--- title: How many dogs or cats you can keep in Qualicum Beach question: "How many dogs or cats can I keep?" place: Qualicum Beach, British Columbia, Canada place_path: ca/bc/qualicum-beach category: Pets, animals and wildlife owner: municipal owner_body: Town of Qualicum Beach sources_read: 2026-11-06 review: machine_checked canonical: "https://govhandbook.com/ca/bc/qualicum-beach/how-many-pets/" json: "https://govhandbook.com/ca/bc/qualicum-beach/how-many-pets.json" --- # How many dogs or cats you can keep in Qualicum Beach **Question:** How many dogs or cats can I keep? **Short answer:** In Qualicum Beach, a home can have no more than three dogs and four cats (dogs older than about three months, cats older than about four months). Wild or exotic animals are banned. Too many dogs or cats is a $125 ticket. **Who handles it:** Municipal (Town of Qualicum Beach, https://www.qualicumbeach.com) **Cost:** Ticket: $125 for too many dogs, $125 for too many cats, $125 for keeping a wild or exotic animal. Kennel licence from $60 a year for 4 to 8 dogs, plus a business licence. **How long:** The limits apply all year. **Where:** - Phone: Bylaw Enforcement, 250-738-2205 - In person: Town Hall, #201 - 660 Primrose Street, Qualicum Beach, BC V9K 1S7 ## Key facts - **Dogs allowed:** No more than three dogs over about three months old in a dwelling unit or on the land around it. Anyone who had more than three licensed dogs before the bylaw was adopted may keep them for their lifetimes but may not add more. - Source: [Animal Control Bylaw No. 649, 2009, s. 29-30](https://qualicumbeach.com/preview/?file_path=Bylaws/Animal%20Control%20Bylaw%20649%2C%202009%2Epdf) - Official wording: "No person shall keep, or permit the keeping of, more than three clogs apparently over the age of three months in a dwelling unit" … "may not keep or permit the keeping of any additional dogs in that dwelling unit" - Source: [Dog Licences, Dog Ownership](https://qualicumbeach.com/dog-licences) - Official wording: "Each household can keep no more than three dogs over the age of three months." - Check: wording matched the official text retrieved 2026-11-06 - **Cats allowed:** No more than four cats over about four months old in a dwelling unit or on the land around it. - Source: [Animal Control Bylaw No. 649, 2009, s. 38](https://qualicumbeach.com/preview/?file_path=Bylaws/Animal%20Control%20Bylaw%20649%2C%202009%2Epdf) - Official wording: "No person shall keep or permit the keeping of more than four cats apparently over the age of" - Source: [Animal Control, Cats](https://qualicumbeach.com/town-services/bylaw-enforcement/animal-control/) - Official wording: "Households may have no more than four cats, over the age of four months, unless it is at a licenced kennel or veterinary clinic." - Check: wording matched the official text retrieved 2026-11-06 - **Other animal limits:** Wild or exotic animals (Schedule B list, including primates, bears, wild cats, snakes, raccoons and skunks) may not be kept anywhere in the Town. In zones where agriculture is not a permitted use, animals are restricted to pets and urban beekeeping. No combined dog and cat limit found. (Sources differ: The Town's animal control page says livestock and bees are only allowed in Rural Zones 1, 2 and 3; Zoning Bylaw No. 900 allows urban beekeeping in other zones (see backyard-chickens).) - Source: [Animal Control Bylaw No. 649, 2009, s. 45](https://qualicumbeach.com/preview/?file_path=Bylaws/Animal%20Control%20Bylaw%20649%2C%202009%2Epdf) - Official wording: "No person shall keep any Wild or Exotic Animal anywhere in the Town." - Source: [Zoning Bylaw No. 900, 2024, combined version, s. 3.3 General Regulations, item 5](https://qualicumbeach.com/preview/?file_path=Bylaws/Zoning%20Bylaw%2C%20Bylaw%20No.%20900%2C%202024/Zoning%20Bylaw%2C%20Bylaw%20No.%20900%2C%202024%20(Combined%20Version%29.pdf) - Official wording: "In all zones where agriculture, animal care or agricultural products processing is" … "not a permitted use, the keeping of animals is restricted to the following:" - Check: wording matched the official text retrieved 2026-11-06 - **Exceptions:** A lawfully operated kennel or veterinary clinic is exempt from the dog and cat limits. A kennel (four or more dogs, or five or more other animals) needs a kennel licence, available only where zoning permits, from $60 a year for 4 to 8 dogs plus a business licence. Pre-bylaw owners of more than three dogs are grandfathered. - Source: [Animal Control Bylaw No. 649, 2009, s. 2(h), 16, 29](https://qualicumbeach.com/preview/?file_path=Bylaws/Animal%20Control%20Bylaw%20649%2C%202009%2Epdf) - Official wording: ""Kennel" means a place, building, or structure for the training, care, shelter, breeding" … "except in the lawful operation of a kennel or veterinary clinic." - Source: [Dog Licences, Kennel Fees](https://qualicumbeach.com/dog-licences) - Official wording: "Kennel licence fees start at $60 per year (4-8 dogs), in addition to a business licence fee. A kennel licence is only available where zoning permits." - Check: wording matched the official text retrieved 2026-11-06 - **Fine:** Municipal ticket: $125 for excess dogs on a property; $125 for excess cats; $125 for keeping a wild or exotic animal. - Source: [Municipal Ticket Information Utilization Bylaw No. 626, consolidated to 626.07, Sched. 