How many dogs or cats you can keep in Nelson

How many dogs or cats can I keep?

Nelson, British ColumbiaChecked against official textSources read 2026-11-05

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.

Key facts

Dogs allowed	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.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.Animal Regulation and Control Bylaw 2333, s. 11; Domestic Animals · Wording matched the official text retrieved 2026-11-06 Official wording 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. No more than two dogs or two cats may be kept in a residential zone in the city.
Cats allowed	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'.Animal Regulation and Control Bylaw 2333, s. 11 · Wording matched the official text retrieved 2026-11-06 Official wording 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.
Other animal limits	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.Animal Regulation and Control Bylaw 2333, s. 1, 12 · Wording matched the official text retrieved 2026-11-06 Official wording 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.
Exceptions	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.Animal Regulation and Control Bylaw 2333, s. 1, 28, 34; Fees and Charges Bylaw 3092, Schedule M · Wording matched the official text retrieved 2026-11-06 Official wording 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 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
Fine	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.Bylaw Notice Enforcement Bylaw 3195, Schedule A, Schedule A, Animal Regulation and Control, s. 11 and 12 · Wording matched the official text retrieved 2026-11-06 Official wording 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
Bylaw	Animal Regulation and Control Bylaw No. 2333, 1989 (sections 11 and 12).Animal Regulation and Control Bylaw 2333, s. 39 · Wording matched the official text retrieved 2026-11-06 Official wording Animal Regulation and Control Bylaw No. 2333, 1989

How it works

Under Nelson's Animal Regulation and Control Bylaw 2333, 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.

Steps

Count the dogs and cats living on your parcel and licence every dog.
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.
Ask City Hall at 250-352-5511 if your situation is unclear.

Good to know

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.
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.
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.
Nelson uses bylaw notices only; no municipal ticket for this was found.

Official forms and pages

The same question in other places

Salmo · Fruitvale · Montrose · Trail · Warfield · Rossland

Dog and cat limits in British Columbia, by municipality →

Sources

Animal Regulation and Control Bylaw 2333 (PDF) (read 2026-11-05)
Domestic Animals, City of Nelson (read 2026-11-05)
Fees and Charges Bylaw 3092, Schedule M (PDF) (read 2026-11-05)
Bylaw Notice Enforcement Bylaw 3195, Schedule A (PDF) (read 2026-11-05)

Checked by script, not yet by a person: the official wording behind 6 of 6 facts was matched to the official text. How answers are checked.