{"title":"How many dogs or cats you can keep in Saanich","question":"How many dogs or cats can I keep in Saanich?","slug":"how-many-pets","place":{"path":"ca/bc/saanich","name":"Saanich","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":"District of Saanich","url":"https://www.saanich.ca"},"short_answer":"In Saanich you may keep no more than five dogs over four months old on any parcel. The same limit of five applies to cats over four months old, unless the parcel is larger than 2.02 ha (5 acres). More than five dogs without a permit is a $150 bylaw notice or municipal ticket.","aliases":["how many dogs allowed saanich","cat limit saanich","pet limit saanich","how many pets can i have saanich"],"cost":"More than five dogs without a permit: bylaw notice $150 ($100 if paid within 14 days); municipal ticket $150 if paid within 30 days, $200 after.","how_long":"The limits apply at all times.","where":[{"type":"phone","label":"CRD Animal Care Services","value":"250-478-0624"},{"type":"phone","label":"Saanich Bylaw Enforcement","value":"250-475-5456","note":"Monday to Friday, normal working hours"}],"documents":[],"forms":[{"title":"Animals Bylaw, 2004, No. 8556 (PDF)","url":"https://www.saanich.ca/assets/Local~Government/Documents/Bylaws~and~Policies/animals-bylaw-2004-no-8556.pdf"},{"title":"Bylaw Notice Enforcement Bylaw, 2018, No. 9525 (PDF)","url":"https://www.saanich.ca/assets/Local~Government/Documents/Bylaws~and~Policies/bylawnoticeenforcementbylaw.pdf"},{"title":"Ticket Bylaw, 2010, No. 9029 (PDF)","url":"https://www.saanich.ca/assets/Local~Government/Documents/Bylaws~and~Policies/ticket-bylaw-2010-no-9029.pdf"}],"related":[{"slug":"dog-licence","title":"Saanich dog licences: fees and how to get one","url":"https://govhandbook.com/ca/bc/saanich/dog-licence/"},{"slug":"backyard-chickens","title":"Saanich backyard chickens, bees and livestock rules","url":"https://govhandbook.com/ca/bc/saanich/backyard-chickens/"},{"slug":"dangerous-dogs","title":"Saanich rules for aggressive and dangerous dogs","url":"https://govhandbook.com/ca/bc/saanich/dangerous-dogs/"}],"nearby":[{"place":"ca/bc/oak-bay","name":"Oak Bay","url":"https://govhandbook.com/ca/bc/oak-bay/how-many-pets/"},{"place":"ca/bc/esquimalt","name":"Esquimalt","url":"https://govhandbook.com/ca/bc/esquimalt/how-many-pets/"},{"place":"ca/bc/victoria","name":"Victoria","url":"https://govhandbook.com/ca/bc/victoria/how-many-pets/"},{"place":"ca/bc/view-royal","name":"View Royal","url":"https://govhandbook.com/ca/bc/view-royal/how-many-pets/"},{"place":"ca/bc/central-saanich","name":"Central Saanich","url":"https://govhandbook.com/ca/bc/central-saanich/how-many-pets/"},{"place":"ca/bc/colwood","name":"Colwood","url":"https://govhandbook.com/ca/bc/colwood/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 five dogs over four months old on any parcel in Saanich.","short":"Max five dogs","status":"stated","sources":[{"url":"https://www.saanich.ca/assets/Local~Government/Documents/Bylaws~and~Policies/animals-bylaw-2004-no-8556.pdf","title":"Animals Bylaw, 2004, No. 8556 (PDF)","section":"s. 8.1","quotes":["no person shall keep more than five dogs over the age of four months on any parcel of land within the Municipality"]}],"check":{"result":"matched","text_date":"2026-11-06"}},"cat_limit":{"label":"Cats allowed","value":"No more than five cats over four months old on any parcel, unless the parcel is larger than 2.02 ha (5 acres).","short":"Max five cats (more on parcels over 2.02 ha)","status":"stated","sources":[{"url":"https://www.saanich.ca/assets/Local~Government/Documents/Bylaws~and~Policies/animals-bylaw-2004-no-8556.pdf","title":"Animals Bylaw, 2004, No. 8556 (PDF)","section":"s. 31","quotes":["keep or harbour more than five cats over the age of four months on any parcel of land","Except where the area of the parcel of land exceeds 2.02 ha (5 acres)"]}],"check":{"result":"matched","text_date":"2026-11-06"}},"other_limits":{"label":"Other animal limits","value":"Pigeons: 25 pairs. Bantams: five (more only on parcels over 0.4 ha in an A zone). Beehives: four on RS-zoned lots. Hens and other poultry have their own limits (see backyard chickens). Farm animals: no more than two on an RS lot, which must be over 0.65 ha.","status":"stated","sources":[{"url":"https://www.saanich.ca/assets/Local~Government/Documents/Bylaws~and~Policies/animals-bylaw-2004-no-8556.pdf","title":"Animals Bylaw, 2004, No. 8556 (PDF)","section":"ss. 4, 39.1, 45, 48.2","quotes":["shall not keep or harbour more than two farm animals","no person shall keep more than five bantams on any parcel","No person shall keep more than 25 pairs of pigeons","No person shall keep more than four