---
title: How many dogs or cats you can keep in Fruitvale
question: "How many dogs or cats can I keep in Fruitvale?"
place: Fruitvale, British Columbia, Canada
place_path: ca/bc/fruitvale
category: Pets, animals and wildlife
owner: municipal
owner_body: Village of Fruitvale
sources_read: 2026-11-08
review: machine_checked
canonical: "https://govhandbook.com/ca/bc/fruitvale/how-many-pets/"
json: "https://govhandbook.com/ca/bc/fruitvale/how-many-pets.json"
---

# How many dogs or cats you can keep in Fruitvale

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

**Short answer:** In Fruitvale you may keep up to 3 dogs over 8 weeks old and 3 cats over 12 weeks old per person. A household may keep no more than 6 companion animals in total. Licensed kennels, veterinary clinics and working ranches are exempt from the dog limit.

**Who handles it:** Municipal (Village of Fruitvale, https://fruitvale.ca)  
**Cost:** No fee to keep pets within the limits. Dog licence $25 or $75 a year. Kennel licence $60.  
**How long:** Limits apply at all times.  
**Where:**
- In person: Village Office, 1947 Beaver Street, Fruitvale, BC V0G 1L0 (Monday to Thursday, 8:30 a.m. to 4:00 p.m.)
- Phone: Village Office, 250-367-7551
- Email: Village Office, info@village.fruitvale.bc.ca

## Key facts

- **Dogs allowed:** No more than 3 companion dogs over 8 weeks old per person (s. 12). Within the household limit of 6 companion animals in total.
  - Source: [Animal Responsibility Bylaw No. 984, 2025, s. 12](https://fruitvale.ca/wp-content/uploads/2026/04/984-Animal-Responsibility-Bylaw.pdf)
  - Official wording: "No person shall keep more than three (3) Companion Dogs over the age of 8 weeks."
  - Check: wording matched the official text retrieved 2026-11-08
- **Cats allowed:** No more than 3 cats over 12 weeks old per person (s. 59).
  - Source: [Animal Responsibility Bylaw No. 984, 2025, s. 59](https://fruitvale.ca/wp-content/uploads/2026/04/984-Animal-Responsibility-Bylaw.pdf)
  - Official wording: "No person shall keep more than three (3) Cats as Companion Animals over the age of 12 weeks."
  - Check: wording matched the official text retrieved 2026-11-08
- **Other animal limits:** A household may keep no more than 6 companion animals in total (dogs, cats, rabbits or other approved companion animals). Rabbits: 3. Other companion animals such as pigs, lizards, snakes, large turtles: 3. Hens (4) and bees are not counted as companion animals.
  - Source: [Animal Responsibility Bylaw No. 984, 2025, ss. 2, 63, 68](https://fruitvale.ca/wp-content/uploads/2026/04/984-Animal-Responsibility-Bylaw.pdf)
  - Official wording: "No Household shall keep more than six (6) Companion Animals" … "A maximum of three (3) Rabbits are permitted on lands within the Village." … "Urban chickens and Bees are not considered as companion animals."
  - Check: wording matched the official text retrieved 2026-11-08
- **Exceptions:** The dog limit does not apply to a licensed kennel or hobby kennel, a licensed veterinary clinic, or a working cattle ranch or farm. The cat limit does not apply to a licensed veterinary clinic or a working cattle ranch or farm. A kennel (4 or more dogs) needs a $60 kennel licence and a zoning that permits it.
  - Source: [Animal Responsibility Bylaw No. 984, 2025, ss. 12, 59, 47](https://fruitvale.ca/wp-content/uploads/2026/04/984-Animal-Responsibility-Bylaw.pdf)
  - Official wording: "This Section does not apply to a person operating a: a. Kennel or Hobby Kennel;" … "a. licensed veterinary clinic; or" … "unless the parcel is specifically permitted by the Village of Fruitvale Zoning Bylaw"
  - Source: [Rates, Fees and Charges Bylaw No. 982, 2025, consolidated, Appendix 2](https://fruitvale.ca/wp-content/uploads/2026/05/982-2025-Rates-Fees-and-Charges-Bylaw-Consolidated-Version.pdf)
  - Official wording: "municipality Kennel Licence Kennel Licence $60.00 First time impoundment in a licensing year - licenced dog $30.00"
  - Check: wording matched the official text retrieved 2026-11-08
- **Fine:** Not confirmed. Not found in the official sources that were read.
- **Bylaw:** Animal Responsibility Bylaw No. 984, 2025 (ss. 2, 12, 59, 63, 68).
  - Source: [Animal Responsibility Bylaw No. 984, 2025, Part 1](https://fruitvale.ca/wp-content/uploads/2026/04/984-Animal-Responsibility-Bylaw.pdf)
  - Official wording: "This Bylaw shall be known and cited for all purposes as “Animal Responsibility Bylaw No. 984, 2025”."
  - Check: wording matched the official text retrieved 2026-11-08

