{"title":"How many dogs or cats you can keep in District of North Vancouver","question":"How many dogs or cats can I keep in the District of North Vancouver?","slug":"how-many-pets","place":{"path":"ca/bc/north-vancouver-district","name":"District of North Vancouver","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 Vancouver","url":"https://www.dnv.org"},"short_answer":"In the District of North Vancouver (not the City of North Vancouver), you may not keep more than three dogs on a property unless you hold a business licence as a veterinarian, pet care establishment or animal shelter. The bylaws we read set no limit on cats.","aliases":["how many dogs can i have district of north vancouver","pet limit north vancouver district","how many cats north vancouver district"],"cost":"Not a service. Fine for too many dogs: bylaw notice $100, municipal ticket $100.","how_long":"Rules apply year-round.","where":[{"type":"phone","label":"Bylaw Services","value":"604-990-3711"},{"type":"in_person","label":"Municipal Hall","value":"355 West Queens Road, North Vancouver, BC V7N 4N5"}],"documents":[],"forms":[{"title":"Dog Tax and Regulation Bylaw 5981 (PDF), District of North Vancouver","url":"https://docs.dnv.org/documents/Bylaw%205981.pdf"},{"title":"Zoning Bylaw 3210 (PDF), District of North Vancouver","url":"https://docs.dnv.org/documents/bylaw-3210.pdf"}],"related":[{"slug":"dog-licence","title":"District of North Vancouver dog licences: fees and how to get one","url":"https://govhandbook.com/ca/bc/north-vancouver-district/dog-licence/"},{"slug":"backyard-chickens","title":"District of North Vancouver backyard chickens, bees and livestock rules","url":"https://govhandbook.com/ca/bc/north-vancouver-district/backyard-chickens/"},{"slug":"dog-leash-rules","title":"District of North Vancouver dog leash rules and off-leash areas","url":"https://govhandbook.com/ca/bc/north-vancouver-district/dog-leash-rules/"},{"slug":"bylaw-fines","title":"District of North Vancouver bylaw fines and how tickets work","url":"https://govhandbook.com/ca/bc/north-vancouver-district/bylaw-fines/"}],"nearby":[{"place":"ca/bc/north-vancouver","name":"North Vancouver","url":"https://govhandbook.com/ca/bc/north-vancouver/how-many-pets/"},{"place":"ca/bc/belcarra","name":"Belcarra","url":"https://govhandbook.com/ca/bc/belcarra/how-many-pets/"},{"place":"ca/bc/west-vancouver","name":"West Vancouver","url":"https://govhandbook.com/ca/bc/west-vancouver/how-many-pets/"},{"place":"ca/bc/port-moody","name":"Port Moody","url":"https://govhandbook.com/ca/bc/port-moody/how-many-pets/"},{"place":"ca/bc/burnaby","name":"Burnaby","url":"https://govhandbook.com/ca/bc/burnaby/how-many-pets/"},{"place":"ca/bc/richmond","name":"Richmond","url":"https://govhandbook.com/ca/bc/richmond/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":"More than three dogs may not be kept on a property unless the owner or occupier has a business licence for a veterinarian, pet care establishment or animal shelter.","short":"Max three dogs (more with business licence)","status":"stated","sources":[{"url":"https://docs.dnv.org/documents/Bylaw%205981.pdf","title":"Dog Tax and Regulation Bylaw 5981 (PDF), District of North Vancouver","section":"s. 8(f)","quotes":["to permit, suffer or allow more than three dogs to be kept or harboured on such premises without first having applied for, and obtained, a","business licence for a veterinarian, pet care establishment or animal shelter"]}],"check":{"result":"matched","text_date":"2026-11-06"}},"cat_limit":{"label":"Cats allowed","value":null,"status":"none","note":"The bylaws read for the District of North Vancouver set no limit on cats.","sources":[]},"other_limits":{"label":"Other animal limits","value":"Zoning Bylaw: in all zones, keeping animals is prohibited unless specifically permitted, except that household pets (other than poultry) may be kept. Hens are allowed only under the Hens bylaw (2 to 6 hens, permit, RS zones). Bees: at most 2 colonies on a parcel under 1,100 m².","status":"stated","sources":[{"url":"https://docs.dnv.org/documents/bylaw-3210.pdf","title":"Zoning Bylaw 3210 (PDF), District of North Vancouver","section":"s. 403A(1)(b)","quotes":["the keeping of animals, except that household pets, other than","poultry, may be kept"]},{"url":"https://docs.dnv.org/documents/Bylaw%206474.pdf","title":"Bee Keeping Bylaw 6474 (PDF), District of North Vancouver","section":"s. 3(a)","quotes":["Not more than 2 colonies of bees are permitted on a parcel having an area less than 1100 square"]}],"check":{"result":"matched","text_date":"2026-11-06"}},"exceptions":{"label":"Exceptions","value":"A property may have more than three dogs with a business licence for a