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

# How many dogs or cats you can keep in Gold River

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

**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.

**Who handles it:** Municipal (Village of Gold River, https://goldriver.ca)  
**Cost:** Kennel licence $75 a year. Ticket amount not readable in the Village's posted bylaws.  
**Where:**
- Phone: Village Hall, (250) 283-2202

## Key facts

- **Dogs allowed:** 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. (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.)
  - Source: [Animal Control and Pound Bylaw No. 736, 2022, s. 3.11](https://goldriver.ca/wp-content/uploads/2022/04/Bylaw-No-736-2022-Animal-Control-Bylaw.pdf)
  - Official wording: "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"
  - Source: [Zoning Bylaw No. 761, 2025, s. 2.0 "Kennel"](https://goldriver.ca/wp-content/uploads/2026/02/Bylaw-No-761-2025-Zoning-Bylaw.pdf)
  - Official wording: "where three (3) or more pets are kept, trained, cared for, bred, treated, hospitalized or boarded"
  - Check: wording matched the official text retrieved 2026-11-08
- **Cats allowed:** 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.
  - Source: [Zoning Bylaw No. 761, 2025, s. 2.0 "Kennel", "Pet"](https://goldriver.ca/wp-content/uploads/2026/02/Bylaw-No-761-2025-Zoning-Bylaw.pdf)
  - Official wording: "where three (3) or more pets are kept, trained, cared" … "means a domesticated animal kept by a household"
  - Check: wording matched the official text retrieved 2026-11-08
- **Other animal limits:** 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.
  - Source: [Zoning Bylaw No. 761, 2025, s. 4.4.1](https://goldriver.ca/wp-content/uploads/2026/02/Bylaw-No-761-2025-Zoning-Bylaw.pdf)
  - Official wording: "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"
  - Source: [Animal Control and Pound Bylaw No. 736, 2022, s. 4.9](https://goldriver.ca/wp-content/uploads/2022/04/Bylaw-No-736-2022-Animal-Control-Bylaw.pdf)
  - Official wording: "No person shall keep Dogs or animals to the extent of creating a nuisance, disturbance or public health hazard."
  - Check: wording matched the official text retrieved 2026-11-08
- **Exceptions:** 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.
  - Source: [Animal Control and Pound Bylaw No. 736, 2022, s. 7.1](https://goldriver.ca/wp-content/uploads/2022/04/Bylaw-No-736-2022-Animal-Control-Bylaw.pdf)
  - Official wording: "An owner of a Kennel shall apply to the Village for a Kennel licence"
  - Source: [Animal Control and Pound Bylaw No. 736, 2022, s. 7.3](https://goldriver.ca/wp-content/uploads/2022/04/Bylaw-No-736-2022-Animal-Control-Bylaw.pdf)
  - Official wording: "have or keep more than ten (10) dogs in a kennel"
  - Source: [Fees and Charges Amendment Bylaw No. 734.1, 2022, Schedule H](https://goldriver.ca/wp-content/uploads/2022/04/Bylaw-No-734.1-2022-Fees-and-Charges-Amendment-Bylaw.pdf)
  - Official wording: "Unspayed Female Dog $20.00 $40.00 All Year Kennel Licence $75.00 Duplicate Licence $10.00 Neuter or Spay Rebate $20.00"
  - Check: wording matched the official text retrieved 2026-11-08
- **Fine:** Not confirmed. The ticket amount is not readable in the Village's posted copy of its ticket bylaw.
- **Bylaw:** Animal Control and Pound Bylaw No. 736, 2022 (s. 3.11)
  - Source: [Animal Control and Pound Bylaw No. 736, 2022, s. 1.1](https://goldriver.ca/wp-content/uploads/2022/04/Bylaw-No-736-2022-Animal-Control-Bylaw.pdf)
  - Official wording: "Animal Control and Pound Bylaw No. 736, 2022"
  - Check: wording matched the official text retrieved 2026-11-08

## How it works

The [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.

## Good to know

- 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.
- 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.
- 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.
- Livestock and poultry have separate limits; see the backyard chickens answer.
- The ticket amount is not readable in the Village's posted copy of its ticket bylaw. Call Village Hall at (250) 283-2202.

## Official forms and pages

- [Animal Control and Pound Bylaw No. 736, 2022 (PDF)](https://goldriver.ca/wp-content/uploads/2022/04/Bylaw-No-736-2022-Animal-Control-Bylaw.pdf)
- [Zoning Bylaw No. 761, 2025 (PDF)](https://goldriver.ca/wp-content/uploads/2026/02/Bylaw-No-761-2025-Zoning-Bylaw.pdf)

## Related questions

- [Gold River dog licences: fees and how to get one](https://govhandbook.com/ca/bc/gold-river/dog-licence.md)
- [Gold River backyard chickens, bees and livestock rules](https://govhandbook.com/ca/bc/gold-river/backyard-chickens.md)
- [Gold River business licences: who needs one, fees and how to apply](https://govhandbook.com/ca/bc/gold-river/business-licence.md)

## The same question elsewhere

- [Dog and cat limits in British Columbia, by municipality](https://govhandbook.com/ca/bc/how-many-pets.md)
- [Tahsis](https://govhandbook.com/ca/bc/tahsis/how-many-pets.md)
- [Campbell River](https://govhandbook.com/ca/bc/campbell-river/how-many-pets.md)
- [Tofino](https://govhandbook.com/ca/bc/tofino/how-many-pets.md)
- [Sayward](https://govhandbook.com/ca/bc/sayward/how-many-pets.md)
- [Cumberland](https://govhandbook.com/ca/bc/cumberland/how-many-pets.md)
- [Courtenay](https://govhandbook.com/ca/bc/courtenay/how-many-pets.md)

## Sources

- [Animal Control and Pound Bylaw No. 736, 2022 (PDF), Village of Gold River](https://goldriver.ca/wp-content/uploads/2022/04/Bylaw-No-736-2022-Animal-Control-Bylaw.pdf) (read 2026-11-08)
- [Zoning Bylaw No. 761, 2025 (PDF), Village of Gold River](https://goldriver.ca/wp-content/uploads/2026/02/Bylaw-No-761-2025-Zoning-Bylaw.pdf) (read 2026-11-08)
- [Fees and Charges Amendment Bylaw No. 734.1, 2022 (PDF), Village of Gold River](https://goldriver.ca/wp-content/uploads/2022/04/Bylaw-No-734.1-2022-Fees-and-Charges-Amendment-Bylaw.pdf) (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 Gold River. How answers are checked: https://govhandbook.com/methods/ · Canonical page: https://govhandbook.com/ca/bc/gold-river/how-many-pets/_