{"title":"How many dogs or cats you can keep in Lake Cowichan","question":"How many dogs or cats can I keep in Lake Cowichan?","slug":"how-many-pets","place":{"path":"ca/bc/lake-cowichan","name":"Lake Cowichan","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":"Town of Lake Cowichan","url":"https://www.lakecowichan.ca"},"short_answer":"In Lake Cowichan, no more than two dogs are allowed on any parcel, except at a licensed veterinary clinic. The Animal Control Bylaw sets no limit on cats. Only canines over four months old count as dogs.","aliases":["how many dogs lake cowichan","pet limit lake cowichan","how many cats lake cowichan","dog limit lake cowichan"],"cost":"Not stated.","how_long":"Not applicable.","where":[{"type":"in_person","label":"Town Hall","value":"39 South Shore Road, Lake Cowichan, BC V0R 2G0","note":"Monday to Friday, 8:30 a.m. to 4:30 p.m."},{"type":"phone","label":"Town Hall (bylaw and animal control; leave a message)","value":"250-749-6681"}],"documents":[],"forms":[{"title":"Animal Control Bylaw No. 1019-2019 (PDF), Town of Lake Cowichan","url":"https://www.lakecowichan.ca/dl/1019-2019%20Animal%20Control.pdf"},{"title":"Animal Control Amendment Bylaw No. 1052-2021 (PDF), Town of Lake Cowichan","url":"https://www.lakecowichan.ca/dl/1052-2021%20Amendment%20to%20Animal%20Control.pdf"},{"title":"Zoning Bylaw No. 1055-2021 (consolidated Feb. 26, 2024) (PDF), Town of Lake Cowichan","url":"https://www.lakecowichan.ca/dl//1055-2021%20Zoning%20Bylaw%20Consolidated%2026-02-24.pdf"}],"related":[{"slug":"dog-licence","title":"Lake Cowichan dog licences: fees and how to get one","url":"https://govhandbook.com/ca/bc/lake-cowichan/dog-licence/"},{"slug":"backyard-chickens","title":"Lake Cowichan backyard chickens, bees and livestock rules","url":"https://govhandbook.com/ca/bc/lake-cowichan/backyard-chickens/"},{"slug":"dog-leash-rules","title":"Lake Cowichan dog leash rules and off-leash areas","url":"https://govhandbook.com/ca/bc/lake-cowichan/dog-leash-rules/"}],"nearby":[{"place":"ca/bc/duncan","name":"Duncan","url":"https://govhandbook.com/ca/bc/duncan/how-many-pets/"},{"place":"ca/bc/north-cowichan","name":"North Cowichan","url":"https://govhandbook.com/ca/bc/north-cowichan/how-many-pets/"},{"place":"ca/bc/nanaimo","name":"Nanaimo","url":"https://govhandbook.com/ca/bc/nanaimo/how-many-pets/"},{"place":"ca/bc/lantzville","name":"Lantzville","url":"https://govhandbook.com/ca/bc/lantzville/how-many-pets/"},{"place":"ca/bc/north-saanich","name":"North Saanich","url":"https://govhandbook.com/ca/bc/north-saanich/how-many-pets/"},{"place":"ca/bc/highlands","name":"Highlands","url":"https://govhandbook.com/ca/bc/highlands/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 two dogs on any parcel, except in the lawful and licensed operation of a veterinary medical clinic.","short":"Max two dogs","status":"stated","sources":[{"url":"https://www.lakecowichan.ca/dl/1019-2019%20Animal%20Control.pdf","title":"Animal Control Bylaw No. 1019-2019 (PDF), Town of Lake Cowichan","section":"s. 6.1","quotes":["No Owner shall keep, or permit to be kept, more than two (2) dogs","on any parcel except in the lawful and licenced operation of a"]}],"check":{"result":"matched","text_date":"2026-11-08"}},"cat_limit":{"label":"Cats allowed","value":null,"status":"none","note":"Lake Cowichan's Animal Control Bylaw sets no limit on cats.","sources":[]},"other_limits":{"label":"Other animal limits","value":"Backyard hens: no more than 6 per property. 'Restricted animals' (horses, cattle, swine, sheep, goats, roosters, turkeys, geese, ducks and other fowl) may not be kept on a parcel under 2 acres.","status":"stated","sources":[{"url":"https://www.lakecowichan.ca/dl/1052-2021%20Amendment%20to%20Animal%20Control.pdf","title":"Animal Control Amendment Bylaw No. 1052-2021 (PDF), Town of Lake Cowichan","section":"s. 10.2","quotes":["No person may keep more than 6 hens on a property."]},{"url":"https://www.lakecowichan.ca/dl/1052-2021%20Amendment%20to%20Animal%20Control.pdf","title":"Animal Control Amendment Bylaw No. 1052-2021 (PDF), Town of Lake Cowichan","section":"s. 2.1","quotes":["RESTRICTED ANIMAL shall mean any horse, mule, cattle, ass, swine,"]},{"url":"https://www.lakecowichan.ca/dl/1019-2019%20Animal%20Control.pdf","title":"Animal Control Bylaw No. 1019-2019 (PDF), Town of Lake Cowichan","section":"s. 12.1","quotes":["on any parcel of land within the Town having an area of less than two (2) acres."]