{"title":"How many dogs or cats you can keep in Nanaimo","question":"How many dogs or cats can I keep?","slug":"how-many-pets","place":{"path":"ca/bc/nanaimo","name":"Nanaimo","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":"City of Nanaimo","url":"https://www.nanaimo.ca"},"short_answer":"In the City of Nanaimo you may keep no more than 4 dogs over 16 weeks old and 5 cats over 12 weeks old on a property. There is also a cap of 6 companion animals in total and 12 animals of any kind, unless the bylaw says otherwise. Going over a limit is a $100 ticket.","aliases":[],"cost":"Ticket for exceeding a limit $100 (early payment $75, late $125).","how_long":null,"where":[{"type":"phone","label":"Nanaimo Animal Control Services","value":"250-616-0233"},{"type":"phone","label":"Business Licences","value":"250-755-4482"}],"documents":[],"forms":[{"title":"Animal Responsibility Bylaw 7316 (PDF)","url":"https://www.nanaimo.ca/bylaws/ViewBylaw/7316.pdf"}],"related":[{"slug":"dog-licence","title":"Nanaimo dog licences: fees and how to get one","url":"https://govhandbook.com/ca/bc/nanaimo/dog-licence/"},{"slug":"backyard-chickens","title":"Nanaimo backyard chickens, bees and livestock rules","url":"https://govhandbook.com/ca/bc/nanaimo/backyard-chickens/"}],"nearby":[{"place":"ca/bc/lantzville","name":"Lantzville","url":"https://govhandbook.com/ca/bc/lantzville/how-many-pets/"},{"place":"ca/bc/parksville","name":"Parksville","url":"https://govhandbook.com/ca/bc/parksville/how-many-pets/"},{"place":"ca/bc/sechelt","name":"Sechelt","url":"https://govhandbook.com/ca/bc/sechelt/how-many-pets/"},{"place":"ca/bc/qualicum-beach","name":"Qualicum Beach","url":"https://govhandbook.com/ca/bc/qualicum-beach/how-many-pets/"},{"place":"ca/bc/lake-cowichan","name":"Lake Cowichan","url":"https://govhandbook.com/ca/bc/lake-cowichan/how-many-pets/"},{"place":"ca/bc/gibsons","name":"Gibsons","url":"https://govhandbook.com/ca/bc/gibsons/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 4 dogs over 16 weeks old on any property.","short":"Max 4 dogs","status":"stated","sources":[{"url":"https://www.nanaimo.ca/bylaws/ViewBylaw/7316.pdf","title":"Animal Responsibility Bylaw 2021 No. 7316 (PDF)","section":"s. 9.1(a)","quotes":["No Person shall keep, on any Property, more than: (a) 4 Dogs over the age of 16 weeks;"]}],"check":{"result":"matched","text_date":"2026-11-06"}},"cat_limit":{"label":"Cats allowed","value":"No more than 5 cats over 12 weeks old on any property.","short":"Max 5 cats","status":"stated","sources":[{"url":"https://www.nanaimo.ca/bylaws/ViewBylaw/7316.pdf","title":"Animal Responsibility Bylaw 2021 No. 7316 (PDF)","section":"s. 9.1(b)","quotes":["(b) 5 Cats over the age 12 weeks; or"]}],"check":{"result":"matched","text_date":"2026-11-06"}},"other_limits":{"label":"Other animal limits","value":"No more than 6 companion animals in total, and no more than 12 animals of any kind unless the bylaw says otherwise. Also: 12 small flock birds, mice, rats, gerbils or hamsters; 4 hook-bill birds, chinchillas, ferrets, hedgehogs, rabbits or sugar gliders; 6 guinea pigs or reptiles (each as a combined group).","status":"stated","sources":[{"url":"https://www.nanaimo.ca/bylaws/ViewBylaw/7316.pdf","title":"Animal Responsibility Bylaw 2021 No. 7316 (PDF)","section":"ss. 6, 7, 9.1(c)","quotes":["Unless expressly permitted by this Bylaw, no Person shall keep, on any Property, more than 12","(c) 6 Companion Animals.","(a) 12 Small Flock Birds, domestic mice, domestic rats, gerbils, or hamsters, or combination","(b) 4 Hook Bill Birds, chinchillas, domestic ferrets, hedgehogs, Rabbits, sugar gliders, or","(c) 6 guinea pigs or Reptiles, or combination thereof."]