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

# How many dogs or cats you can keep in Lumby

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

**Short answer:** In Lumby you may keep no more than 3 dogs on a lot, and no more than 4 domestic animals in total per owner and per house or dwelling unit. Cats have no separate limit; they count toward the 4.

**Who handles it:** More than one level of government  
**Cost:** Tickets: $200 for more than 4 domestic animals (Village); $100 for more than 3 dogs. Hobby or service kennel permit: $125.  
**Where:**
- In person: Village of Lumby Municipal Hall, 1775 Glencaird Street, Lumby, BC (Monday to Friday, 9:00 a.m. to 12:00 p.m. and 1:00 p.m. to 4:00 p.m.)
- Phone: Village of Lumby office, 250-547-2171
- Phone: RDNO Dog Control, 250-541-3647

## Key facts

- **Dogs allowed:** No more than 3 dogs on a lot in the municipality. Not counted: registered guide animals living with the person they assist, owners in the Guide Dog in Training Program, and RCMP dogs.
  - Source: [Dog Control Bylaw No. 2881, 2021, consolidated, s. 6, s. 7](https://www.rdno.ca/sites/default/files/2025-03/BL_2881_C.pdf)
  - Official wording: "No Owner shall have more than three (3) Dogs on:" … "a lot within a municipal boundary" … "any Dog used by the Royal Canadian Mounted Police."
  - Source: [DocuPet Dog License Information | Regional District of North Okanagan, RDNO DocuPet licence page](https://www.rdno.ca/doglicense)
  - Official wording: "Maximum of three dogs allowed per single-family dwelling."
  - Check: wording matched the official text retrieved 2026-11-08
- **Cats allowed:** No separate cat limit. Cats count toward the combined limit of four domestic animals per owner and per house or dwelling unit. Cats over six months old must be spayed or neutered unless kept for breeding in a cattery.
  - Source: [Animal Control Bylaw No. 815, 2018, s. 10, s. 20](https://lumby.civicweb.net/document/3445/)
  - Official wording: "no Owner shall keep more than four Domestic Animals; and" … "Every Owner of a Cat which is actually or apparently over six months of age must ensure that the Cat is spayed or neutered"
  - Source: [Animal Control Bylaw No. 815, 2018, s. 5 "Domestic Animal"](https://lumby.civicweb.net/document/3445/)
  - Official wording: "Domestic Animal means any Animal or pet kept by a person for companionship"
  - Check: wording matched the official text retrieved 2026-11-08
- **Other animal limits:** Combined limit of 4 domestic animals per owner and per house or dwelling unit. The limit does not apply to fish, agricultural animals (including laying hens), wild, feral or exotic animals, guide animals, hobby and service kennels, vet clinics, and animals under four months old.
  - Source: [Animal Control Bylaw No. 815, 2018, s. 10, s. 12](https://lumby.civicweb.net/document/3445/)
  - Official wording: "no House or Dwelling Unit may keep or contain more than four Domestic Animals." … "Section 10 of this Bylaw does not apply to" … "Animals under the age of four months."
  - Source: [Animal Control Bylaw No. 815, 2018, s. 12](https://lumby.civicweb.net/document/3445/)
  - Official wording: "Agricultural Animals, including Laying Hens;"
  - Check: wording matched the official text retrieved 2026-11-08
- **Exceptions:** RDNO Bylaw 2881 s. 7 excludes only guide dogs, guide-dog trainers and RCMP dogs from the 3-dog limit. The Village's Bylaw 815 (conflicting) allows a hobby kennel (4 to 20 dogs) or service kennel under a $125 Kennel Operation Permit, and exempts animals under four months from its 4-animal limit. (Sources differ: The RDNO Dog Control Bylaw 2881 s. 6 (3 dogs) lists no kennel exception, so for dogs the two bylaws may differ; RDNO is used for dogs here. The kennel provisions are the Village's.)
  - Source: [Animal Control Bylaw No. 815, 2018, s. 5, s. 55; Schedule B](https://lumby.civicweb.net/document/3445/)
  - Official wording: "Hobby Kennel means a house or property where 4 to 20 Dogs over the age of 3 months are kept pursuant to a Kennel Operation Permit." … "On properties with a lot area of 0.25 hectares to 1 hectare, a maximum of 4 Dogs may be kept if the specific zone permits kennel use." … "A Kennel Operation Permit for a Hobby or Service Kennel $125.00"
  - Check: wording matched the official text retrieved 2026-11-08
- **Fine:** Village municipal ticket: $200 for keeping more than 4 domestic animals; $100 for more than 3 dogs. RDNO: $100 for more than 3 dogs.
  - Source: [Ticket Information Authorization Bylaw No. 903, 2025 (Municipal Ticketing Bylaw), Schedule G](https://lumby.civicweb.net/document/7236/)
  - Official wording: "Keep more than 4 domestic animals 10 $200.00" … "Keep more than 3 dogs 21 $100.00"
  - Source: [Dog Control Bylaw No. 2881, 2021, consolidated, Schedule G of Bylaw 1148 (s. 6)](https://www.rdno.ca/sites/default/files/2025-03/BL_2881_C.pdf)
  - Official wording: "More than (3) Dogs $100.00"
  - Check: wording matched the official text retrieved 2026-11-08
- **Bylaw:** Village of Lumby Animal Control Bylaw No. 815, 2018 (s. 10-12) for the four-animal limit; RDNO Dog Control Bylaw No. 2881, 2021 (s. 6-7) for the three-dog limit
  - Source: [Animal Control Bylaw No. 815, 2018, s. 1](https://lumby.civicweb.net/document/3445/)
  - Official wording: "Village of Lumby Animal Control Bylaw No. 815, 2018"
  - Source: [Dog Control Bylaw No. 2881, 2021, consolidated, s. 1](https://www.rdno.ca/sites/default/files/2025-03/BL_2881_C.pdf)
  - Official wording: "Dog Control Bylaw No. 2881, 2021"
  - Check: wording matched the official text retrieved 2026-11-08

