{"title":"How many dogs or cats you can keep in Gold River","question":"How many dogs or cats can I keep in Gold River?","slug":"how-many-pets","place":{"path":"ca/bc/gold-river","name":"Gold River","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":"Village of Gold River","url":"https://goldriver.ca"},"short_answer":"In Gold River, a household may keep no more than three dogs over three months old. Four or more dogs count as a kennel, which needs a $75 yearly kennel licence and must be allowed by zoning. The Animal Control Bylaw sets no limit on cats.","aliases":["how many dogs allowed gold river","pet limit gold river","kennel licence gold river","how many cats gold river"],"cost":"Kennel licence $75 a year. Ticket amount not readable in the Village's posted bylaws.","how_long":null,"where":[{"type":"phone","label":"Village Hall","value":"(250) 283-2202"}],"documents":[],"forms":[{"title":"Animal Control and Pound Bylaw No. 736, 2022 (PDF)","url":"https://goldriver.ca/wp-content/uploads/2022/04/Bylaw-No-736-2022-Animal-Control-Bylaw.pdf"},{"title":"Zoning Bylaw No. 761, 2025 (PDF)","url":"https://goldriver.ca/wp-content/uploads/2026/02/Bylaw-No-761-2025-Zoning-Bylaw.pdf"}],"related":[{"slug":"dog-licence","title":"Gold River dog licences: fees and how to get one","url":"https://govhandbook.com/ca/bc/gold-river/dog-licence/"},{"slug":"backyard-chickens","title":"Gold River backyard chickens, bees and livestock rules","url":"https://govhandbook.com/ca/bc/gold-river/backyard-chickens/"},{"slug":"business-licence","title":"Gold River business licences: who needs one, fees and how to apply","url":"https://govhandbook.com/ca/bc/gold-river/business-licence/"}],"nearby":[{"place":"ca/bc/tahsis","name":"Tahsis","url":"https://govhandbook.com/ca/bc/tahsis/how-many-pets/"},{"place":"ca/bc/campbell-river","name":"Campbell River","url":"https://govhandbook.com/ca/bc/campbell-river/how-many-pets/"},{"place":"ca/bc/tofino","name":"Tofino","url":"https://govhandbook.com/ca/bc/tofino/how-many-pets/"},{"place":"ca/bc/sayward","name":"Sayward","url":"https://govhandbook.com/ca/bc/sayward/how-many-pets/"},{"place":"ca/bc/cumberland","name":"Cumberland","url":"https://govhandbook.com/ca/bc/cumberland/how-many-pets/"},{"place":"ca/bc/courtenay","name":"Courtenay","url":"https://govhandbook.com/ca/bc/courtenay/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 three dogs over three months old per household. An owner with four or more dogs is deemed to own a Kennel, which is subject to the zoning bylaw and the business licence bylaw.","short":"Max three dogs (four or more is a kennel)","status":"stated","sources":[{"url":"https://goldriver.ca/wp-content/uploads/2022/04/Bylaw-No-736-2022-Animal-Control-Bylaw.pdf","title":"Animal Control and Pound Bylaw No. 736, 2022 (PDF), Village of Gold River","section":"s. 3.11","quotes":["No household shall keep or have in their possession more than three (3) dogs over the age of three (3) months.","Where any owner possesses or harbors four (4) or more dogs they shall be deemed to own a Kennel"]},{"url":"https://goldriver.ca/wp-content/uploads/2026/02/Bylaw-No-761-2025-Zoning-Bylaw.pdf","title":"Zoning Bylaw No. 761, 2025 (PDF), Village of Gold River","section":"s. 2.0 \"Kennel\"","quotes":["where three (3) or more pets are kept, trained, cared for, bred, treated, hospitalized or boarded"]}],"check":{"result":"matched","text_date":"2026-11-08"},"sources_differ":"The Animal Control Bylaw defines a Kennel as four or more dogs (s. 2.15) and deems four or more dogs a Kennel (s. 3.11), while the Zoning Bylaw's 'Kennel' definition says three or more pets kept for enjoyment, remuneration or sale. The animal bylaw is the specific rule on household limits."},"cat_limit":{"label":"Cats allowed","value":"No cat limit in the Animal Control Bylaw. The Zoning Bylaw treats keeping three or more pets (any domesticated animal) as a 'Kennel' use; confirm with the Village.","short":"No cat limit; three or more pets is a kennel use","status":"stated","sources":[{"url":"https://goldriver.ca/wp-content/uploads/2026/02/Bylaw-No-761-2025-Zoning-Bylaw.pdf","title":"Zoning Bylaw No. 761, 2025 (PDF), Village of Gold River","section":"s. 2.0 \"Kennel\", \"Pet\"","quotes":["where three (3) or more pets are kept, trained, cared","means a domesticated animal kept by a household"]}],"check":{"result":"matched","text_date":"2026-11-08"}},"other_limits":{"label":"Other animal limits","value":"Zoning Bylaw: pets are permitted in all residential zones if kept under the Animal Control Bylaw and not a nuisance. Keeping animals to the extent of a nuisance is banned. The zoning 'Kennel' definition starts at three or more pets.","status":"stated","sources":[{"url":"https://goldriver.ca/wp-content/uploads/2026/02/Bylaw-No-761-2025-Zoning-Bylaw.pdf","title":"Zoning Bylaw No. 761, 2025 (PDF), Village of Gold River","section":"s. 4.4.1","quotes":["The keeping of pets in accordance with the Village Animal Control Bylaw and to the extent of not creating a nuisance shall be permitted in all","The keeping of pets in accordance with the Village Animal Control Bylaw","where three (3) or more pets are kept, trained, cared"]},{"url":"https://goldriver.ca/wp-content/uploads/2022/04/Bylaw-No-736-2022-Animal-Control-Bylaw.pdf","title":"Animal Control and Pound Bylaw No. 736, 2022 (PDF), Village of Gold River","section":"s. 4.9","quotes":["No person shall keep Dogs or animals to the extent of creating a nuisance, disturbance or public health hazard."]