}],"check":{"result":"matched","text_date":"2026-11-06"}},"exceptions":{"label":"Exceptions","value":"More than 4 dogs or 5 cats allowed for: temporary care as a registered-society animal rescue (must notify the Poundkeeper); keeping or boarding more than 4 dogs if zoning allows and the person has a valid business licence; pound, BC SPCA and vet premises; livestock or poultry where agriculture is a permitted use. Racing pigeons: up to 50 for certified pigeon club members on parcels over 0.4 ha.","status":"stated","sources":[{"url":"https://www.nanaimo.ca/bylaws/ViewBylaw/7316.pdf","title":"Animal Responsibility Bylaw 2021 No. 7316 (PDF)","section":"ss. 8, 9.2, 9.3, 9.4","quotes":["a Person may temporarily care for more than 4 Dogs over the age","Animal rescue organization operated by a society registered under the Societies Act","a Person may keep or maintain more than 4 Dogs, or board Dogs","Nanaimo’s Zoning Bylaw and has obtained a valid Business Licence.","The keeping of Livestock or Poultry on a Property on which agriculture is a permitted use","may keep up to a maximum of fifty","(50) racing pigeons on any parcel of land over .4 hectares."]}],"check":{"result":"matched","text_date":"2026-11-06"}},"fine":{"label":"Fine","value":"$100 for keeping more than 4 dogs, 5 cats, 6 companion animals or 12 animals (early $75, late $125). Other over-limit offences (s. 7) are also $100. Failing to meet the s. 9.2 notice or s. 9.3 requirements is $150 ($112.50 early, $187.50 late).","status":"stated","sources":[{"url":"https://www.nanaimo.ca/bylaws/ViewBylaw/7159.pdf","title":"Bylaw Notice Enforcement Bylaw 2012 No. 7159 (PDF), Schedule A","section":"Schedule A, Animal Responsibility Bylaw","quotes":["9.1(a) Keep more than 4 dogs $100.00 $75.00 $125.00","9.1(b) Keep more than 5 cats $100.00 $75.00 $125.00","9.1(c) Keep more than 6 $100.00 $75.00 $125.00","9.2 Fail to notify Poundkeeper $150.00 $112.50 $187.50"]}],"check":{"result":"matched","text_date":"2026-11-06"}},"bylaw":{"label":"Bylaw","value":"Animal Responsibility Bylaw 2021 No. 7316.","status":"stated","sources":[{"url":"https://www.nanaimo.ca/bylaws/ViewBylaw/7316.pdf","title":"Animal Responsibility Bylaw 2021 No. 7316 (PDF)","section":"s. 1","quotes":["This Bylaw may be cited as “ANIMAL RESPONSIBILITY BYLAW 2021 NO. 7316.”"]}],"check":{"result":"matched","text_date":"2026-11-06"}}},"facts_summary":{"total":6,"stated":6,"matched":6,"none":0,"unknown":0},"body_markdown":"## How it works\n\nThe [Animal Responsibility Bylaw 2021 No. 7316](https://www.nanaimo.ca/bylaws/ViewBylaw/7316.pdf) caps how many animals you can keep on any one property in the City of Nanaimo.\n\n## Limits\n\n- Dogs over 16 weeks old: 4.\n- Cats over 12 weeks old: 5.\n- Companion animals in total: 6.\n- Animals of any kind: 12, unless the bylaw says otherwise.\n- Small flock birds, mice, rats, gerbils or hamsters: 12 combined.\n- Hook-bill birds, chinchillas, ferrets, hedgehogs, rabbits or sugar gliders: 4 combined.\n- Guinea pigs or reptiles: 6 combined.\n\n## Good to know\n\n- You may keep or board more than 4 dogs only if zoning allows it and you hold a valid business licence.\n- A registered-society animal rescue may temporarily care for more dogs or cats if it notifies the Poundkeeper.\n- The limits do not apply to the pound, BC SPCA and vet premises, or to livestock and poultry where agriculture is a permitted use.\n- Certified pigeon club members may keep up to 50 racing pigeons on parcels over 0.4 hectares.\n- Failing to meet the rescue-notice or boarding requirements is a $150 ticket ($112.50 early, $187.50 late).","sources":[{"url":"https://www.nanaimo.ca/bylaws/ViewBylaw/7316.pdf","title":"Animal Responsibility Bylaw 2021 No. 7316 (PDF)","accessed":"2026-11-05"},{"url":"https://www.nanaimo.ca/bylaws/ViewBylaw/7159.pdf","title":"Bylaw Notice Enforcement Bylaw 2012 No. 7159 (PDF), Schedule A","accessed":"2026-11-05"}],"sources_read":"2026-11-05","review":{"status":"machine_checked","badge":"Checked against official text","label":"Checked by script, not yet by a person: the official wording behind 6 of 6 facts was matched to the official text."},"urls":{"html":"https://govhandbook.com/ca/bc/nanaimo/how-many-pets/","markdown":"https://govhandbook.com/ca/bc/nanaimo/how-many-pets.md","json":"https://govhandbook.com/ca/bc/nanaimo/how-many-pets.json"}}