{"title":"How many dogs or cats you can keep in North Saanich","question":"How many dogs can I keep, and are kennels allowed?","slug":"how-many-pets","place":{"path":"ca/bc/north-saanich","name":"North Saanich","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":"District of North Saanich","url":"https://www.northsaanich.ca"},"short_answer":"In North Saanich, Animal Control Bylaw 751 allows no more than three dogs over six months old on a parcel without a Kennel Licence. Cats are also limited to three. More than three dogs needs a kennel licence, a use the zoning allows, and a parcel of at least 1 hectare.","aliases":["dog limit north saanich","how many cats north saanich","kennel licence north saanich","dog breeding bylaw"],"cost":"Kennel licence: breeding $60, boarding $120 (Schedule A of the bylaw). More than three dogs or cats is a $100 municipal ticket, or $50 if paid within 30 days (2022 amounts; may have changed).","how_long":null,"where":[{"type":"phone","label":"Municipal Hall","value":"250-656-0781"},{"type":"email","label":"Bylaw Services","value":"bylawenforcement@northsaanich.ca"}],"documents":[],"forms":[{"title":"Animal Control Bylaw No. 751 (PDF)","url":"https://www.northsaanich.ca/sites/default/files/2026-06/0751-Animal-Control-Cons-February-2014.pdf"}],"related":[{"slug":"dog-licence","title":"North Saanich dog licences: fees and how to get one","url":"https://govhandbook.com/ca/bc/north-saanich/dog-licence/"},{"slug":"backyard-chickens","title":"North Saanich backyard chickens, bees and livestock rules","url":"https://govhandbook.com/ca/bc/north-saanich/backyard-chickens/"}],"nearby":[{"place":"ca/bc/sidney","name":"Sidney","url":"https://govhandbook.com/ca/bc/sidney/how-many-pets/"},{"place":"ca/bc/central-saanich","name":"Central Saanich","url":"https://govhandbook.com/ca/bc/central-saanich/how-many-pets/"},{"place":"ca/bc/highlands","name":"Highlands","url":"https://govhandbook.com/ca/bc/highlands/how-many-pets/"},{"place":"ca/bc/saanich","name":"Saanich","url":"https://govhandbook.com/ca/bc/saanich/how-many-pets/"},{"place":"ca/bc/langford","name":"Langford","url":"https://govhandbook.com/ca/bc/langford/how-many-pets/"},{"place":"ca/bc/view-royal","name":"View Royal","url":"https://govhandbook.com/ca/bc/view-royal/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 three dogs over six months old on a parcel without a valid Kennel Licence. This applies to the owner or occupier of any parcel.","short":"Max three dogs without a kennel licence","status":"stated","sources":[{"url":"https://www.northsaanich.ca/sites/default/files/2026-06/0751-Animal-Control-Cons-February-2014.pdf","title":"Animal Control Bylaw No. 751 (PDF)","section":"s. 3.1","quotes":["more than three (3) dogs over the age of six (6) months without holding a valid Kennel Licence"]}],"check":{"result":"matched","text_date":"2026-11-06"}},"cat_limit":{"label":"Cats allowed","value":"No more than three cats on a parcel. Cats must also be sterilized unless registered with a recognized cat registry (CFA, ACFA, TICA or CCA) or exempted by a veterinarian's letter.","short":"Max three cats","status":"stated","sources":[{"url":"https://www.northsaanich.ca/sites/default/files/2026-06/0751-Animal-Control-Cons-February-2014.pdf","title":"Animal Control Bylaw No. 751 (PDF)","section":"ss. 2.1, 2.2, 2.5","quotes":["No owner or occupier of a parcel shall cause or permit the keeping or harbouring on the parcel of more than three cats.","has not been sterilized by a veterinarian, unless the cat is registered with a Recognized Registering Organization."]}],"check":{"result":"matched","text_date":"2026-11-06"}},"other_limits":{"label":"Other animal limits","value":"Residential zones: poultry limited by lot size (10, 20 or 30 birds). Farm animals other than horses need a lot of at least 4,000 m² (one animal; two over 8,000 m²). Horses need at least 3,400 m² (two animals; four over 6,000 m²). Pigeons: 25 pairs. Fur-bearing animals may not be raised.","status":"stated","sources":[{"url":"https://www.northsaanich.ca/sites/default/files/2026-06/0751-Animal-Control-Cons-February-2014.pdf","title":"Animal Control Bylaw No. 751 (PDF)","section":"ss. 5.1, 5.2, 7.1, 9.1, 11.1","quotes":["unless said parcel is at least 4000 square metres in area.","Where a parcel exceeds 8000 square metres, two farm animals may be kept.","unless said parcel is at least 3400 square metres in area.","four animals of the equine family may be kept.","No person shall keep more than twenty-five pair of pigeons on any parcel of land.","No parcel of land within the Municipality may be used for the raising of fur-","1,115 m2 (12,000 sq. ft.) to 4,047 m2 (one acre) 10 head"]}],"check":{"result":"matched","text_date":"2026-11-06"}},"exceptions":{"label":"Exceptions","value":"More than three dogs: a Breeding or Boarding Kennel Licence, a use permitted by the Zoning