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

# How many dogs or cats you can keep in Esquimalt

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

**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.

**Who handles it:** Municipal (Township of Esquimalt, https://www.esquimalt.ca)  
**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:**
- Phone: Victoria Animal Control Services (pound and animal control officers), 250-414-0233
- Phone: Bylaw enforcement, 250-414-7161 (Monday to Friday, 8:30 a.m. to 4:30 p.m.)

## Key facts

- **Dogs allowed:** No more than 4 dogs over 4 months old on one property (except dogs kept only during business hours at a veterinary practice).
  - Source: [Animal Management Bylaw 2015, No. 2841 (consolidated February 2021), s. 27(1)](https://www.esquimalt.ca/media/file/2021-02-bylaw-2841-animal-management-bylaw-consolidation)
  - Official wording: "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: wording matched the official text retrieved 2026-11-06
- **Cats allowed:** No more than 5 cats over 4 months old on any property.
  - Source: [Animal Management Bylaw 2015, No. 2841 (consolidated February 2021), s. 23](https://www.esquimalt.ca/media/file/2021-02-bylaw-2841-animal-management-bylaw-consolidation)
  - Official wording: "No person shall own, possess or harbour more than 5 cats over the age of 4 months on" … "any property within the Township."
  - Check: wording matched the official text retrieved 2026-11-06
- **Other animal limits:** 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.
  - Source: [Animal Management Bylaw 2015, No. 2841 (consolidated February 2021), s. 33, 35, 32, 40, 30](https://www.esquimalt.ca/media/file/2021-02-bylaw-2841-animal-management-bylaw-consolidation)
  - Official wording: "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: wording matched the official text retrieved 2026-11-06
- **Exceptions:** 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.
  - Source: [Animal Management Bylaw 2015, No. 2841 (consolidated February 2021), s. 27(2), s. 2 "kennel"](https://www.esquimalt.ca/media/file/2021-02-bylaw-2841-animal-management-bylaw-consolidation)
  - Official wording: "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: wording matched the official text retrieved 2026-11-06
- **Fine:** 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).
  - Source: [Bylaw Notice Enforcement Bylaw 2014, No. 2839 (consolidated September 2026), Schedule N, s. 23, 27(1), 27(2)](https://www.esquimalt.ca/media/file/2026-09-bylaw-2839-bylaw-notice-enforcement-consolidation)
  - Official wording: "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: wording matched the official text retrieved 2026-11-06
- **Bylaw:** Animal Management Bylaw, 2015, No. 2841
  - Source: [Animal Management Bylaw 2015, No. 2841 (consolidated February 2021), s. 1](https://www.esquimalt.ca/media/file/2021-02-bylaw-2841-animal-management-bylaw-consolidation)
  - Official wording: "This Bylaw may be cited as the "Animal Management Bylaw, 2015, No. 2841"."
  - Check: wording matched the official text retrieved 2026-11-06

## How it works

The [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.

- 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.
- Cats: no more than 5 cats over 4 months old on any property.
- Rabbits and rodents: up to 10 over 12 weeks old per parcel.
- Ornamental birds: up to 10 per parcel.
- Urban hens: up to 7 on single or two-family residential parcels. See [backyard chickens](backyard-chickens).
- Beehives: up to 3 per parcel.
- No farm animals, roosters or peafowl.

## Good to know

- 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.
- Only animals over the stated ages count, so younger animals are not counted.
- Every dog over 4 months old needs a [dog licence](dog-licence).
- To ask about your situation, call Bylaw Enforcement at 250-414-7161.

## Official forms and pages

- [Animal Management Bylaw 2015, No. 2841 (consolidated February 2021) (PDF)](https://www.esquimalt.ca/media/file/2021-02-bylaw-2841-animal-management-bylaw-consolidation)

## Related questions

- [Esquimalt dog licences: fees and how to get one](https://govhandbook.com/ca/bc/esquimalt/dog-licence.md)
- [Esquimalt dog leash rules and off-leash areas](https://govhandbook.com/ca/bc/esquimalt/dog-leash-rules.md)
- [Esquimalt backyard chickens, bees and livestock rules](https://govhandbook.com/ca/bc/esquimalt/backyard-chickens.md)
- [Esquimalt bylaw fines and how tickets work](https://govhandbook.com/ca/bc/esquimalt/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)
- [View Royal](https://govhandbook.com/ca/bc/view-royal/how-many-pets.md)
- [Victoria](https://govhandbook.com/ca/bc/victoria/how-many-pets.md)
- [Colwood](https://govhandbook.com/ca/bc/colwood/how-many-pets.md)
- [Saanich](https://govhandbook.com/ca/bc/saanich/how-many-pets.md)
- [Oak Bay](https://govhandbook.com/ca/bc/oak-bay/how-many-pets.md)
- [Langford](https://govhandbook.com/ca/bc/langford/how-many-pets.md)

## Sources

- [Animal Management Bylaw 2015, No. 2841 (consolidated February 2021) (PDF)](https://www.esquimalt.ca/media/file/2021-02-bylaw-2841-animal-management-bylaw-consolidation) (read 2026-11-06)
- [Bylaw Notice Enforcement Bylaw 2014, No. 2839 (consolidated September 2026) (PDF)](https://www.esquimalt.ca/media/file/2026-09-bylaw-2839-bylaw-notice-enforcement-consolidation) (read 2026-11-06)
- [Bylaw Enforcement Contacts, Township of Esquimalt](https://www.esquimalt.ca/government-bylaws/bylaws-enforcement/contacts) (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 Township of Esquimalt. How answers are checked: https://govhandbook.com/methods/ · Canonical page: https://govhandbook.com/ca/bc/esquimalt/how-many-pets/_