stated","sources":[{"url":"https://www.esquimalt.ca/media/file/2021-02-bylaw-2841-animal-management-bylaw-consolidation","title":"Animal Management Bylaw 2015, No. 2841 (consolidated February 2021) (PDF)","section":"s. 23","quotes":["No person shall own, possess or harbour more than 5 cats over the age of 4 months on","any property within the Township."]}],"check":{"result":"matched","text_date":"2026-11-06"}},"other_limits":{"label":"Other animal limits","value":"Dogs and cats have separate limits (4 dogs, 5 cats); no combined limit found. Ornamental birds: up to 10 per parcel. Rabbits and rodents: up to 10 over 12 weeks old per parcel. Urban hens: up to 7 on single or two-family residential parcels. Beehives: up to 3 per parcel. No farm animals, roosters or peafowl.","status":"stated","sources":[{"url":"https://www.esquimalt.ca/media/file/2021-02-bylaw-2841-animal-management-bylaw-consolidation","title":"Animal Management Bylaw 2015, No. 2841 (consolidated February 2021) (PDF)","section":"s. 33, 35, 32, 40, 30","quotes":["No person shall keep more than 10 ornamental birds on any parcel of land","No person shall own, possess or harbour more than 10 rabbits or rodents over the age of","no more than 7 Urban Hens may be kept on any parcel","A maximum of 3 beehives may be kept on any parcel of land.","No person shall keep a farm animal, rooster, or peafowl."]}],"check":{"result":"matched","text_date":"2026-11-06"}},"exceptions":{"label":"Exceptions","value":"A kennel (5 or more dogs over 4 months old) is not allowed on residential property. The only exception to the 4-dog limit is dogs kept during business hours at a veterinary practice.","status":"stated","sources":[{"url":"https://www.esquimalt.ca/media/file/2021-02-bylaw-2841-animal-management-bylaw-consolidation","title":"Animal Management Bylaw 2015, No. 2841 (consolidated February 2021) (PDF)","section":"s. 27(2), s. 2 \"kennel\"","quotes":["No person being the owner or occupier of any residential property within the","Township shall permit such property to be used as or for a kennel.","means any property in which 5 or more dogs over the age of 4 months are kept"]}],"check":{"result":"matched","text_date":"2026-11-06"}},"fine":{"label":"Fine","value":"Bylaw notice: more than 4 dogs $250 ($187 early, $312 late); more than 5 cats $250 ($187 early, $312 late); kennel on residential property $300 ($225 early, $375 late).","status":"stated","sources":[{"url":"https://www.esquimalt.ca/media/file/2026-09-bylaw-2839-bylaw-notice-enforcement-consolidation","title":"Bylaw Notice Enforcement Bylaw 2014, No. 2839 (consolidated September 2026) (PDF)","section":"Schedule N, s. 23, 27(1), 27(2)","quotes":["23 Possess more than 5 cats 250.00 187.00 312.00","27(1) Possess more than 4 dogs 250.00 187.00 312.00","27(2) Operate a kennel on residential property 300.00 225.00 375.00"]}],"check":{"result":"matched","text_date":"2026-11-06"}},"bylaw":{"label":"Bylaw","value":"Animal Management Bylaw, 2015, No. 2841","status":"stated","sources":[{"url":"https://www.esquimalt.ca/media/file/2021-02-bylaw-2841-animal-management-bylaw-consolidation","title":"Animal Management Bylaw 2015, No. 2841 (consolidated February 2021) (PDF)","section":"s. 1","quotes":["This Bylaw may be cited as the \"Animal Management Bylaw, 2015, No. 2841\"."]}],"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 Management Bylaw No. 2841](https://www.esquimalt.ca/media/file/2021-02-bylaw-2841-animal-management-bylaw-consolidation) sets separate limits by animal. Dogs and cats are counted separately, and the bylaw states no combined limit.\n\n- Dogs: no more than 4 dogs over 4 months old on one property. The only exception is dogs kept during business hours at a veterinary practice.\n- Cats: no more than 5 cats over 4 months old on any property.\n- Rabbits and rodents: up to 10 over 12 weeks old per parcel.\n- Ornamental birds: up to 10 per parcel.\n- Urban hens: up to 7 on single or two-family residential parcels. See [backyard chickens](backyard-chickens).\n- Beehives: up to 3 per parcel.\n- No farm animals, roosters or peafowl.\n\n## Good to know\n\n- A kennel (5 or more dogs over 4 months old) is not allowed on residential property, and the bylaw offers no kennel licence for residential lots.\n- Only animals over the stated ages count, so younger animals are not counted.\n- Every dog over 4 months old needs a [dog licence](dog-licence).\n- To ask about your situation, call Bylaw Enforcement at 250-414-7161.","sources":[{"url":"https://www.esquimalt.ca/media/file/2021-02-bylaw-2841-animal-management-bylaw-consolidation","title":"Animal Management Bylaw 2015, No. 2841 (consolidated February 2021) (PDF)","accessed":"2026-11-06"},{"url":"https://www.esquimalt.ca/media/file/2026-09-bylaw-2839-bylaw-notice-enforcement-consolidation","title":"Bylaw Notice Enforcement Bylaw 2014, No. 2839 (consolidated September 2026) (PDF)","accessed":"2026-11-06"},{"url":"https://www.esquimalt.ca/government-bylaws/bylaws-enforcement/contacts","title":"Bylaw Enforcement Contacts, Township of Esquimalt","accessed":"2026-11-06"}],"sources_read":"2026-11-06","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/esquimalt/how-many-pets/","markdown":"https://govhandbook.com/ca/bc/esquimalt/how-many-pets.md","json":"https://govhandbook.com/ca/bc/esquimalt/how-many-pets.json"}}