How many dogs or cats you can keep in Langford
How many dogs or cats can I keep?
Short answer
The City of Langford sets no fixed cap per home, but keeping more than four dogs over four months old on a property needs a Kennel Licence, and a kennel must be allowed by zoning. No limit on cats was found in the bylaws.
Key facts
| Dogs allowed | No fixed per-home cap, but keeping more than four dogs over four months old on a property needs a Kennel Licence, and a kennel must be allowed by zoning.Animal Responsibility Bylaw No. 2239, 2026, s. 6(1), 6(2) · Wording matched the official text retrieved 2026-11-06Official wordingA Person must not cause or permit the keeping or harbouring of more than four Dogs over the age of four months on a property they own or occupy without holding a valid Kennel Licence issued pursuant to this bylaw. A Person must not use a property they own or occupy as a Kennel unless that use is permitted under the Langford Zoning Bylaw, 1999. |
|---|---|
| Cats allowed | Not confirmed. Not found in the official sources that were read. |
| Other animal limits | Chickens, ducks, pigeons and rabbits combined: up to 4 on lots of 550 m² to under 4,000 m² in Residential Zones; one per 166 m² on lots of 4,000 m² or more. Horses, cattle, sheep and goats: one per 4,000 m², on lots of at least 4,000 m².Zoning Bylaw No. 300, s. 3.12.01 to 3.12.03 · Wording matched the official text retrieved 2026-11-06Official wordingthat may be kept on any lot is limited to four) limited to one for each 166 m2 (1,786.8 ft2) of lot area; Horses, cattle, sheep and goats are limited to one animal for each 4,000 m2 (1 ac) of lot area; |
| Exceptions | A Kennel Licence ($200) allows more than four dogs, up to its terms. Zoning allows breeding kennels (up to six dogs or cats over four months, lots of 4,000 m² or more) and boarding kennels (up to 30 animals, lots of 4.0 ha or more) only in zones where kennels are a permitted use.Animal Responsibility Bylaw No. 2239, 2026, s. 7(3); Schedule A; Zoning Bylaw No. 300, s. 3.10.01, 3.11.01 · Wording matched the official text retrieved 2026-11-06Official wordingA Person must not keep or harbour more Dogs than permitted by the terms of the Kennel Licence. Kennel Licence $200.00 A breeding kennel is permitted as an accessory use on a lot with a lot area of 4,000 m2 (1 ac) or larger. Accommodation for not more than six dogs or cats over the age of four months may be provided A boarding kennel is permitted as an accessory use on a lot with a lot area of 4.0 hectares Accommodation for not more than 30 animals may be provided on the lot. the following regulations apply to breeding kennels in any Zone in which they are a permitted use the following regulations apply to boarding kennels in any Zone in which they are a permitted use |
| Fine | Not confirmed. The ticket schedules for the dog limit are not online. |
| Bylaw | Animal Responsibility Bylaw No. 2239, 2026Animal Responsibility Bylaw No. 2239, 2026, s. 1 · Wording matched the official text retrieved 2026-11-06Official wordingThis bylaw may be cited as the “Animal Responsibility Bylaw No. 2239, 2026”. |
How it works
The City's Animal Responsibility Bylaw No. 2239 does not cap the number of pets per home, with one exception: no one may keep more than four dogs over four months old on a property without a Kennel Licence. Puppies under four months do not count. A kennel must also be allowed by zoning and have a fenced exercise area.
Good to know
- A Kennel Licence costs $200 and allows more dogs, up to its terms.
- The Zoning Bylaw allows breeding kennels (up to six dogs or cats over four months, lots of 4,000 m² or more) and boarding kennels (up to 30 animals, lots of 4.0 ha or more) only in zones where kennels are a permitted use.
- No limit on cats appears in the Animal Responsibility Bylaw or the Community Standards Bylaw.
- Limits for hens, ducks, rabbits and other animals are in the backyard chickens answer.
- The fine for breaking the dog limit is not published. Tickets are set under Ticket Information Authorization Bylaw No. 34 and Bylaw Notice Enforcement Bylaw No. 1980, and neither schedule is online.
- Questions: CRD Animal Care Services, 250-478-0624.
Official forms and pages
The same question in other places
Highlands · Colwood · View Royal · Esquimalt · Metchosin · Sooke
Sources
- Animal Responsibility Bylaw No. 2239, 2026 (PDF), City of Langford (read 2026-11-05)
- Zoning Bylaw No. 300 (PDF), City of Langford (read 2026-11-05)
- Bylaw Enforcement and Ticket Payment Information, City of Langford (read 2026-11-05)
Checked by script, not yet by a person: the official wording behind 4 of 6 facts was matched to the official text; 2 could not be confirmed. How answers are checked.