---
title: How many dogs or cats you can keep in Osoyoos
question: "How many dogs or cats can I keep in Osoyoos?"
place: Osoyoos, British Columbia, Canada
place_path: ca/bc/osoyoos
category: Pets, animals and wildlife
owner: municipal
owner_body: Town of Osoyoos
sources_read: 2026-11-06
review: machine_checked
canonical: "https://govhandbook.com/ca/bc/osoyoos/how-many-pets/"
json: "https://govhandbook.com/ca/bc/osoyoos/how-many-pets.json"
---

# How many dogs or cats you can keep in Osoyoos

**Question:** How many dogs or cats can I keep in Osoyoos?

**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.

**Who handles it:** Municipal (Town of Osoyoos, https://www.osoyoos.ca)  
**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:**
- In person: Town Hall, Bylaw Enforcement and Animal Control, 8707 Main Street, Osoyoos, BC V0H 1V0 (Monday to Friday, 9 a.m. to 4 p.m., excluding holidays)
- Phone: Town Hall (Bylaw Enforcement and Animal Control), 250-495-6515

## Key facts

- **Dogs allowed:** No more than 3 dogs in any dwelling unit in the Town.
  - Source: [Animal Care and Control Bylaw No. 1393, 2026, s. 31](https://osoyoos.civicweb.net/document/160422/)
  - Official wording: "No person shall keep or allow to be kept more than 3 dogs in any dwelling unit"
  - Check: wording matched the official text retrieved 2026-11-06
- **Cats allowed:** 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.
  - Source: [Zoning Bylaw No. 1395, 2024, Definitions "kennel"; 5.4.2; 16.1.1](https://osoyoos.civicweb.net/document/154202/)
  - Official wording: "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: wording matched the official text retrieved 2026-11-06
- **Other animal limits:** 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.
  - Source: [Zoning Bylaw No. 1395, 2024, s. 6.5.4](https://osoyoos.civicweb.net/document/154202/)
  - Official wording: "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: wording matched the official text retrieved 2026-11-06
- **Exceptions:** 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.
  - Source: [Animal Care and Control Bylaw No. 1393, 2026, s. 32](https://osoyoos.civicweb.net/document/160422/)
  - Official wording: "a) Licensed veterinary clinics;" … "c) Licenced businesses that provide care for animals as permitted by the Zoning"
  - Check: wording matched the official text retrieved 2026-11-06
- **Fine:** 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.
  - Source: [Municipal Ticket Information Bylaw No. 1279, 2011, Schedule 6](https://osoyoos.civicweb.net/document/82635/)
  - Official wording: "Exceed permitted number of animals 4 (1) $50 $40" … "Exceed permitted number of animals" … "Animal Control and Licensing Bylaw No. 1316, 2016"
  - Check: wording matched the official text retrieved 2026-11-06
- **Bylaw:** Animal Care and Control Bylaw No. 1393, 2026
  - Source: [Animal Care and Control Bylaw No. 1393, 2026, s. 1](https://osoyoos.civicweb.net/document/160422/)
  - Official wording: "Animal Care and Control Bylaw No.1393, 2026."
  - Check: wording matched the official text retrieved 2026-11-06

## How it works

The 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.

The 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.

## Other animals

- Poultry and honeybee hives are prohibited outside the Agriculture (AG) zone. See the chickens answer.
- A home business may not involve boarding, breeding or keeping animals.
- 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.

## Good to know

- 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.
- Ask Bylaw Enforcement at 250-495-6515 or bylaw@osoyoos.ca.

## Official forms and pages

- [Animal Care and Control Bylaw No. 1393, 2026, Town of Osoyoos (PDF)](https://osoyoos.civicweb.net/document/160422/)
- [Zoning Bylaw No. 1395, 2024, Town of Osoyoos (PDF)](https://osoyoos.civicweb.net/document/154202/)

## Related questions

- [Osoyoos dog licences: fees and how to get one](https://govhandbook.com/ca/bc/osoyoos/dog-licence.md)
- [Osoyoos backyard chickens, bees and livestock rules](https://govhandbook.com/ca/bc/osoyoos/backyard-chickens.md)
- [Osoyoos dog leash rules and off-leash areas](https://govhandbook.com/ca/bc/osoyoos/dog-leash-rules.md)

## The same question elsewhere

- [Dog and cat limits in British Columbia, by municipality](https://govhandbook.com/ca/bc/how-many-pets.md)
- [Keremeos](https://govhandbook.com/ca/bc/keremeos/how-many-pets.md)
- [Midway](https://govhandbook.com/ca/bc/midway/how-many-pets.md)
- [Penticton](https://govhandbook.com/ca/bc/penticton/how-many-pets.md)
- [Summerland](https://govhandbook.com/ca/bc/summerland/how-many-pets.md)
- [Grand Forks](https://govhandbook.com/ca/bc/grand-forks/how-many-pets.md)
- [Peachland](https://govhandbook.com/ca/bc/peachland/how-many-pets.md)

## Sources

- [Animal Control & Licensing | Osoyoos | Canada's warmest welcome](https://www.osoyoos.ca/services/bylaw-enforcement/animal-control-licensing) (read 2026-11-06)
- [Animal Care and Control Bylaw No. 1393, 2026, Town of Osoyoos (PDF)](https://osoyoos.civicweb.net/document/160422/) (read 2026-11-06)
- [Zoning Bylaw No. 1395, 2024, Town of Osoyoos (PDF)](https://osoyoos.civicweb.net/document/154202/) (read 2026-11-06)
- [Municipal Ticket Information Bylaw No. 1279, 2011, Town of Osoyoos (PDF)](https://osoyoos.civicweb.net/document/82635/) (read 2026-11-06)
- [Bylaw Notice Enforcement Bylaw No. 1392, 2025, Town of Osoyoos (PDF)](https://osoyoos.civicweb.net/document/150460/) (read 2026-11-06)

_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 Town of Osoyoos. How answers are checked: https://govhandbook.com/methods/ · Canonical page: https://govhandbook.com/ca/bc/osoyoos/how-many-pets/_