How many dogs or cats you can keep in Salmon Arm

How many dogs or cats can I keep?

Salmon Arm, British ColumbiaChecked against official textSources read 2026-11-05

Short answer

In the City of Salmon Arm, the Animal Control Bylaw allows no more than four dogs over six months old per property. It sets no limit on household cats. The City's Dog Licences page mentions special zoning for four or more dogs, which does not match the bylaw.

Key facts

Dogs allowed	No more than four dogs over six months old on a property. Registered guide dogs living with the person they assist do not count toward the limit.Sources differ: The Dog Licences page says special zoning is required to license four or more dogs, which does not match the bylaw (more than four is not allowed except for kennels and similar businesses). The bylaw wins. The page may be out of date (it still shows the older wording).Animal Control Bylaw No. 4728, s. 5(h), 5(i); Dog Licenses, Dog Licenses (note) · Wording matched the official text retrieved 2026-11-06 Official wording No person shall keep, harbor, or have in possession more than four (4) dogs over the age of 6 months on a property within the City of Salmon Arm will not be considered in the numerical limit on the number of dogs outlined in Item 5(h) of this Bylaw. special zoning that is required to license four or more dogs
Cats allowed	None set. Salmon Arm's Animal Control Bylaw sets no limit on household cats.Read: Animal Control Bylaw No. 4728
Other animal limits	Poultry and rabbits combined: 6 on lots under 0.2 ha (0.5 acre), 10 on 0.2 ha to under 0.4 ha, 24 on 0.4 ha to under 0.8 ha, 48 on 0.8 ha or more. No roosters. Pigeons: only on parcels of 0.4 ha or more, maximum 30.Animal Control Bylaw No. 4728, s. 4(d), 4(p), 4(q) · Wording matched the official text retrieved 2026-11-06 Official wording Where the lot or property is less than 0.2 ha (0.5 acre) in area, six (6) rabbits or poultry are permitted; not more than ten (10) rabbits or poultry, or a combination thereof not more than twenty four (24) rabbits or poultry, or a combination thereof not more than forty eight (48) rabbits or poultry, or a combination thereof Roosters are not permitted as part of any of the numbers outlined in Item (d) No person shall keep pigeons on a parcel or property with an area of less than 0.4 ha (1.0 acre). The maximum number of pigeons permitted on any property shall be thirty (30) birds.
Exceptions	Kennels, veterinary clinics and dog service businesses with no overnight care may exceed four dogs, as the bylaw and zoning permit. On ALR land or land assessed as a farm, in zones where agriculture is permitted, animal and poultry numbers are unlimited except as the Zoning Bylaw says. Council may vary numerical limits on written request.Animal Control Bylaw No. 4728, s. 5(h), 4(g), 14 · Wording matched the official text retrieved 2026-11-06 Official wording except as provided for persons operating a Kennel, veterinary clinic, or other dog service business not providing overnight care the number of animals and poultry is unlimited except as may be outlined in the Zoning Bylaw. Council may, by motion of Council and by written notice, vary any of the numerical limits on the numbers of animals provisions of this Bylaw
Fine	Municipal ticket: $100 for keeping more than 4 dogs; $100 for poultry or rabbits over the limit.Ticket Information Utilization Bylaw No. 2760 (consolidated, PDF), Schedule 3, Schedule 3 (Animal Control Bylaw No. 4728) · Wording matched the official text retrieved 2026-11-06 Official wording Keep more than 4 dogs 5 (h) $100.00 Poultry or rabbits in excess of limits 4 (d) $100.00
Bylaw	City of Salmon Arm Animal Control Bylaw No. 4728Animal Control Bylaw No. 4728, s. 16 Citation · Wording matched the official text retrieved 2026-11-06 Official wording City of Salmon Arm Animal Control Bylaw No. 4728

How it works

The Animal Control Bylaw No. 4728 allows no more than four dogs over six months old on a property in Salmon Arm. Registered guide dogs living with the person they assist do not count toward the limit. The bylaw sets no limit on household cats.

Good to know

Kennels, veterinary clinics and dog service businesses with no overnight care may exceed four dogs, as the bylaw and zoning permit.
A kennel is a place where more than four dogs or cats in total are kept for a commercial purpose.
On Agricultural Land Reserve land or land assessed as a farm, in zones where agriculture is permitted, animal and poultry numbers are unlimited except as the Zoning Bylaw says.
Council may vary the numerical limits on written request.
Puppies count once they are over six months old.
The limit for keeping more than four dogs is a $100 municipal ticket under Bylaw 2760.
The City's Dog Licences page says special zoning is required to license four or more dogs. The bylaw does not say this. Confirm with Dog Control at 250-803-4000 before getting a fourth dog.
Limits on chickens, rabbits and bees are in the backyard-chickens answer.

Official forms and pages

The same question in other places

Dog and cat limits in British Columbia, by municipality →

Sources

Dog Licenses, City of Salmon Arm (read 2026-11-05)
Animal Control Bylaw No. 4728 (PDF), City of Salmon Arm (read 2026-11-05)
Ticket Information Utilization Bylaw No. 2760 (consolidated, PDF), Schedule 3 (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.