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

# How many dogs or cats you can keep in Highlands

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

**Short answer:** In Highlands, keeping more than four dogs over four months old for each dwelling unit on a parcel needs a valid kennel licence. The animal bylaw sets no limit on cats or other pets that we found.

**Who handles it:** More than one level of government  
**Cost:** Kennel licence: $75 (breeding, four or fewer dogs), $150 (breeding, five or more) or $200 (boarding).  
**How long:** Not stated in the bylaw.  
**Where:**
- Phone: CRD Animal Care Services, 250-478-0624
- Phone: District of Highlands Municipal Hall, 250-474-1773

## Key facts

- **Dogs allowed:** More than four dogs over four months old for each dwelling unit on a parcel needs a valid kennel licence.
  - Source: [Animal Regulation and Impounding By-law No. 1, 1986 (CRD Bylaw 1465), s. 2(1)(a)](https://www.highlands.ca/media/1434)
  - Official wording: "more than four (4) dogs over the age of four (4) months without holding a valid kennel licence"
  - Check: wording matched the official text retrieved 2026-11-08
- **Cats allowed:** None set. Highlands' animal bylaw sets no limit on how many cats you may keep.
- **Other animal limits:** No limit on other pets found. Wild or exotic animals listed in Schedule G of the animal bylaw (for example bears, apes and monkeys, wolves, coyotes) may not be kept.
  - Source: [Animal Regulation and Impounding By-law No. 1, 1986 (CRD Bylaw 1465), s. 30 and Schedule G](https://www.highlands.ca/media/1434)
  - Official wording: "KEEPING OF WILD EXOTIC ANIMALS - No person shall keep a “wild or exotic animal”" … "bears (carnivora);"
  - Check: wording matched the official text retrieved 2026-11-08
- **Exceptions:** A valid kennel licence allows more than four dogs, up to the number in the licence. Kennel licences are $75 (breeding, four or fewer dogs), $150 (breeding, five or more) or $200 (boarding). A kennel must be a permitted use under the zoning bylaw. Dogs four months old or younger are not counted.
  - Source: [Animal Regulation and Impounding By-law No. 1, 1986 (CRD Bylaw 1465), s. 2(1), 2(2)(a), Schedule A, s. 1 'Dog' / Kennel licence fees, up to four dogs and five or more dogs](https://www.highlands.ca/media/1434)
  - Official wording: "No person holding a valid kennel licence shall cause or permit the keeping or" … "unless the operation is a permitted use under an applicable Zoning By-law" … "Breeding Kennel having four (4) or less dogs 75.00" … "Boarding Kennel 200.00" … "(b) Female Dog (spayed) 25.00* (c) Male Dog (not neutered) 45.00* (d) Male Dog (neutered) 25.00* (e) Replacement of Lost Licence 5.00 (f) Late Application Penalty 10.00 (g) Breeding Kennel having four (4) or less dogs 75.00 (h) Breeding Kennel having five (5) or more dogs 150.00 (i) Boarding Kennel 200.00 J) Dangerous Dog Licence 100.00 CRD Bylaw No. 1465 - Animal Regulation and Impounding Bylaw Page 11 **Consolidated Version **"
  - Source: [Zoning Bylaw No. 100, 1998 (consolidated), s. 7.3A.1](https://www.highlands.ca/media/1622)
  - Official wording: "be permitted in Rural 3A (R3A) Zone: a) Residential b) Kennel c) Agriculture d) Home-based Business"
  - Check: wording matched the official text retrieved 2026-11-08
- **Fine:** None set. No ticket exists in Highlands for keeping too many dogs.
- **Bylaw:** Animal Regulation and Impounding By-law No. 1, 1986 (CRD Bylaw No. 1465).
  - Source: [Animal Regulation and Impounding By-law No. 1, 1986 (CRD Bylaw 1465), s. 36](https://www.highlands.ca/media/1434)
  - Official wording: "CRD Bylaw - 1465 Animal Regulation and Impounding Bylaw Page 15 CAPITAL REGIONAL DISTRICT ANIMAL REGULATION AND IMPOUNDING BY-LAW NO. 1465, 1986 SCHEDULE "E" 1. AYLARD FARM BEACH The sandy beach at the Capital Regional"
  - Check: wording matched the official text retrieved 2026-11-08

## How it works

The [Animal Regulation and Impounding By-law No. 1, 1986](https://www.highlands.ca/media/1434) (CRD Bylaw 1465) says no one may keep more than four dogs over four months old for each dwelling unit on a parcel without a valid kennel licence. The limit does not vary by lot size or zone. Dogs four months old or younger are not counted.

## Good to know

- A kennel licence allows more than four dogs, up to the number in the licence. It is $75 for a breeding kennel with four or fewer dogs, $150 for a breeding kennel with five or more, and $200 for a boarding kennel.
- A kennel must also be a permitted use under the zoning bylaw. In the Zoning Bylaw No. 100 (consolidated June 2026), Kennel is a listed use in the Rural 3A zone; the other zones searched do not list it.
- The bylaw defines a cat but sets no limit on how many you may keep, and no other limit on other pets was found.
- Wild or exotic animals listed in Schedule G (for example bears, apes and monkeys, wolves and coyotes) may not be kept.
- The bylaws list no fixed ticket for keeping too many dogs. The animal bylaw sets a minimum penalty on conviction of $50 for a first offence and $100 for later ones.

## Official forms and pages

- [Animal Regulation and Impounding By-law No. 1, 1986 (CRD Bylaw 1465) (PDF)](https://www.highlands.ca/media/1434)

## Related questions

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

## The same question elsewhere

- [Dog and cat limits in British Columbia, by municipality](https://govhandbook.com/ca/bc/how-many-pets.md)
- [Langford](https://govhandbook.com/ca/bc/langford/how-many-pets.md)
- [View Royal](https://govhandbook.com/ca/bc/view-royal/how-many-pets.md)
- [Central Saanich](https://govhandbook.com/ca/bc/central-saanich/how-many-pets.md)
- [Colwood](https://govhandbook.com/ca/bc/colwood/how-many-pets.md)
- [Esquimalt](https://govhandbook.com/ca/bc/esquimalt/how-many-pets.md)
- [Saanich](https://govhandbook.com/ca/bc/saanich/how-many-pets.md)

## Sources

- [Animal Regulation and Impounding By-law No. 1, 1986 (CRD Bylaw 1465) (PDF)](https://www.highlands.ca/media/1434) (read 2026-11-08)
- [Zoning Bylaw No. 100, 1998 (consolidated) (PDF)](https://www.highlands.ca/media/1622) (read 2026-11-08)

_Checked by script, not yet by a person: the official wording behind 4 of 6 facts was matched to the official text; 2 are recorded as not set. Gov Handbook is an independent guide, not affiliated with any government. How answers are checked: https://govhandbook.com/methods/ · Canonical page: https://govhandbook.com/ca/bc/highlands/how-many-pets/_