{"title":"Osoyoos backyard chickens, bees and livestock rules","question":"Can I keep chickens, bees, or other livestock in Osoyoos?","slug":"backyard-chickens","place":{"path":"ca/bc/osoyoos","name":"Osoyoos","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":"Town of Osoyoos","url":"https://www.osoyoos.ca"},"short_answer":"In Osoyoos, no. Poultry (including chickens) and honeybee hives are prohibited in every zone except the Agriculture (AG) zone, so they are not allowed on ordinary residential lots. The bylaws set no hen number, rooster or coop rules.","aliases":["chickens osoyoos","backyard hens osoyoos","beekeeping osoyoos","livestock osoyoos"],"cost":"Not applicable. The ticket schedules list keeping livestock and honeybees contrary to the Zoning Bylaw at $200.","how_long":"Not applicable.","where":[{"type":"in_person","label":"Town Hall, Bylaw Enforcement and Animal Control","value":"8707 Main Street, Osoyoos, BC V0H 1V0","note":"Monday to Friday, 9 a.m. to 4 p.m., excluding holidays"},{"type":"phone","label":"Town Hall (Bylaw Enforcement and Animal Control)","value":"250-495-6515"}],"documents":[],"forms":[{"title":"Zoning Bylaw No. 1395, 2024, Town of Osoyoos (PDF)","url":"https://osoyoos.civicweb.net/document/154202/"},{"title":"Animal Care and Control Bylaw No. 1393, 2026, Town of Osoyoos (PDF)","url":"https://osoyoos.civicweb.net/document/160422/"}],"related":[{"slug":"how-many-pets","title":"How many dogs or cats you can keep in Osoyoos","url":"https://govhandbook.com/ca/bc/osoyoos/how-many-pets/"},{"slug":"dog-licence","title":"Osoyoos dog licences: fees and how to get one","url":"https://govhandbook.com/ca/bc/osoyoos/dog-licence/"}],"nearby":[{"place":"ca/bc/keremeos","name":"Keremeos","url":"https://govhandbook.com/ca/bc/keremeos/backyard-chickens/"},{"place":"ca/bc/midway","name":"Midway","url":"https://govhandbook.com/ca/bc/midway/backyard-chickens/"},{"place":"ca/bc/penticton","name":"Penticton","url":"https://govhandbook.com/ca/bc/penticton/backyard-chickens/"},{"place":"ca/bc/greenwood","name":"Greenwood","url":"https://govhandbook.com/ca/bc/greenwood/backyard-chickens/"},{"place":"ca/bc/summerland","name":"Summerland","url":"https://govhandbook.com/ca/bc/summerland/backyard-chickens/"},{"place":"ca/bc/grand-forks","name":"Grand Forks","url":"https://govhandbook.com/ca/bc/grand-forks/backyard-chickens/"}],"topic":{"title":"Backyard chicken rules in British Columbia, by municipality","url":"https://govhandbook.com/ca/bc/backyard-chickens/"},"facts":{"hens_allowed":{"label":"Hens allowed","value":"No, except in the Agriculture (AG) zone. Keeping poultry is prohibited in every other zone.","short":"No, except in AG zone","status":"stated","sources":[{"url":"https://osoyoos.civicweb.net/document/154202/","title":"Zoning Bylaw No. 1395, 2024, Town of Osoyoos (PDF)","section":"s. 6.5.4","quotes":["The use of land for the keeping of poultry or honeybee hives is prohibited in all zones","except the Agriculture (AG) Zone."]}],"check":{"result":"matched","text_date":"2026-11-06"}},"max_hens":{"label":"Most hens","value":null,"status":"none","note":"Osoyoos bylaws set no hen number, rooster rule, coop rules or registration for hens.","sources":[]},"roosters":{"label":"Roosters","value":null,"status":"none","note":"Osoyoos bylaws set no hen number, rooster rule, coop rules or registration for hens.","sources":[]},"coop_rules":{"label":"Coop rules","value":null,"status":"none","note":"Osoyoos bylaws set no hen number, rooster rule, coop rules or registration for hens.","sources":[]},"registration":{"label":"Permit or registration","value":null,"status":"none","note":"Osoyoos bylaws set no hen number, rooster rule, coop rules or registration for hens.","sources":[]},"bees":{"label":"Bees","value":"Honeybee hives are prohibited in every zone except the Agriculture (AG) zone.","status":"stated","sources":[{"url":"https://osoyoos.civicweb.net/document/154202/","title":"Zoning Bylaw No. 1395, 2024, Town of Osoyoos (PDF)","section":"s. 6.5.4","quotes":["The use of land for the keeping of poultry or honeybee hives is prohibited in all zones","except the Agriculture (AG) Zone."]