Bylaw, a parcel of at least 1 hectare (2.47 acres) and the operator living on the parcel. A cat breeding or boarding facility needs a licence and 1 hectare; a cat care facility (up to 20 cats under a veterinarian living there) needs 0.35 hectares. No poultry cap on Agricultural Land Reserve parcels.","status":"stated","sources":[{"url":"https://www.northsaanich.ca/sites/default/files/2026-06/0751-Animal-Control-Cons-February-2014.pdf","title":"Animal Control Bylaw No. 751 (PDF)","section":"ss. 3.3, 3.7, 3.8, 2.6, 2.7, 2.9, 9.3, def. Cat Care Facility","quotes":["A breeding or boarding kennel shall not be permitted on a parcel which is less than 1 hectare (2.47 acres) in area.","The kennel operator shall reside on the parcel on which the kennel is located.","No person shall operate a cat breeding or boarding facility unless the facility is","a cat care facility shall not be permitted on a parcel which is less than 0.35 hectares in area","up to twenty cats are kept, cared for and boarded under the supervision of a Veterinarian who resides on the property","this bylaw does not limit the maximum number of poultry that can be kept on parcels within the Agricultural Land Reserve."]}],"check":{"result":"matched","text_date":"2026-11-06"}},"fine":{"label":"Fine","value":"Municipal ticket (MTI Bylaw 1544, Schedule 8): more than three dogs $100 ($50 if paid within 30 days); more than three cats $100 ($50); more poultry than permitted $100 ($50); dog breeding or boarding without a licence $130 ($100). These 2022 amounts may be out of date.","status":"stated","sources":[{"url":"https://www.northsaanich.ca/sites/default/files/2026-06/Municipal-Ticket-Information-Bylaw-No.-1544.pdf","title":"Municipal Ticket Information Bylaw No. 1544 (Schedule 8) (PDF)","section":"Schedule 8","quotes":["More than three cats 2.1 $100.00 $50.00","More than three dogs 3.1 $100.00 $50.00","Keep more head of poultry than permitted 9.1 $100.00 $50.00","Operate a dog breeding or boarding facility 3.3 $130.00 $100.00"]}],"check":{"result":"matched","text_date":"2026-11-06"}},"bylaw":{"label":"Bylaw","value":"District of North Saanich Animal Control By-law (1993), Bylaw No. 751","status":"stated","sources":[{"url":"https://www.northsaanich.ca/sites/default/files/2026-06/0751-Animal-Control-Cons-February-2014.pdf","title":"Animal Control Bylaw No. 751 (PDF)","section":"s. 22.1 and title","quotes":["District of North Saanich Animal Control By-law (1993)","ANIMAL CONTROL BY-LAW NO. 751"]}],"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 [Animal Control Bylaw No. 751](https://www.northsaanich.ca/sites/default/files/2026-06/0751-Animal-Control-Cons-February-2014.pdf), the owner or occupier of a parcel may keep no more than three dogs over six months old without a valid Kennel Licence. Cats are limited to three per parcel. Other animals have their own limits: see the backyard chickens answer for poultry. The bylaw sets no combined cap on all pets.\n\n## Steps for more than three dogs\n\n1. Get a Breeding or Boarding Kennel Licence.\n2. Make sure the Zoning Bylaw permits the use. We searched it and found no zone that names a kennel as a permitted use, so ask the District first.\n3. Use a parcel of at least 1 hectare (2.47 acres), where the operator lives.\n\n## Good to know\n\n- Only dogs over six months old count toward the three-dog limit.\n- Breeding kennel licences go only to people solely breeding dogs registered with a recognized kennel club.\n- Cats must be sterilized unless registered with a recognized cat registry (CFA, ACFA, TICA or CCA) or exempted by a veterinarian's letter.\n- A cat breeding or boarding facility needs a licence and 1 hectare. A cat care facility (up to 20 cats under a veterinarian who lives there) needs 0.35 hectares.\n- A fine for more than three dogs or cats is $100 ($50 if paid within 30 days); breeding or boarding dogs without a licence is $130 ($100). These are 2022 amounts. The District has since passed 2026 ticket bylaws we could not read, so confirm the current amounts.\n- Contact Municipal Hall at 250-656-0781 before buying or building.","sources":[{"url":"https://www.northsaanich.ca/sites/default/files/2026-06/0751-Animal-Control-Cons-February-2014.pdf","title":"Animal Control Bylaw No. 751 (PDF)","accessed":"2026-11-05"},{"url":"https://www.northsaanich.ca/sites/default/files/2026-06/Municipal-Ticket-Information-Bylaw-No.-1544.pdf","title":"Municipal Ticket Information Bylaw No. 1544 (Schedule 8) (PDF)","accessed":"2026-11-05"},{"url":"https://www.northsaanich.ca/local-government/applications-permits-licences/dog-licences","title":"Dog Licences, District of North Saanich","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/north-saanich/how-many-pets/","markdown":"https://govhandbook.com/ca/bc/north-saanich/how-many-pets.md","json":"https://govhandbook.com/ca/bc/north-saanich/how-many-pets.json"}}