{"title":"How many dogs or cats you can keep in Osoyoos","question":"How many dogs or cats can I keep in Osoyoos?","slug":"how-many-pets","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 more than 3 dogs are allowed in any dwelling unit. The animal bylaw sets no cat limit, but the zoning bylaw treats four or more dogs, cats or other pets as a kennel. Confirm with the Town before keeping that many.","aliases":["how many dogs osoyoos","pet limit osoyoos","how many cats osoyoos","kennel osoyoos"],"cost":"No fee. Municipal ticket for too many animals: $50 ($40 if paid within 30 days). Court fine up to $50,000.","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":"Animal Care and Control Bylaw No. 1393, 2026, Town of Osoyoos (PDF)","url":"https://osoyoos.civicweb.net/document/160422/"},{"title":"Zoning Bylaw No. 1395, 2024, Town of Osoyoos (PDF)","url":"https://osoyoos.civicweb.net/document/154202/"}],"related":[{"slug":"dog-licence","title":"Osoyoos dog licences: fees and how to get one","url":"https://govhandbook.com/ca/bc/osoyoos/dog-licence/"},{"slug":"backyard-chickens","title":"Osoyoos backyard chickens, bees and livestock rules","url":"https://govhandbook.com/ca/bc/osoyoos/backyard-chickens/"},{"slug":"dog-leash-rules","title":"Osoyoos dog leash rules and off-leash areas","url":"https://govhandbook.com/ca/bc/osoyoos/dog-leash-rules/"}],"nearby":[{"place":"ca/bc/keremeos","name":"Keremeos","url":"https://govhandbook.com/ca/bc/keremeos/how-many-pets/"},{"place":"ca/bc/midway","name":"Midway","url":"https://govhandbook.com/ca/bc/midway/how-many-pets/"},{"place":"ca/bc/penticton","name":"Penticton","url":"https://govhandbook.com/ca/bc/penticton/how-many-pets/"},{"place":"ca/bc/summerland","name":"Summerland","url":"https://govhandbook.com/ca/bc/summerland/how-many-pets/"},{"place":"ca/bc/grand-forks","name":"Grand Forks","url":"https://govhandbook.com/ca/bc/grand-forks/how-many-pets/"},{"place":"ca/bc/peachland","name":"Peachland","url":"https://govhandbook.com/ca/bc/peachland/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 3 dogs in any dwelling unit in the Town.","short":"Max 3 dogs","status":"stated","sources":[{"url":"https://osoyoos.civicweb.net/document/160422/","title":"Animal Care and Control Bylaw No. 1393, 2026, Town of Osoyoos (PDF)","section":"s. 31","quotes":["No person shall keep or allow to be kept more than 3 dogs in any dwelling unit"]}],"check":{"result":"matched","text_date":"2026-11-06"}},"cat_limit":{"label":"Cats allowed","value":"No cat limit in Bylaw 1393. But the Zoning Bylaw treats four or more dogs, cats or other pets as a kennel, a use listed only in the General Industrial (I1) zone; unlisted uses are prohibited.","short":"No cat limit; four or more pets counts as a kennel","status":"stated","sources":[{"url":"https://osoyoos.civicweb.net/document/154202/","title":"Zoning Bylaw No. 1395, 2024, Town of Osoyoos (PDF)","section":"Definitions \"kennel\"; 5.4.2; 16.1.1","quotes":["means the care of four (4) or more dogs, cats or other domestic animals or pets whether","uses not listed in respect of a particular zone are prohibited."]}],"check":{"result":"matched","text_date":"2026-11-06"}},"other_limits":{"label":"Other animal limits","value":"Poultry and honeybee hives are prohibited outside the AG zone. Four or more dogs, cats or other pets together count as a kennel under the Zoning Bylaw, a use listed only in the General Industrial (I1) 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.","means the care of four (4) or more dogs, cats or other domestic animals or pets whether","such animals are kept commercially for board, propagation, training, sale or for personal and"]}],"check":{"result":"matched","text_date":"2026-11-06"}},"exceptions":{"label":"Exceptions","value":"Section 32 of the bylaw says it does not apply to licensed veterinary clinics, the animal shelter, or licensed businesses that provide animal care as the Zoning Bylaw permits.","status":"stated","sources":[{"url":"https://osoyoos.civicweb.net/document/160422/","title":"Animal Care and Control Bylaw No. 1393, 2026, Town of Osoyoos (PDF)","section":"s. 32","quotes":["a) Licensed veterinary clinics;","c) Licenced businesses that provide care for animals as permitted by the Zoning"]}],"check":{"result":"matched","text_date":"2026-11-06"}},"fine":{"label":"Fine","value":"Municipal ticket only: \"Exceed permitted number of animals\" $50 ($40 if paid within 30 days), listed against s. 4(1) of repealed Bylaw 1316, not the 3-dog limit in Bylaw 1393 s. 31. The bylaw notice schedule has no such offence.","status":"stated","sources":[{"url":"https://osoyoos.civicweb.net/document/82635/","title":"Municipal Ticket Information Bylaw No. 1279, 2011, Town of Osoyoos (PDF)","section":"Schedule 6","quotes":["Exceed permitted number of animals 4 (1) $50 $40","Exceed permitted number of animals","Animal Control and Licensing Bylaw No. 1316, 2016"]}],"check":{"result":"matched","text_date":"2026-11-06"}},"bylaw":{"label":"Bylaw","value":"Animal Care and Control Bylaw No. 1393, 2026","status":"stated","sources":[{"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":6,"stated":6,"matched":6,"none":0,"unknown":0},"body_markdown":"## How it works\n\nThe Town of Osoyoos's [Animal Care and Control Bylaw No. 1393](https://osoyoos.civicweb.net/document/160422/) says no more than 3 dogs may be kept in any dwelling unit. A dwelling unit is a self-contained unit with its own entrance, washroom and cooking facilities, so the limit is per unit, not per lot.\n\nThe bylaw sets no limit on cats. However, the [Zoning Bylaw No. 1395](https://osoyoos.civicweb.net/document/154202/) defines a kennel as the care of four or more dogs, cats or other domestic animals or pets. A kennel is listed only in the General Industrial (I1) zone, and unlisted uses are prohibited. The bylaws do not say whether this applies to ordinary household pets, so confirm with the Town if you keep four or more animals.\n\n## Other animals\n\n- Poultry and honeybee hives are prohibited outside the Agriculture (AG) zone. See the chickens answer.\n- A home business may not involve boarding, breeding or keeping animals.\n- The dog limit does not apply to licensed veterinary clinics, the animal shelter, or licensed businesses that provide animal care as the Zoning Bylaw permits.\n\n## Good to know\n\n- Only a municipal ticket exists for too many animals: $50 ($40 if paid within 30 days). It cites section 4(1) of the repealed Bylaw 1316, not the 3-dog limit in Bylaw 1393, so confirm with the Town. On conviction in court the bylaw sets a fine of $5,000 to $50,000.\n- Ask Bylaw Enforcement at 250-495-6515 or bylaw@osoyoos.ca.","sources":[{"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/160422/","title":"Animal Care and Control Bylaw No. 1393, 2026, Town of Osoyoos (PDF)","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/82635/","title":"Municipal Ticket Information Bylaw No. 1279, 2011, 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"}],"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 6 of 6 facts was matched to the official text."},"urls":{"html":"https://govhandbook.com/ca/bc/osoyoos/how-many-pets/","markdown":"https://govhandbook.com/ca/bc/osoyoos/how-many-pets.md","json":"https://govhandbook.com/ca/bc/osoyoos/how-many-pets.json"}}