veterinarian, pet care establishment or animal shelter. A home pet-services business may have no more than 3 dogs at a time.","status":"stated","sources":[{"url":"https://docs.dnv.org/documents/Bylaw%205981.pdf","title":"Dog Tax and Regulation Bylaw 5981 (PDF), District of North Vancouver","section":"s. 8(f)","quotes":["business licence for a veterinarian, pet care establishment or animal shelter"]},{"url":"https://docs.dnv.org/documents/bylaw-3210.pdf","title":"Zoning Bylaw 3210 (PDF), District of North Vancouver","section":"s. 405(4)","quotes":["Pet services are permitted as home occupations provided that there are no","more than 3 dogs on the property at any time"]}],"check":{"result":"matched","text_date":"2026-11-06"}},"fine":{"label":"Fine","value":"Bylaw notice: $100 ($75 if paid within 14 days; $150 after 28 days). Municipal ticket (in the Dog bylaw): $100.","status":"stated","sources":[{"url":"https://docs.dnv.org/documents/Bylaw%207458.pdf","title":"Bylaw Notice Enforcement Bylaw 7458 (PDF), District of North Vancouver","section":"Schedule A, Dog Tax and Regulation Bylaw 5981","quotes":["8(f) Keeping more than three dogs 100 75 150"]},{"url":"https://docs.dnv.org/documents/Bylaw%205981.pdf","title":"Dog Tax and Regulation Bylaw 5981 (PDF), District of North Vancouver","section":"s. 14.4","quotes":["Keeping more than three dogs 8(f) $100.00"]}],"check":{"result":"matched","text_date":"2026-11-06"}},"bylaw":{"label":"Bylaw","value":"Dog Tax and Regulation Bylaw 5981 (s. 8(f)); Zoning Bylaw 3210 (s. 403A).","status":"stated","sources":[{"url":"https://docs.dnv.org/documents/Bylaw%205981.pdf","title":"Dog Tax and Regulation Bylaw 5981 (PDF), District of North Vancouver","section":"s. 8(f)","quotes":["DOG TAX AND REGULATION BYLAW, 1988"]},{"url":"https://docs.dnv.org/documents/bylaw-3210.pdf","title":"Zoning Bylaw 3210 (PDF), District of North Vancouver","section":"s. 403A","quotes":["Uses Prohibited in All Zones"]}],"check":{"result":"matched","text_date":"2026-11-06"}}},"facts_summary":{"total":6,"stated":5,"matched":5,"none":1,"unknown":0},"body_markdown":"## How it works\n\nIn the District of North Vancouver, the [Dog Tax and Regulation Bylaw 5981](<https://docs.dnv.org/documents/Bylaw%205981.pdf>) says more than three dogs may not be kept on a property. The exception is an owner or occupier with a business licence for a veterinarian, pet care establishment or animal shelter. A home pet-services business may have no more than 3 dogs at a time under the [Zoning Bylaw 3210](<https://docs.dnv.org/documents/bylaw-3210.pdf>).\n\n## Steps\n\n1. Count the dogs kept at your property. Three is the limit for a household.\n2. If you want to keep more for a business, get the matching business licence first. Call the District on 604-990-2311 to ask.\n3. For other animals, see the chickens and bees answer.\n\n## Good to know\n\n- The bylaws we read do not set a limit on cats. Cats are mentioned only for surrender and adoption.\n- The Zoning Bylaw bans keeping animals in all zones unless specifically permitted, but household pets (other than poultry) are allowed.\n- Hens are allowed only under the Hens bylaw (2 to 6 hens, with a permit, in single family residential zones). Bees are limited to 2 colonies on a parcel under 1,100 m².\n- Keeping too many dogs is a $100 fine. A bylaw notice is $100 ($75 if paid within 14 days, $150 after 28 days); a municipal ticket is $100.","sources":[{"url":"https://docs.dnv.org/documents/str-owner-authorization-form.pdf","title":"https://docs.dnv.org/documents/str-owner-authorization-form.pdf","accessed":"2026-11-06"},{"url":"https://docs.dnv.org/documents/Bylaw%205981.pdf","title":"Dog Tax and Regulation Bylaw 5981 (PDF), District of North Vancouver","accessed":"2026-11-06"},{"url":"https://docs.dnv.org/documents/bylaw-3210.pdf","title":"Zoning Bylaw 3210 (PDF), District of North Vancouver","accessed":"2026-11-06"},{"url":"https://docs.dnv.org/documents/Bylaw%206474.pdf","title":"Bee Keeping Bylaw 6474 (PDF), District of North Vancouver","accessed":"2026-11-06"},{"url":"https://docs.dnv.org/documents/Bylaw%207458.pdf","title":"Bylaw Notice Enforcement Bylaw 7458 (PDF), District of North Vancouver","accessed":"2026-11-06"}],"sources_read":"2026-11-06","review":{"status":"machine_checked","badge":"Checked against official text","label":"Checked by script, not yet by a person: the official wording behind 5 of 6 facts was matched to the official text; 1 is recorded as not set."},"urls":{"html":"https://govhandbook.com/ca/bc/north-vancouver-district/how-many-pets/","markdown":"https://govhandbook.com/ca/bc/north-vancouver-district/how-many-pets.md","json":"https://govhandbook.com/ca/bc/north-vancouver-district/how-many-pets.json"}}