2, items 24, 31, 37](https://qualicumbeach.com/preview/?file_path=Bylaws/Municipal%20Ticket%20Information%20Utilization%20Bylaw%20No.%20626%20(Consolidated%20up%20to%20Bylaw%20No.%20626.07%29.pdf) - Official wording: "Excess Dogs on Property" … "Excess Cats on Property" … "Keep Wild or Exotic Animal" … "$125.00" - Check: wording matched the official text retrieved 2026-11-06 - **Bylaw:** Town of Qualicum Beach Animal Control Bylaw No. 649, 2009 (animal limits); Zoning Bylaw No. 900, 2024 (keeping of animals by zone) - Source: [Animal Control Bylaw No. 649, 2009, s. 1](https://qualicumbeach.com/preview/?file_path=Bylaws/Animal%20Control%20Bylaw%20649%2C%202009%2Epdf) - Official wording: "Animal Control Bylaw No. 649, 2009" - Source: [Zoning Bylaw No. 900, 2024, combined version, s. 3.3 General Regulations, item 5](https://qualicumbeach.com/preview/?file_path=Bylaws/Zoning%20Bylaw%2C%20Bylaw%20No.%20900%2C%202024/Zoning%20Bylaw%2C%20Bylaw%20No.%20900%2C%202024%20(Combined%20Version%29.pdf) - Official wording: "P a g e | 37 5. Keeping of Animals In all zones where agriculture, animal care or agricultural products processing is" … "TITLE 1. This Bylaw may be cited as the "Town of Qualicum Beach Zoning Bylaw No. 900, 2024"." - Check: wording matched the official text retrieved 2026-11-06 ## How it works The [Animal Control Bylaw No. 649]() limits animals in a dwelling unit or on the land around it: - Dogs: no more than three, older than about three months. - Cats: no more than four, older than about four months. - No combined dog and cat limit was found. Anyone who had more than three licensed dogs before the bylaw was adopted may keep them for their lifetimes but may not add more. ## Other animals Wild or exotic animals (the Schedule B list includes primates, bears, wild cats, snakes, raccoons and skunks) may not be kept anywhere in the Town. In zones where agriculture is not a permitted use, animals are restricted to pets and urban beekeeping. See the chickens and bees answer for details. ## Good to know - A lawfully operated kennel or veterinary clinic is exempt from the dog and cat limits. - A kennel (four or more dogs, or five or more other animals) needs a kennel licence, available only where zoning permits, from $60 a year for 4 to 8 dogs, plus a business licence. - Too many dogs, too many cats or a wild or exotic animal is a $125 municipal ticket. - The Town's animal control page says livestock and bees are only allowed in Rural Zones 1, 2 and 3. [Zoning Bylaw No. 900]() also allows urban beekeeping in other zones. Confirm with the Town before you rely on either. ## Official forms and pages - [Animal Control Bylaw No. 649, 2009 (PDF)](https://qualicumbeach.com/preview/?file_path=Bylaws/Animal%20Control%20Bylaw%20649%2C%202009%2Epdf) ## Related questions - [Qualicum Beach dog licences: fees and how to get one](https://govhandbook.com/ca/bc/qualicum-beach/dog-licence.md) - [Qualicum Beach dog leash rules and off-leash areas](https://govhandbook.com/ca/bc/qualicum-beach/dog-leash-rules.md) - [Qualicum Beach backyard chickens, bees and livestock rules](https://govhandbook.com/ca/bc/qualicum-beach/backyard-chickens.md) - [Qualicum Beach bylaw fines and how tickets work](https://govhandbook.com/ca/bc/qualicum-beach/bylaw-fines.md) ## The same question elsewhere - [Dog and cat limits in British Columbia, by municipality](https://govhandbook.com/ca/bc/how-many-pets.md) - [Parksville](https://govhandbook.com/ca/bc/parksville/how-many-pets.md) - [Lantzville](https://govhandbook.com/ca/bc/lantzville/how-many-pets.md) - [Port Alberni](https://govhandbook.com/ca/bc/port-alberni/how-many-pets.md) - [Nanaimo](https://govhandbook.com/ca/bc/nanaimo/how-many-pets.md) - [Sechelt](https://govhandbook.com/ca/bc/sechelt/how-many-pets.md) - [Comox](https://govhandbook.com/ca/bc/comox/how-many-pets.md) ## Sources - [Animal Control Bylaw No. 649, 2009 (PDF)](https://qualicumbeach.com/preview/?file_path=Bylaws/Animal%20Control%20Bylaw%20649%2C%202009%2Epdf) (read 2026-11-06) - [Zoning Bylaw No. 900, 2024, combined version (PDF)](https://qualicumbeach.com/preview/?file_path=Bylaws/Zoning%20Bylaw%2C%20Bylaw%20No.%20900%2C%202024/Zoning%20Bylaw%2C%20Bylaw%20No.%20900%2C%202024%20(Combined%20Version%29.pdf) (read 2026-11-06) - [Animal Control, Town of Qualicum Beach](https://qualicumbeach.com/town-services/bylaw-enforcement/animal-control/) (read 2026-11-06) - [Municipal Ticket Information Utilization Bylaw No. 626, consolidated to 626.07 (PDF)](https://qualicumbeach.com/preview/?file_path=Bylaws/Municipal%20Ticket%20Information%20Utilization%20Bylaw%20No.%20626%20(Consolidated%20up%20to%20Bylaw%20No.%20626.07%29.pdf) (read 2026-11-06) - [Dog Licences, Town of Qualicum Beach](https://qualicumbeach.com/dog-licences) (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 Qualicum Beach. How answers are checked: https://govhandbook.com/methods/ · Canonical page: https://govhandbook.com/ca/bc/qualicum-beach/how-many-pets/_