How many dogs or cats you can keep in Rossland
How many dogs or cats can I keep?
Short answer
In the City of Rossland you can keep no more than 4 dogs on a property, unless it is a veterinary clinic, animal shelter, licensed animal-care business or a kennel where zoning allows one. The bylaw states no limit on cats.
Key facts
| Dogs allowed | No more than 4 dogs in total on any real property, unless it is a licensed veterinary clinic, an animal shelter, a licensed animal-care business, or a kennel where the Zoning Bylaw permits one.Animal Control Bylaw No. 2862, 2025, s. 7.9 · Wording matched the official text retrieved 2026-11-06Official wordingA Person shall not keep or allow to be kept on any real property more than a total of 4 dogs unless the a) A licensed veterinary clinic; b) An Animal Shelter; or d) A Kennel where use is permitted under the City's Zoning Bylaw |
|---|---|
| Cats allowed | None set. Rossland's Animal Control Bylaw limits only dogs and sets no limit on cats.Read: Animal Control Bylaw No. 2862, 2025 |
| Other animal limits | Livestock may be kept only where the Zoning Bylaw permits. Hens: no more than 15 per property. Roosters and other poultry are not allowed in residential areas.Animal Control Bylaw No. 2862, 2025, s. 11.1; Animal Control Bylaw No. 2862, 2025, s. 12.3 · Wording matched the official text retrieved 2026-11-06Official wordingNo person shall keep Livestock in any area of the City unless permitted under the Zoning Bylaw. No more than fifteen (15) Hens may be kept at a property. |
| Exceptions | More than 4 dogs are allowed only at a licensed veterinary clinic, animal shelter, licensed animal-care business or a kennel where zoning permits. Zoning Bylaw 2864 permits a kennel only in the RR (Rural Residential) zone. Puppies are not excluded from the count.Animal Control Bylaw No. 2862, 2025, s. 7.9-7.10; Zoning Bylaw No. 2864, 2026, s. 8.1 RR zone permitted uses · Wording matched the official text retrieved 2026-11-06Official wordingc) A licenced business that provides care for Animals in a manner permitted by No person shall own, operate, or maintain a kennel within the City except where expressly permitted The following uses and no others shall be permitted in the RR Zone: e) Agricultural Use f) Agriculture Stand g) Kennel |
| Fine | Bylaw notice for 'Too many animals': $150 early payment (1-14 days), $300 penalty. Kennel use contrary to the Zoning Bylaw: $150/$300.Animal Control Bylaw No. 2862, 2025, Schedule B (Bylaw Notice Enforcement offences) · Wording matched the official text retrieved 2026-11-06Official wordingSCHEDULE B- BYLAW ENFORCEMENT NOTICE OFFENCES EARLY PAYMENT Too many animals 7.9 $150.00 $300.00 Kennel use contrary to Zoning Bylaw 7.10 $150.00 $300.00 |
| Bylaw | Animal Control Bylaw No. 2862, 2025 (s. 7.9)Animal Control Bylaw No. 2862, 2025, Citation · Wording matched the official text retrieved 2026-11-06Official wordingThis Bylaw may be cited as the "Animal Control Bylaw" No. 2862, 2025 |
How it works
In the City of Rossland, section 7.9 of the Animal Control Bylaw No. 2862 says no one may keep more than 4 dogs in total on any real property. The exceptions are a licensed veterinary clinic, an animal shelter, a licensed animal-care business, and a kennel where the Zoning Bylaw permits one. No separate rule for different zones or lot sizes is stated.
Good to know
- The Zoning Bylaw No. 2864 permits a kennel only in the RR (Rural Residential) zone.
- Puppies are not excluded from the count of 4 in the bylaw text, even though a dog under four months old needs no licence.
- The Animal Control Bylaw limits only dogs. No limit on cats is stated, so ask City Hall at 250-362-7396 if you have many.
- Keeping more than the limit can bring a bylaw notice of $150 if paid in 1 to 14 days, or $300 after that. Using a kennel contrary to the Zoning Bylaw is also $150 or $300. The City's municipal ticket bylaw is a scan we could not read, so a municipal ticket amount is not available.
- Livestock may be kept only where the Zoning Bylaw permits it. Hens have their own rules; see the backyard chickens answer.
Official forms and pages
The same question in other places
Warfield · Trail · Montrose · Fruitvale · Salmo · Grand Forks
Sources
- Animal Control Bylaw No. 2862, 2025 (PDF), City of Rossland (read 2026-11-05)
- Zoning Bylaw No. 2864, 2026 (PDF), City of Rossland (read 2026-11-05)
- Noise and Nuisances, City of Rossland (City Hall contact) (read 2026-11-05)
Checked by script, not yet by a person: the official wording behind 5 of 6 facts was matched to the official text; 1 is recorded as not set. How answers are checked.