--- title: How many dogs or cats you can keep in Golden question: "How many dogs or cats can I keep in Golden?" place: Golden, British Columbia, Canada place_path: ca/bc/golden category: Pets, animals and wildlife owner: municipal owner_body: Town of Golden sources_read: 2026-11-08 review: machine_checked canonical: "https://govhandbook.com/ca/bc/golden/how-many-pets/" json: "https://govhandbook.com/ca/bc/golden/how-many-pets.json" --- # How many dogs or cats you can keep in Golden **Question:** How many dogs or cats can I keep in Golden? **Short answer:** In Golden, the Town's pet bylaw allows no more than three dogs and three cats on a property. Dogs and cats under 4 months old do not count. Backyard hens or ducks are limited separately. A breach is a $70 bylaw notice. **Who handles it:** Municipal (Town of Golden, https://www.golden.ca) **Cost:** Bylaw notice: $70 ($50 if paid within 14 days, $90 after 28 days). **How long:** Not applicable. **Where:** - Phone: Bylaw Enforcement, 250-344-2271 ext. 234 - Online: Responsible Pet Ownership, Town of Golden, https://www.golden.ca/town-services/responsible-pet-ownership ## Key facts - **Dogs allowed:** No more than three dogs on any real property (separate from the cat limit). Dogs under 4 months old do not count. (Sources differ: The bylaw says 'a total of three (3) Dogs and three (3) Cats', so up to 3 dogs plus up to 3 cats. The Town's page says 'no more than three cats or dogs', which can be read as 3 animals combined. The bylaw is followed.) - Source: [Bylaw No. 1510, 2026 Town of Golden Responsible Pet Ownership and Animal Control, s. 15.1, 15.2](https://golden.civicweb.net/filepro/document/151404/Bylaw%20No.%201510%202026,%20Town%20of%20Golden%20Responsible%20Pet%20Ownership%20and%20Animal%20Control.pdf) - Official wording: "more than a total of three (3) Dogs and three (3) Cats" … "Dogs or Cats under the age of four (4) months" - Source: [Responsible Pet Ownership](https://www.golden.ca/town-services/responsible-pet-ownership) - Official wording: "No one may keep more than three cats or dogs over the age of four months within the Town of Golden." - Check: wording matched the official text retrieved 2026-11-08 - **Cats allowed:** No more than three cats on any real property (separate from the dog limit). Cats under 4 months old do not count. (Sources differ: See the dog_limit note: the Town's page can be read as three cats and dogs combined; the bylaw wording is followed.) - Source: [Bylaw No. 1510, 2026 Town of Golden Responsible Pet Ownership and Animal Control, s. 15.1, 15.2](https://golden.civicweb.net/filepro/document/151404/Bylaw%20No.%201510%202026,%20Town%20of%20Golden%20Responsible%20Pet%20Ownership%20and%20Animal%20Control.pdf) - Official wording: "more than a total of three (3) Dogs and three (3) Cats" … "Dogs or Cats under the age of four (4) months" - Source: [Responsible Pet Ownership](https://www.golden.ca/town-services/responsible-pet-ownership) - Official wording: "No one may keep more than three cats or dogs over the age of four months within the Town of Golden." - Check: wording matched the official text retrieved 2026-11-08 - **Other animal limits:** Backyard hens or ducks: up to six per property, with Town registration. They do not count toward the dog and cat limit. No limit on other pets was found. - Source: [Bylaw No. 1510, 2026 Town of Golden Responsible Pet Ownership and Animal Control, s. 7.3(b), 15.2](https://golden.civicweb.net/filepro/document/151404/Bylaw%20No.%201510%202026,%20Town%20of%20Golden%20Responsible%20Pet%20Ownership%20and%20Animal%20Control.pdf) - Official wording: "keep no more than six (6) Backyard Hens on a property" … "The restrictions in 15.1 do not apply to the keeping of Dogs or Cats under the age of four" - Check: wording matched the official text retrieved 2026-11-08 - **Exceptions:** More are allowed at a licensed veterinary clinic, the Animal Shelter, or a business with a Business Licence that cares for animals in a way the Zoning Bylaw allows. Dogs and cats under 4 months old are not counted. - Source: [Bylaw No. 1510, 2026 Town of Golden Responsible Pet Ownership and Animal Control, s. 15.1, 15.2](https://golden.civicweb.net/filepro/document/151404/Bylaw%20No.