}],"check":{"result":"matched","text_date":"2026-11-08"}},"exceptions":{"label":"Exceptions","value":"A veterinary medical clinic may keep more than two dogs. Only canines over four months old count as dogs, so younger puppies are not counted. The Zoning Bylaw defines a kennel as three or more dogs on a parcel and bars kennels unless it specifically permits one.","status":"stated","sources":[{"url":"https://www.lakecowichan.ca/dl/1019-2019%20Animal%20Control.pdf","title":"Animal Control Bylaw No. 1019-2019 (PDF), Town of Lake Cowichan","section":"s. 6.1","quotes":["except in the lawful and licenced operation of a veterinary medical clinic.","DOG shall mean any animal of the canine species over the age of four months, regardless of sex;"]},{"url":"https://www.lakecowichan.ca/dl//1055-2021%20Zoning%20Bylaw%20Consolidated%2026-02-24.pdf","title":"Zoning Bylaw No. 1055-2021 (consolidated Feb. 26, 2024) (PDF), Town of Lake Cowichan","section":"Part IV, definitions and Restricted Uses","quotes":["KENNEL means the keeping of three (3) or more dogs on a parcel","Unless specifically permitted by this bylaw, no parcel shall be used for:"]}],"check":{"result":"matched","text_date":"2026-11-08"}},"fine":{"label":"Fine","value":null,"status":"none","note":"The Animal Control Bylaw lists no ticket amount for keeping more than two dogs.","sources":[]},"bylaw":{"label":"Bylaw","value":"Town of Lake Cowichan Animal Control Bylaw No. 1019-2019 (as amended by Bylaw No. 1052-2021); Zoning Bylaw No. 1055-2021 (kennel definition).","status":"stated","sources":[{"url":"https://www.lakecowichan.ca/dl/1019-2019%20Animal%20Control.pdf","title":"Animal Control Bylaw No. 1019-2019 (PDF), Town of Lake Cowichan","section":"s. 1","quotes":["This bylaw may be cited for all purposes as “Town of Lake Cowichan Animal"]},{"url":"https://www.lakecowichan.ca/dl//1055-2021%20Zoning%20Bylaw%20Consolidated%2026-02-24.pdf","title":"Zoning Bylaw No. 1055-2021 (consolidated Feb. 26, 2024) (PDF), Town of Lake Cowichan","section":"Part IV","quotes":["KENNEL means the keeping of three (3) or more dogs"]}],"check":{"result":"matched","text_date":"2026-11-08"}}},"facts_summary":{"total":6,"stated":4,"matched":4,"none":2,"unknown":0},"body_markdown":"## How it works\n\nThe Town's [Animal Control Bylaw No. 1019-2019](<https://www.lakecowichan.ca/dl/1019-2019%20Animal%20Control.pdf>) (as amended by [Bylaw No. 1052-2021](<https://www.lakecowichan.ca/dl/1052-2021%20Amendment%20to%20Animal%20Control.pdf>)) limits dogs to two per parcel. A veterinary medical clinic that is lawfully licensed is the one exception. The bylaw sets no limit on cats.\n\n## Good to know\n\n- Only canines over four months old count as dogs, so younger puppies are not counted.\n- The [Zoning Bylaw No. 1055-2021](<https://www.lakecowichan.ca/dl//1055-2021%20Zoning%20Bylaw%20Consolidated%2026-02-24.pdf>) defines a kennel as three or more dogs on a parcel and bars kennels unless the zone specifically permits one.\n- Backyard hens: no more than 6 per property, with conditions. See the backyard chickens answer.\n- Horses, cattle, swine, sheep, goats, roosters, turkeys, geese, ducks and other fowl are \"restricted animals\" and may not be kept on a parcel under 2 acres.\n- The bylaw lists no ticket amount for keeping more than two dogs. Ask Town Hall at 250-749-6681 how it is enforced.","sources":[{"url":"https://www.lakecowichan.ca/dl/1019-2019%20Animal%20Control.pdf","title":"Animal Control Bylaw No. 1019-2019 (PDF), Town of Lake Cowichan","accessed":"2026-11-08"},{"url":"https://www.lakecowichan.ca/dl/1052-2021%20Amendment%20to%20Animal%20Control.pdf","title":"Animal Control Amendment Bylaw No. 1052-2021 (PDF), Town of Lake Cowichan","accessed":"2026-11-08"},{"url":"https://www.lakecowichan.ca/dl//1055-2021%20Zoning%20Bylaw%20Consolidated%2026-02-24.pdf","title":"Zoning Bylaw No. 1055-2021 (consolidated Feb. 26, 2024) (PDF), Town of Lake Cowichan","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 4 of 6 facts was matched to the official text; 2 are recorded as not set."},"urls":{"html":"https://govhandbook.com/ca/bc/lake-cowichan/how-many-pets/","markdown":"https://govhandbook.com/ca/bc/lake-cowichan/how-many-pets.md","json":"https://govhandbook.com/ca/bc/lake-cowichan/how-many-pets.json"}}