}],"check":{"result":"matched","text_date":"2026-11-08"}},"exceptions":{"label":"Exceptions","value":"A Kennel licence ($75 a year). A kennel may have no more than ten dogs, and the owner must also meet the business licence bylaw and other Village bylaws.","status":"stated","sources":[{"url":"https://goldriver.ca/wp-content/uploads/2022/04/Bylaw-No-736-2022-Animal-Control-Bylaw.pdf","title":"Animal Control and Pound Bylaw No. 736, 2022 (PDF), Village of Gold River","section":"s. 7.1","quotes":["An owner of a Kennel shall apply to the Village for a Kennel licence"]},{"url":"https://goldriver.ca/wp-content/uploads/2022/04/Bylaw-No-736-2022-Animal-Control-Bylaw.pdf","title":"Animal Control and Pound Bylaw No. 736, 2022 (PDF), Village of Gold River","section":"s. 7.3","quotes":["have or keep more than ten (10) dogs in a kennel"]},{"url":"https://goldriver.ca/wp-content/uploads/2022/04/Bylaw-No-734.1-2022-Fees-and-Charges-Amendment-Bylaw.pdf","title":"Fees and Charges Amendment Bylaw No. 734.1, 2022 (PDF), Village of Gold River","section":"Schedule H","quotes":["Unspayed Female Dog $20.00 $40.00 All Year Kennel Licence $75.00 Duplicate Licence $10.00 Neuter or Spay Rebate $20.00"]}],"check":{"result":"matched","text_date":"2026-11-08"}},"fine":{"label":"Fine","value":null,"status":"unknown","reason":"scanned","note":"The ticket amount is not readable in the Village's posted copy of its ticket bylaw.","sources":[]},"bylaw":{"label":"Bylaw","value":"Animal Control and Pound Bylaw No. 736, 2022 (s. 3.11)","status":"stated","sources":[{"url":"https://goldriver.ca/wp-content/uploads/2022/04/Bylaw-No-736-2022-Animal-Control-Bylaw.pdf","title":"Animal Control and Pound Bylaw No. 736, 2022 (PDF), Village of Gold River","section":"s. 1.1","quotes":["Animal Control and Pound Bylaw No. 736, 2022"]}],"check":{"result":"matched","text_date":"2026-11-08"}}},"facts_summary":{"total":6,"stated":5,"matched":5,"none":0,"unknown":1},"body_markdown":"## How it works\n\nThe [Animal Control and Pound Bylaw No. 736, 2022](https://goldriver.ca/wp-content/uploads/2022/04/Bylaw-No-736-2022-Animal-Control-Bylaw.pdf) allows no more than three dogs over three months old per household in Gold River. An owner of four or more dogs is deemed to own a kennel, which is subject to the zoning bylaw and the business licence bylaw. The bylaw sets no limit on cats.\n\n## Good to know\n\n- A kennel needs a kennel licence ($75 a year), may have no more than ten dogs, and must also meet the business licence bylaw and other Village bylaws. The [Zoning Bylaw No. 761, 2025](https://goldriver.ca/wp-content/uploads/2026/02/Bylaw-No-761-2025-Zoning-Bylaw.pdf) must also allow a kennel on the lot.\n- The other official source differs: the Zoning Bylaw defines a \"kennel\" as three or more pets kept for enjoyment, remuneration or sale. The animal bylaw is the specific rule on household limits, but confirm with the Village if you keep three pets.\n- Zoning allows pets in all residential zones if they are kept under the Animal Control Bylaw and are not a nuisance. Keeping animals to the extent of a nuisance is banned.\n- Livestock and poultry have separate limits; see the backyard chickens answer.\n- The ticket amount is not readable in the Village's posted copy of its ticket bylaw. Call Village Hall at (250) 283-2202.","sources":[{"url":"https://goldriver.ca/wp-content/uploads/2022/04/Bylaw-No-736-2022-Animal-Control-Bylaw.pdf","title":"Animal Control and Pound Bylaw No. 736, 2022 (PDF), Village of Gold River","accessed":"2026-11-08"},{"url":"https://goldriver.ca/wp-content/uploads/2026/02/Bylaw-No-761-2025-Zoning-Bylaw.pdf","title":"Zoning Bylaw No. 761, 2025 (PDF), Village of Gold River","accessed":"2026-11-08"},{"url":"https://goldriver.ca/wp-content/uploads/2022/04/Bylaw-No-734.1-2022-Fees-and-Charges-Amendment-Bylaw.pdf","title":"Fees and Charges Amendment Bylaw No. 734.1, 2022 (PDF), Village of Gold River","accessed":"2026-11-08"}],"sources_read":"2026-11-08","review":{"status":"machine_checked","badge":"Checked against official text","label":"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."},"urls":{"html":"https://govhandbook.com/ca/bc/gold-river/how-many-pets/","markdown":"https://govhandbook.com/ca/bc/gold-river/how-many-pets.md","json":"https://govhandbook.com/ca/bc/gold-river/how-many-pets.json"}}