--- title: How many dogs or cats you can keep in Port Alberni question: "How many dogs or cats can I keep?" place: Port Alberni, British Columbia, Canada place_path: ca/bc/port-alberni category: Pets, animals and wildlife owner: municipal owner_body: City of Port Alberni sources_read: 2026-11-05 review: machine_checked canonical: "https://govhandbook.com/ca/bc/port-alberni/how-many-pets/" json: "https://govhandbook.com/ca/bc/port-alberni/how-many-pets.json" --- # How many dogs or cats you can keep in Port Alberni **Question:** How many dogs or cats can I keep? **Short answer:** Port Alberni's bylaws set no limit on how many dogs or cats a household may keep. Each dog over six months needs a licence. Hens and bees are limited by lot size. A kennel (3 or more dogs or cats) is a separate zoned use. **Who handles it:** Municipal (City of Port Alberni, https://www.portalberni.ca) **Where:** - Phone: Bylaw Services, 250-720-2831 - Email: Bylaw Services, bylaw@portalberni.ca - Phone: Development Services (zoning questions), 250-720-2835 ## Key facts - **Dogs allowed:** None set. Port Alberni's bylaws set no limit on how many dogs or cats a household may keep. - **Cats allowed:** None set. Port Alberni's bylaws set no limit on how many dogs or cats a household may keep. - **Other animal limits:** Hens and bees are limited by lot size in single detached residential zones: up to 4 hens on lots 350 to 450 m², up to 6 on lots over 450 m² and under 2,000 m²; up to 2 hives on lots of 600 to 929 m², up to 4 hives on larger lots. - Source: [Zoning Bylaw No. 5105, 2024 (October 2026 update), s. 6.23.2-6.23.3, 6.23.7](https://www.portalberni.ca/sites/default/files/doc_library/5105_Zoning_Bylaw_No_5105_2024_Oct%202026%20Update.pdf) - Official wording: "The keeping of female poultry is prohibited on lots less than 350 m2" … "no more than four (4) female poultry may be kept" … "a maximum of 2 hives of bees on lots between" - Check: wording matched the official text retrieved 2026-11-06 - **Exceptions:** No per-home pet limit is stated. The Zoning Bylaw defines a 'kennel' as a place where 3 or more dogs or cats are kept for any purpose (or 2 or more dogs for breeding); kennel is a separate zoned use. - Source: [Zoning Bylaw No. 5105, 2024 (October 2026 update), Definitions, KENNEL](https://www.portalberni.ca/sites/default/files/doc_library/5105_Zoning_Bylaw_No_5105_2024_Oct%202026%20Update.pdf) - Official wording: "in which 3 or more dogs or cats are or are intended to be trained, cared for," … "in which 2 or more dogs are kept for breeding" - Check: wording matched the official text retrieved 2026-11-06 - **Fine:** Not confirmed. Not found in the official sources that were read. - **Bylaw:** Not confirmed. Not found in the official sources that were read. ## How it works Neither the [Animal Control and Pound Bylaw No. 5126]() nor the City's Animal Control page sets a limit on the number of dogs or cats at a home. The [Zoning Bylaw No. 5105]() defines a "kennel" as a place where 3 or more dogs or cats are kept for any purpose (or 2 or more dogs for breeding), and a kennel is a separate zoned use. That is a definition, not a stated limit on pets at a home, so ask Development Services if you plan to keep several animals. ## Good to know - Hens and bees are limited by lot size in single detached residential zones: up to 4 hens on lots of 350 to 450 m2, up to 6 on lots over 450 m2 and under 2,000 m2; up to 2 hives on lots of 600 to 929 m2, up to 4 on larger lots. See the backyard chickens answer. - Each dog over six months old needs a licence each year. - The Zoning Bylaw's animal section still names the old Animal Control Bylaw No. 4593, which Bylaw 5126 repealed. - Questions: Bylaw Services, 250-720-2831, or Development Services, 250-720-2835. ## Official forms and pages - [Animal Control and Pound Bylaw No. 5126, 2025 (PDF)](https://www.portalberni.ca/sites/default/files/bylaws/5126_5126-1_5126-2_Animal%20Control%20and%20Pound%20Bylaw%20No.%205126%2C%202025_Consolidated.pdf) - [Zoning Bylaw No. 5105, 2024 (PDF)](https://www.portalberni.ca/sites/default/files/doc_library/5105_Zoning_Bylaw_No_5105_2024_Oct%202026%20Update.pdf) ## Related questions - [Port Alberni dog licences: fees and how to get one](https://govhandbook.com/ca/bc/port-alberni/dog-licence.md) - [Port Alberni backyard chickens, bees and livestock rules](https://govhandbook.com/ca/bc/port-alberni/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) - [Qualicum Beach](https://govhandbook.com/ca/bc/qualicum-beach/how-many-pets.md) - [Parksville](https://govhandbook.com/ca/bc/parksville/how-many-pets.md) - [Cumberland](https://govhandbook.com/ca/bc/cumberland/how-many-pets.md) - [Comox](https://govhandbook.com/ca/bc/comox/how-many-pets.md) - [Courtenay](https://govhandbook.com/ca/bc/courtenay/how-many-pets.md) - [Lantzville](https://govhandbook.com/ca/bc/lantzville/how-many-pets.md) ## Sources - [Animal Control and Pound Bylaw No. 5126, 2025 (consolidated, includes 5126-2) (PDF)](https://www.portalberni.ca/sites/default/files/bylaws/5126_5126-1_5126-2_Animal%20Control%20and%20Pound%20Bylaw%20No.%205126%2C%202025_Consolidated.pdf) (read 2026-11-05) - [Animal Control and Wildlife, City of Port Alberni](https://www.portalberni.ca/animal-control-and-wildlife) (read 2026-11-05) - [Zoning Bylaw No. 5105, 2024 (October 2026 update) (PDF)](https://www.portalberni.ca/sites/default/files/doc_library/5105_Zoning_Bylaw_No_5105_2024_Oct%202026%20Update.pdf) (read 2026-11-05) - [Zoning, City of Port Alberni](https://www.portalberni.ca/zoning) (read 2026-11-05) _Checked by script, not yet by a person: the official wording behind 2 of 6 facts was matched to the official text; 2 are recorded as not set; 2 could not be confirmed. Gov Handbook is an independent guide, not affiliated with City of Port Alberni. How answers are checked: https://govhandbook.com/methods/ · Canonical page: https://govhandbook.com/ca/bc/port-alberni/how-many-pets/_