{"title":"How many dogs or cats you can keep in Nelson","question":"How many dogs or cats can I keep?","slug":"how-many-pets","place":{"path":"ca/bc/nelson","name":"Nelson","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 Nelson","url":"https://www.nelson.ca"},"short_answer":"In Nelson, a person, family or household in a residential zone may keep two dogs and two cats. The bylaw is worded \"more than two dogs and more than two cats\"; the City's page says \"two dogs or two cats\". Breaking the limit is a $100 bylaw notice.","aliases":["pet limit nelson bc","how many dogs allowed nelson","kennel licence nelson","how many cats allowed nelson"],"cost":"Kennel licence $95 a year. Bylaw notice for keeping more than the limit $100 ($75 if paid within 14 days; $125 after 28 days).","how_long":null,"where":[{"type":"phone","label":"City Hall","value":"250-352-5511"},{"type":"in_person","label":"City Hall","value":"Suite 101, 310 Ward Street, Nelson, BC V1L 5S4"}],"documents":[],"forms":[{"title":"Animal Regulation and Control Bylaw 2333 (PDF)","url":"https://nelson.civicweb.net/document/1025"},{"title":"Domestic Animals, City of Nelson","url":"https://www.nelson.ca/157/Domestic-Animals"}],"related":[{"slug":"dog-licence","title":"Nelson dog licences: fees and how to get one","url":"https://govhandbook.com/ca/bc/nelson/dog-licence/"},{"slug":"backyard-chickens","title":"Nelson backyard chickens, bees and livestock rules","url":"https://govhandbook.com/ca/bc/nelson/backyard-chickens/"}],"nearby":[{"place":"ca/bc/salmo","name":"Salmo","url":"https://govhandbook.com/ca/bc/salmo/how-many-pets/"},{"place":"ca/bc/fruitvale","name":"Fruitvale","url":"https://govhandbook.com/ca/bc/fruitvale/how-many-pets/"},{"place":"ca/bc/montrose","name":"Montrose","url":"https://govhandbook.com/ca/bc/montrose/how-many-pets/"},{"place":"ca/bc/trail","name":"Trail","url":"https://govhandbook.com/ca/bc/trail/how-many-pets/"},{"place":"ca/bc/warfield","name":"Warfield","url":"https://govhandbook.com/ca/bc/warfield/how-many-pets/"},{"place":"ca/bc/rossland","name":"Rossland","url":"https://govhandbook.com/ca/bc/rossland/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":"Two dogs per parcel in a residential zone, for a person, family or household. Bylaw s. 11 is worded 'more than two (2) dogs and more than (2) cats' (the City's page says 'two dogs or two cats'). No limit is stated for non-residential zones.","short":"Two dogs per parcel in residential zones","status":"stated","sources":[{"url":"https://nelson.civicweb.net/document/1025","title":"Animal Regulation and Control Bylaw 2333 (PDF)","section":"s. 11","quotes":["No person, family or household shall keep more than two (2) dogs and more than (2) cats on any parcel in any residential zone in the municipality."]},{"url":"https://www.nelson.ca/157/Domestic-Animals","title":"Domestic Animals, City of Nelson","section":"Domestic Animals","quotes":["No more than two dogs or two cats may be kept in a residential zone in the city."]}],"check":{"result":"matched","text_date":"2026-11-06"},"sources_differ":"The bylaw text reads 'more than two dogs and more than two cats' (and), while the City page reads 'two dogs or two cats'; the schedule (s. 11) is worded 'Keep more than two (2) dogs and more than (2) cats'. Both agree on two of each as the limit. The bylaw gives no limit for non-residential zones."},"cat_limit":{"label":"Cats allowed","value":"Two cats per parcel in a residential zone. Bylaw s. 11 is worded 'more than two (2) dogs and more than (2) cats'; the City's page says 'two dogs or two cats'.","short":"Two cats per parcel in residential zones","status":"stated","sources":[{"url":"https://nelson.civicweb.net/document/1025","title":"Animal Regulation and Control Bylaw 2333 (PDF)","section":"s. 11","quotes":["No person, family or household shall keep more than two (2) dogs and more than (2) cats on any parcel in any residential zone in the municipality."]}],"check":{"result":"matched","text_date":"2026-11-06"}},"other_limits":{"label":"Other animal limits","value":"No animal or poultry other than a dog or cat may be kept or harboured in the city. 'Animal' includes cattle (horses, pigs, sheep, goats, cows), poultry and rabbits.","status":"stated","sources":[{"url":"https://nelson.civicweb.net/document/1025","title":"Animal Regulation and Control Bylaw 2333 (PDF)","section":"s. 1, 12","quotes":["No animal or poultry, except for a dog or cat, shall be kept or harboured within the Municipality.","\"Animal\" means domestic animal and includes dogs, cats, cattle, poultry and rabbits."]