---
title: How many dogs or cats you can keep in North Saanich
question: "How many dogs can I keep, and are kennels allowed?"
place: North Saanich, British Columbia, Canada
place_path: ca/bc/north-saanich
category: Pets, animals and wildlife
owner: municipal
owner_body: District of North Saanich
sources_read: 2026-11-05
review: machine_checked
canonical: "https://govhandbook.com/ca/bc/north-saanich/how-many-pets/"
json: "https://govhandbook.com/ca/bc/north-saanich/how-many-pets.json"
---

# How many dogs or cats you can keep in North Saanich

**Question:** How many dogs can I keep, and are kennels allowed?

**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.

**Who handles it:** Municipal (District of North Saanich, https://www.northsaanich.ca)  
**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).  
**Where:**
- Phone: Municipal Hall, 250-656-0781
- Email: Bylaw Services, bylawenforcement@northsaanich.ca

## Key facts

- **Dogs allowed:** 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.
  - Source: [Animal Control Bylaw No. 751, s. 3.1](https://www.northsaanich.ca/sites/default/files/2026-06/0751-Animal-Control-Cons-February-2014.pdf)
  - Official wording: "more than three (3) dogs over the age of six (6) months without holding a valid Kennel Licence"
  - Check: wording matched the official text retrieved 2026-11-06
- **Cats allowed:** 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.
  - Source: [Animal Control Bylaw No. 751, ss. 2.1, 2.2, 2.5](https://www.northsaanich.ca/sites/default/files/2026-06/0751-Animal-Control-Cons-February-2014.pdf)
  - Official wording: "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: wording matched the official text retrieved 2026-11-06
- **Other animal limits:** 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.
  - Source: [Animal Control Bylaw No. 751, ss. 5.1, 5.2, 7.1, 9.1, 11.1](https://www.northsaanich.ca/sites/default/files/2026-06/0751-Animal-Control-Cons-February-2014.pdf)
  - Official wording: "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: wording matched the official text retrieved 2026-11-06
- **Exceptions:** 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.
  - Source: [Animal Control Bylaw No. 751, ss. 3.3, 3.7, 3.8, 2.6, 2.7, 2.9, 9.3, def. Cat Care Facility](https://www.northsaanich.ca/sites/default/files/2026-06/0751-Animal-Control-Cons-February-2014.pdf)
  - Official wording: "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: wording matched the official text retrieved 2026-11-06
- **Fine:** 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.
  - Source: [Municipal Ticket Information Bylaw No. 1544 (Schedule 8)](https://www.northsaanich.ca/sites/default/files/2026-06/Municipal-Ticket-Information-Bylaw-No.-1544.pdf)
  - Official wording: "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: wording matched the official text retrieved 2026-11-06
- **Bylaw:** District of North Saanich Animal Control By-law (1993), Bylaw No. 751
  - Source: [Animal Control Bylaw No. 751, s. 22.1 and title](https://www.northsaanich.ca/sites/default/files/2026-06/0751-Animal-Control-Cons-February-2014.pdf)
  - Official wording: "District of North Saanich Animal Control By-law (1993)" … "ANIMAL CONTROL BY-LAW NO. 751"
  - Check: wording matched the official text retrieved 2026-11-06

## How it works

Under [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.

## Steps for more than three dogs

1. Get a Breeding or Boarding Kennel Licence.
2. 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.
3. Use a parcel of at least 1 hectare (2.47 acres), where the operator lives.

## Good to know

- Only dogs over six months old count toward the three-dog limit.
- Breeding kennel licences go only to people solely breeding dogs registered with a recognized kennel club.
- Cats must be sterilized unless registered with a recognized cat registry (CFA, ACFA, TICA or CCA) or exempted by a veterinarian's letter.
- 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.
- 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.
- Contact Municipal Hall at 250-656-0781 before buying or building.

## Official forms and pages

- [Animal Control Bylaw No. 751 (PDF)](https://www.northsaanich.ca/sites/default/files/2026-06/0751-Animal-Control-Cons-February-2014.pdf)

## Related questions

- [North Saanich dog licences: fees and how to get one](https://govhandbook.com/ca/bc/north-saanich/dog-licence.md)
- [North Saanich backyard chickens, bees and livestock rules](https://govhandbook.com/ca/bc/north-saanich/backyard-chickens.md)

## The same question elsewhere

- [Dog and cat limits in British Columbia, by municipality](https://govhandbook.com/ca/bc/how-many-pets.md)
- [Sidney](https://govhandbook.com/ca/bc/sidney/how-many-pets.md)
- [Central Saanich](https://govhandbook.com/ca/bc/central-saanich/how-many-pets.md)
- [Highlands](https://govhandbook.com/ca/bc/highlands/how-many-pets.md)
- [Saanich](https://govhandbook.com/ca/bc/saanich/how-many-pets.md)
- [Langford](https://govhandbook.com/ca/bc/langford/how-many-pets.md)
- [View Royal](https://govhandbook.com/ca/bc/view-royal/how-many-pets.md)

## Sources

- [Animal Control Bylaw No. 751 (PDF)](https://www.northsaanich.ca/sites/default/files/2026-06/0751-Animal-Control-Cons-February-2014.pdf) (read 2026-11-05)
- [Municipal Ticket Information Bylaw No. 1544 (Schedule 8) (PDF)](https://www.northsaanich.ca/sites/default/files/2026-06/Municipal-Ticket-Information-Bylaw-No.-1544.pdf) (read 2026-11-05)
- [Dog Licences, District of North Saanich](https://www.northsaanich.ca/local-government/applications-permits-licences/dog-licences) (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. Gov Handbook is an independent guide, not affiliated with District of North Saanich. How answers are checked: https://govhandbook.com/methods/ · Canonical page: https://govhandbook.com/ca/bc/north-saanich/how-many-pets/_