hives"]}],"check":{"result":"matched","text_date":"2026-11-06"}},"exceptions":{"label":"Exceptions","value":"The five-dog limit does not apply to kennel operators (kennel use needs a lot over 0.4 ha and zoning that permits it) or to people solely breeding dogs under a Canadian Kennel Club-registered name. The cat limit does not apply to cat kennel operators.","status":"stated","sources":[{"url":"https://www.saanich.ca/assets/Local~Government/Documents/Bylaws~and~Policies/animals-bylaw-2004-no-8556.pdf","title":"Animals Bylaw, 2004, No. 8556 (PDF)","section":"ss. 8.2, 32, 50.1","quotes":["Section 8.1 shall not apply to any person who operates a kennel","Section 31 shall not apply to any person who carries on a kennel operation for cats","has an area greater than 0.4 ha (one acre)"]}],"check":{"result":"matched","text_date":"2026-11-06"}},"fine":{"label":"Fine","value":"Dogs (more than 5 without a permit, s. 8.1): municipal ticket $150 if paid within 30 days, $200 after; bylaw notice $150 ($100 if paid within 14 days). No ticket amount is listed for the cat limit; a court conviction under the bylaw carries a minimum fine of $100.","status":"stated","sources":[{"url":"https://www.saanich.ca/assets/Local~Government/Documents/Bylaws~and~Policies/ticket-bylaw-2010-no-9029.pdf","title":"Ticket Bylaw, 2010, No. 9029 (PDF)","section":"Schedule 8, s. 8.1","quotes":["Keeping more than 5 dogs without a permit 8.1 $150.00 $200.00"]},{"url":"https://www.saanich.ca/assets/Local~Government/Documents/Bylaws~and~Policies/bylawnoticeenforcementbylaw.pdf","title":"Bylaw Notice Enforcement Bylaw, 2018, No. 9525 (PDF)","section":"Schedule 8, s. 8.1","quotes":["Keeping more than 5 dogs","$150.00"]},{"url":"https://www.saanich.ca/assets/Local~Government/Documents/Bylaws~and~Policies/animals-bylaw-2004-no-8556.pdf","title":"Animals Bylaw, 2004, No. 8556 (PDF)","section":"s. 72.1","quotes":["to a minimum fine of $100.00"]}],"check":{"result":"matched","text_date":"2026-11-06"}},"bylaw":{"label":"Bylaw","value":"Animals Bylaw, 2004, No. 8556","status":"stated","sources":[{"url":"https://www.saanich.ca/assets/Local~Government/Documents/Bylaws~and~Policies/animals-bylaw-2004-no-8556.pdf","title":"Animals Bylaw, 2004, No. 8556 (PDF)","section":"title","quotes":["ANIMALS BYLAW, 2004, NO. 8556"]}],"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 [Animals Bylaw, 2004, No. 8556](https://www.saanich.ca/assets/Local~Government/Documents/Bylaws~and~Policies/animals-bylaw-2004-no-8556.pdf) limits how many animals you can keep on one parcel.\n\n- Dogs: no more than five over four months old.\n- Cats: no more than five over four months old, unless the parcel is larger than 2.02 ha (5 acres).\n- Pigeons: 25 pairs.\n- Bantams: five (more only on parcels over 0.4 ha in an A zone).\n- Beehives: four on RS-zoned lots.\n- Farm animals: no more than two on an RS lot, which must be over 0.65 ha.\n- Hens and other poultry have their own limits; see backyard chickens.\n\nThe five-dog limit does not apply to kennel operators (a kennel needs a lot over 0.4 ha and zoning that permits it) or to people solely breeding dogs under a Canadian Kennel Club-registered name. The cat limit does not apply to cat kennel operators.\n\n## Steps\n\n1. Count the dogs and cats over four months old on your parcel.\n2. If you are over the limit, contact Saanich Bylaw Enforcement at 250-475-5456 before keeping the extra animals.\n\n## Good to know\n\n- More than five dogs without a permit: a bylaw notice is $150 ($100 if paid within 14 days); a municipal ticket is $150 if paid within 30 days and $200 after.\n- No ticket amount is listed for the cat limit. A court conviction under the bylaw carries a minimum fine of $100.\n- Every dog over four months old also needs a licence.","sources":[{"url":"https://www.saanich.ca/EN/main/local-government/bylaw-services/complaint-process.html","title":"Complaint Process - District of Saanich | District of Saanich","accessed":"2026-11-06"},{"url":"https://www.saanich.ca/assets/Local~Government/Documents/Bylaws~and~Policies/animals-bylaw-2004-no-8556.pdf","title":"Animals Bylaw, 2004, No. 8556 (PDF)","accessed":"2026-11-06"},{"url":"https://www.saanich.ca/assets/Local~Government/Documents/Bylaws~and~Policies/bylawnoticeenforcementbylaw.pdf","title":"Bylaw Notice Enforcement Bylaw, 2018, No. 9525 (PDF)","accessed":"2026-11-06"},{"url":"https://www.saanich.ca/assets/Local~Government/Documents/Bylaws~and~Policies/ticket-bylaw-2010-no-9029.pdf","title":"Ticket Bylaw, 2010, No. 9029 (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/saanich/how-many-pets/","markdown":"https://govhandbook.com/ca/bc/saanich/how-many-pets.md","json":"https://govhandbook.com/ca/bc/saanich/how-many-pets.json"}}