}],"check":{"result":"matched","text_date":"2026-11-06"}},"exceptions":{"label":"Exceptions","value":"A kennel (three or more dogs kept for pay or sale; at most 10 dogs; licence $95) needs a kennel licence and must comply with all other City bylaws, and s. 28 is 'Subject to Section 11'. Working dogs (guide, police, security, search and rescue) and vet clinics are exempt from most of the bylaw. No puppy or kitten exemption found.","status":"stated","sources":[{"url":"https://nelson.civicweb.net/document/1025","title":"Animal Regulation and Control Bylaw 2333 (PDF)","section":"s. 1, 28, 34","quotes":["a parcel where three or more dogs are kept, trained, cared for, bred or boarded for remuneration or for the purposes of sale.","have or keep more than ten (10) dogs in a kennel;","Except for Sections 2, 3, 4, 10, 18 and 35, the provisions of this Bylaw shall not apply to a working dog used solely for the purpose of:","Subject to Section 11 of this Bylaw, an owner of a kennel which complies with all other relevant Municipal Bylaws"]},{"url":"https://nelson.civicweb.net/document/6404","title":"Fees and Charges Bylaw 3092, Schedule M (PDF)","section":"Schedule M","quotes":["Unneutered Male Dog $ 70.00 Unspayed Female Dog $ 70.00 Kennel License $ 95.00 Vicious/Pit Bull Terrier Dog $ 300.00 Replacement License $ 15.00"]}],"check":{"result":"matched","text_date":"2026-11-06"}},"fine":{"label":"Fine","value":"Bylaw notice: keeping more than two dogs and cats $100 ($75 within 14 days; $125 after 28 days). Keeping an animal or poultry other than a dog or cat: the same amounts.","status":"stated","sources":[{"url":"https://nelson.civicweb.net/document/38996","title":"Bylaw Notice Enforcement Bylaw 3195, Schedule A (PDF)","section":"Schedule A, Animal Regulation and Control, s. 11 and 12","quotes":["Keep more than two (2)","dogs and more than (2) cats","Animal 11 100 75 125","Keep animal or poultry","Animal 12 100 75 125"]}],"check":{"result":"matched","text_date":"2026-11-06"}},"bylaw":{"label":"Bylaw","value":"Animal Regulation and Control Bylaw No. 2333, 1989 (sections 11 and 12).","status":"stated","sources":[{"url":"https://nelson.civicweb.net/document/1025","title":"Animal Regulation and Control Bylaw 2333 (PDF)","section":"s. 39","quotes":["Animal Regulation and Control Bylaw No. 2333, 1989"]}],"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\nUnder Nelson's [Animal Regulation and Control Bylaw 2333](https://nelson.civicweb.net/document/1025), section 11, no person, family or household in a residential zone may keep more than two dogs and two cats on a parcel. The bylaw's exact words are \"more than two (2) dogs and more than (2) cats\", while the City's Domestic Animals page says \"two dogs or two cats\". Both point to two of each as the limit. The bylaw states no limit for non-residential zones.\n\n## Steps\n\n1. Count the dogs and cats living on your parcel and licence every dog.\n2. If you plan to run a kennel (three or more dogs kept for pay or sale), apply for a kennel licence at City Hall. A kennel may have at most 10 dogs and must follow all other City bylaws.\n3. Ask City Hall at 250-352-5511 if your situation is unclear.\n\n## Good to know\n\n- Kennel section 28 is \"subject to Section 11\", so a kennel is still subject to the pet limit. Whether a kennel may operate in a residential zone depends on zoning; ask the City.\n- No animal or poultry other than a dog or cat may be kept in Nelson. The bylaw counts cattle (horses, pigs, sheep, goats, cows), poultry and rabbits as animals. The same $100 bylaw notice applies.\n- Guide, police, security and search and rescue dogs, and vet clinics, are exempt from most of the bylaw. No puppy or kitten exemption was found.\n- Nelson uses bylaw notices only; no municipal ticket for this was found.","sources":[{"url":"https://nelson.civicweb.net/document/1025","title":"Animal Regulation and Control Bylaw 2333 (PDF)","accessed":"2026-11-05"},{"url":"https://www.nelson.ca/157/Domestic-Animals","title":"Domestic Animals, City of Nelson","accessed":"2026-11-05"},{"url":"https://nelson.civicweb.net/document/6404","title":"Fees and Charges Bylaw 3092, Schedule M (PDF)","accessed":"2026-11-05"},{"url":"https://nelson.civicweb.net/document/38996","title":"Bylaw Notice Enforcement Bylaw 3195, Schedule A (PDF)","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/nelson/how-many-pets/","markdown":"https://govhandbook.com/ca/bc/nelson/how-many-pets.md","json":"https://govhandbook.com/ca/bc/nelson/how-many-pets.json"}}