}],"check":{"result":"matched","text_date":"2026-11-06"}},"other_livestock":{"label":"Other livestock","value":"Not allowed on residential lots: the Zoning Bylaw prohibits unlisted uses, and \"agriculture\", which includes rearing livestock, is listed only in the AG zone. Livestock shelters in the AG zone need 15 metre setbacks.","status":"stated","sources":[{"url":"https://osoyoos.civicweb.net/document/154202/","title":"Zoning Bylaw No. 1395, 2024, Town of Osoyoos (PDF)","section":"Definition \"agriculture\"; 5.4.2; 19.1.5 d)","quotes":["uses not listed in respect of a particular zone are prohibited.","animals and range grazing of horses, cattle, sheep, and other livestock, composting operation and","Despite Section 19.1.5(a), livestock shelters, equestrian centres, generator sheds,"]}],"check":{"result":"matched","text_date":"2026-11-06"}},"bylaw":{"label":"Bylaw","value":"Zoning Bylaw No. 1395, 2024 (zones and prohibited uses); Animal Care and Control Bylaw No. 1393, 2026 (general animal care)","status":"stated","sources":[{"url":"https://osoyoos.civicweb.net/document/154202/","title":"Zoning Bylaw No. 1395, 2024, Town of Osoyoos (PDF)","section":"cover","quotes":["BYLAW NO. 1395, 2024"]},{"url":"https://osoyoos.civicweb.net/document/160422/","title":"Animal Care and Control Bylaw No. 1393, 2026, Town of Osoyoos (PDF)","section":"s. 1","quotes":["Animal Care and Control Bylaw No.1393, 2026."]}],"check":{"result":"matched","text_date":"2026-11-06"}}},"facts_summary":{"total":8,"stated":4,"matched":4,"none":4,"unknown":0},"body_markdown":"## How it works\n\nThe Town of Osoyoos's [Zoning Bylaw No. 1395](https://osoyoos.civicweb.net/document/154202/) prohibits keeping poultry in every zone except Agriculture (AG). Poultry means domestic fowl and pigeons. Residential lots are not in the AG zone, so backyard hens are not allowed. The same section prohibits honeybee hives outside the AG zone.\n\nThe bylaws set no hen numbers, no rooster rule, no coop or run rules and no registration for hens, because hens are not allowed outside AG land.\n\n## Other livestock\n\n- Livestock (horses, cattle, sheep, swine, llamas, goats and similar) is not allowed on residential lots. The Zoning Bylaw prohibits unlisted uses, and rearing livestock is listed only under \"agriculture\" in the AG zone.\n- In the AG zone, livestock shelters need 15 metre setbacks.\n- [Animal Care and Control Bylaw No. 1393](https://osoyoos.civicweb.net/document/160422/), section 38, sets general shelter rules for any animal kept outdoors.\n\n## Good to know\n\n- The ticket schedules list \"Keeping livestock and honeybees contrary to regulations\" (Zoning Bylaw section 6.5.4) at $200.\n- If your land is zoned AG, ask Planning and Development Services at 250-495-6191 or plan@osoyoos.ca what applies to your parcel.\n- Report concerns to Bylaw Enforcement at bylaw@osoyoos.ca or 250-495-6515.","sources":[{"url":"https://www.osoyoos.ca/short-term-rentals","title":"Short-Term Rental Accommodation and Bed and Breakfast Operation | Osoyoos | Canada's warmest welcome","accessed":"2026-11-06"},{"url":"https://www.osoyoos.ca/services/bylaw-enforcement/animal-control-licensing","title":"Animal Control & Licensing | Osoyoos | Canada's warmest welcome","accessed":"2026-11-06"},{"url":"https://osoyoos.civicweb.net/document/154202/","title":"Zoning Bylaw No. 1395, 2024, Town of Osoyoos (PDF)","accessed":"2026-11-06"},{"url":"https://osoyoos.civicweb.net/document/160422/","title":"Animal Care and Control Bylaw No. 1393, 2026, Town of Osoyoos (PDF)","accessed":"2026-11-06"},{"url":"https://osoyoos.civicweb.net/document/150460/","title":"Bylaw Notice Enforcement Bylaw No. 1392, 2025, Town of Osoyoos (PDF)","accessed":"2026-11-06"},{"url":"https://osoyoos.civicweb.net/document/82635/","title":"Municipal Ticket Information Bylaw No. 1279, 2011, Town of Osoyoos (PDF)","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 4 of 8 facts was matched to the official text; 4 are recorded as not set."},"urls":{"html":"https://govhandbook.com/ca/bc/osoyoos/backyard-chickens/","markdown":"https://govhandbook.com/ca/bc/osoyoos/backyard-chickens.md","json":"https://govhandbook.com/ca/bc/osoyoos/backyard-chickens.json"}}