## How it works

Two bylaws apply. The RDNO's [Dog Control Bylaw No. 2881](<https://www.rdno.ca/sites/default/files/2025-03/BL_2881_C.pdf>) allows no more than 3 dogs on a lot. The Village's [Animal Control Bylaw No. 815](<https://lumby.civicweb.net/document/3445/>) limits you to 4 domestic animals per owner and per house or dwelling unit. Cats have no separate number and count toward the 4.

## Good to know

- The 3-dog limit does not count registered guide animals living with the person they assist, owners in the Guide Dog in Training Program, or RCMP dogs.
- The 4-animal limit does not apply to fish, agricultural animals (including laying hens), wild, feral or exotic animals, guide animals, hobby and service kennels, vet clinics, or animals under four months old.
- Cats over six months old must be spayed or neutered unless kept for breeding in a cattery.
- The Village bylaw lets you keep 4 to 20 dogs as a hobby kennel, or run a service kennel, under a $125 Kennel Operation Permit. The RDNO bylaw lists no kennel exception, so ask the Village which applies to dogs.
- Tickets: $200 for more than 4 domestic animals, and $100 for more than 3 dogs.
- Questions: Village office, 250-547-2171.

## Official forms and pages

- [Dog Control Bylaw No. 2881, 2021, consolidated (PDF)](https://www.rdno.ca/sites/default/files/2025-03/BL_2881_C.pdf)
- [Animal Control Bylaw No. 815, 2018](https://lumby.civicweb.net/document/3445/)

## Related questions

- [Lumby dog licences: fees and how to get one](https://govhandbook.com/ca/bc/lumby/dog-licence.md)
- [Lumby backyard chickens, bees and livestock rules](https://govhandbook.com/ca/bc/lumby/backyard-chickens.md)
- [Lumby dog leash rules and off-leash areas](https://govhandbook.com/ca/bc/lumby/dog-leash-rules.md)
- [Lumby rules for aggressive and dangerous dogs](https://govhandbook.com/ca/bc/lumby/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)
- [Coldstream](https://govhandbook.com/ca/bc/coldstream/how-many-pets.md)
- [Vernon](https://govhandbook.com/ca/bc/vernon/how-many-pets.md)
- [Spallumcheen](https://govhandbook.com/ca/bc/spallumcheen/how-many-pets.md)
- [Armstrong](https://govhandbook.com/ca/bc/armstrong/how-many-pets.md)
- [Enderby](https://govhandbook.com/ca/bc/enderby/how-many-pets.md)
- [Lake Country](https://govhandbook.com/ca/bc/lake-country/how-many-pets.md)

## Sources

- [Dog Control Bylaw No. 2881, 2021, consolidated (PDF)](https://www.rdno.ca/sites/default/files/2025-03/BL_2881_C.pdf) (read 2026-11-08)
- [Animal Control Bylaw No. 815, 2018, Village of Lumby](https://lumby.civicweb.net/document/3445/) (read 2026-11-08)
- [Dog Control, Regional District of North Okanagan](https://www.rdno.ca/dog-control) (read 2026-11-08)
- [Ticket Information Authorization Bylaw No. 903, 2025 (Municipal Ticketing Bylaw), Village of Lumby](https://lumby.civicweb.net/document/7236/) (read 2026-11-08)
- [DocuPet Dog License Information | Regional District of North Okanagan](https://www.rdno.ca/doglicense) (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 any government. How answers are checked: https://govhandbook.com/methods/ · Canonical page: https://govhandbook.com/ca/bc/lumby/how-many-pets/_