## How it works

The [Animal Responsibility Bylaw No. 984](https://fruitvale.ca/wp-content/uploads/2026/04/984-Animal-Responsibility-Bylaw.pdf) sets the limits.

- Dogs: no more than 3 dogs over 8 weeks old per person (s. 12).
- Cats: no more than 3 cats over 12 weeks old per person (s. 59).
- Household total: no more than 6 companion animals (dogs, cats, rabbits or other approved companion animals).
- Rabbits: 3. Other companion animals such as pigs, lizards, snakes and large turtles: 3 in total.
- Hens (4) and bees are not counted as companion animals.

## Good to know

- The dog limit does not apply to a licensed kennel or hobby kennel, a licensed veterinary clinic, or a working cattle ranch or farm.
- The cat limit does not apply to a licensed veterinary clinic or a working cattle ranch or farm.
- A kennel (4 or more dogs) needs a $60 kennel licence and a zoning that permits it.
- We found no ticket listed for keeping too many animals. Ask the Village Office at 250-367-7551 how it is enforced.

## Official forms and pages

- [Animal Responsibility Bylaw No. 984, 2025 (PDF), Village of Fruitvale](https://fruitvale.ca/wp-content/uploads/2026/04/984-Animal-Responsibility-Bylaw.pdf)

## Related questions

- [Fruitvale dog licences: fees and how to get one](https://govhandbook.com/ca/bc/fruitvale/dog-licence.md)
- [Fruitvale backyard chickens, bees and livestock rules](https://govhandbook.com/ca/bc/fruitvale/backyard-chickens.md)
- [Fruitvale dog leash rules and off-leash areas](https://govhandbook.com/ca/bc/fruitvale/dog-leash-rules.md)

## The same question elsewhere

- [Dog and cat limits in British Columbia, by municipality](https://govhandbook.com/ca/bc/how-many-pets.md)
- [Montrose](https://govhandbook.com/ca/bc/montrose/how-many-pets.md)
- [Trail](https://govhandbook.com/ca/bc/trail/how-many-pets.md)
- [Warfield](https://govhandbook.com/ca/bc/warfield/how-many-pets.md)
- [Rossland](https://govhandbook.com/ca/bc/rossland/how-many-pets.md)
- [Salmo](https://govhandbook.com/ca/bc/salmo/how-many-pets.md)
- [Nelson](https://govhandbook.com/ca/bc/nelson/how-many-pets.md)

## Sources

- [Animal Responsibility Bylaw No. 984, 2025 (PDF), Village of Fruitvale](https://fruitvale.ca/wp-content/uploads/2026/04/984-Animal-Responsibility-Bylaw.pdf) (read 2026-11-08)
- [Rates, Fees and Charges Bylaw No. 982, 2025, consolidated (PDF), Village of Fruitvale](https://fruitvale.ca/wp-content/uploads/2026/05/982-2025-Rates-Fees-and-Charges-Bylaw-Consolidated-Version.pdf) (read 2026-11-08)
- [Bylaw Notice Enforcement Bylaw No. 976, 2024 (PDF), Village of Fruitvale](https://fruitvale.ca/wp-content/uploads/2024/12/976-2024-Notice-Enforcement-Bylaw.pdf) (read 2026-11-08)
- [Municipal Ticket Information Bylaw No. 921 (PDF), Village of Fruitvale](https://fruitvale.ca/wp-content/uploads/2022/08/921-Municipal-Ticket-Information-Bylaw.pdf) (read 2026-11-08)
- [Contact, Village of Fruitvale](https://fruitvale.ca/contact/) (read 2026-11-08)

_Checked by script, not yet by a person: the official wording behind 5 of 6 facts was matched to the official text; 1 could not be confirmed. Gov Handbook is an independent guide, not affiliated with Village of Fruitvale. How answers are checked: https://govhandbook.com/methods/ · Canonical page: https://govhandbook.com/ca/bc/fruitvale/how-many-pets/_