%201510%202026,%20Town%20of%20Golden%20Responsible%20Pet%20Ownership%20and%20Animal%20Control.pdf) - Official wording: "a. a Licensed veterinary clinic;" … "a business with a Business Licence that provides care for Animals in a manner" … "permitted by the Zoning Bylaw applicable to the land containing the business" - Check: wording matched the official text retrieved 2026-11-08 - **Fine:** Bylaw notice: $70 ($50 if paid within 14 days; $90 after 28 days). - Source: [Bylaw No. 1510, 2026 Town of Golden Responsible Pet Ownership and Animal Control, Schedule A, s. 15.1](https://golden.civicweb.net/filepro/document/151404/Bylaw%20No.%201510%202026,%20Town%20of%20Golden%20Responsible%20Pet%20Ownership%20and%20Animal%20Control.pdf) - Official wording: "Too many Animals (hens not included) $ 70.00 $ 50.00 $ 90.00" - Check: wording matched the official text retrieved 2026-11-08 - **Bylaw:** Bylaw No. 1510, 2026 Town of Golden Responsible Pet Ownership and Animal Control - Source: [Bylaw No. 1510, 2026 Town of Golden Responsible Pet Ownership and Animal Control, s. 1.1](https://golden.civicweb.net/filepro/document/151404/Bylaw%20No.%201510%202026,%20Town%20of%20Golden%20Responsible%20Pet%20Ownership%20and%20Animal%20Control.pdf) - Official wording: "Bylaw No. 1510, 2026 Town of Golden Responsible Pet Ownership and Animal Control" - Check: wording matched the official text retrieved 2026-11-08 ## How it works [Bylaw No. 1510, 2026]() allows no more than three dogs and no more than three cats on any real property. The two limits are separate. Dogs and cats under 4 months old do not count. ## Good to know - The Town's page says "no more than three cats or dogs", which could be read as three animals combined. The bylaw wording is followed here, so confirm with Bylaw Enforcement. - More animals are allowed at a licensed veterinary clinic, the Animal Shelter, or a business with a Business Licence that cares for animals in a way the Zoning Bylaw allows. - Backyard hens or ducks: up to six per property with Town registration. They do not count toward the dog and cat limit. - No limit on other pets was found in the bylaw. - A breach is a $70 bylaw notice ($50 if paid within 14 days, $90 after 28). - Call Bylaw Enforcement at 250-344-2271 ext. 234 with questions or to report a problem. ## Official forms and pages - [Bylaw No. 1510, 2026 Responsible Pet Ownership and Animal Control (PDF)](https://golden.civicweb.net/filepro/document/151404/Bylaw%20No.%201510%202026,%20Town%20of%20Golden%20Responsible%20Pet%20Ownership%20and%20Animal%20Control.pdf) ## Related questions - [Golden dog licences: fees and how to get one](https://govhandbook.com/ca/bc/golden/dog-licence.md) - [Golden backyard chickens, bees and livestock rules](https://govhandbook.com/ca/bc/golden/backyard-chickens.md) - [Golden dog leash rules and off-leash areas](https://govhandbook.com/ca/bc/golden/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) - [Revelstoke](https://govhandbook.com/ca/bc/revelstoke/how-many-pets.md) - [Radium Hot Springs](https://govhandbook.com/ca/bc/radium-hot-springs/how-many-pets.md) - [Invermere](https://govhandbook.com/ca/bc/invermere/how-many-pets.md) - [Nakusp](https://govhandbook.com/ca/bc/nakusp/how-many-pets.md) - [New Denver](https://govhandbook.com/ca/bc/new-denver/how-many-pets.md) - [Sicamous](https://govhandbook.com/ca/bc/sicamous/how-many-pets.md) ## Sources - [Bylaw No. 1510, 2026 Town of Golden Responsible Pet Ownership and Animal Control (PDF)](https://golden.civicweb.net/filepro/document/151404/Bylaw%20No.%201510%202026,%20Town%20of%20Golden%20Responsible%20Pet%20Ownership%20and%20Animal%20Control.pdf) (read 2026-11-08) - [Responsible Pet Ownership, Town of Golden](https://www.golden.ca/town-services/responsible-pet-ownership) (read 2026-11-08) _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 Town of Golden. How answers are checked: https://govhandbook.com/methods/ · Canonical page: https://govhandbook.com/ca/bc/golden/how-many-pets/_