How many dogs or cats you can keep in Salt Spring Island
How many dogs can I keep, and are kennels allowed?
On Salt Spring Island, an unincorporated area, CRD Bylaw 1465 requires a kennel licence to keep more than four dogs over four months old per dwelling unit. Dogs four months old or younger are not counted. No limit on cats was found. A kennel must also be a permitted use under Islands Trust zoning.
Key facts
| Dogs allowed | More than four dogs over four months old for each dwelling unit on a parcel requires a kennel licence.CRD Bylaw No. 1465, Animal Regulation and Impounding Bylaw (consolidated June 2023), s. 2(1)(a) · Wording matched the official text retrieved 2026-11-06Official wordingmore than four (4) dogs over the age of four (4) months without holding a valid kennel licence issued under this Bylaw |
|---|---|
| Cats allowed | Not confirmed. Not found in the official sources that were read. |
| Other animal limits | Not confirmed. Not found in the official sources that were read. |
| Exceptions | A kennel licence allows more dogs, up to the number on the licence. Dogs four months old or younger are not counted toward the limit. A kennel must be a permitted use under zoning. Breeding kennel licences go only to breeders whose dogs are registered with a kennel club; breeding and boarding kennels need a fenced exercise area.CRD Bylaw No. 1465, Animal Regulation and Impounding Bylaw (consolidated June 2023), s. 2(1)(b), 2(2); Salt Spring Island Land Use Bylaw No. 355 (consolidated June 2026), Islands Trust, s. 1.1.1 'kennel' · Wording matched the official text retrieved 2026-11-06Official wordingNo person holding a valid kennel licence shall cause or permit the keeping or harbouring on a parcel more dogs than is permitted under the terms of his kennel licence unless the operation is a permitted use under an applicable Zoning Bylaw Breeding kennel licences can be issued only to persons who are engaged in solely the breeding of dogs more than four (4) dogs over the age of four (4) months Breeding kennel licences can be issued only to persons who are engaged in solely lot in which three or more dogs are or are intended to be trained, cared for, bred, boarded or kept as part of a commercial enterprise |
| Fine | $75 for keeping dogs without a kennel licence; $50 for more dogs than the kennel licence permits (ticket).CRD Bylaw 1857, Ticket Information Authorization Bylaw, Sched. 9 items 1 and 2 · Wording matched the official text retrieved 2026-11-06Official wordingNo kennel licence 2 (1) (a) $75.00 Harbouring dogs in excess of kennel licence 2 (1) (b) $50.00 |
| Bylaw | Animal Regulation and Impounding Bylaw No. 1, 1986 (CRD Bylaw No. 1465)CRD Bylaw No. 1465, Animal Regulation and Impounding Bylaw (consolidated June 2023), title; Animal Regulation and Impounding Bylaw No. 1, 1986 (Consolidated) | Capital Regional District, CRD bylaw directory · Wording matched the official text retrieved 2026-11-06Official wordingANIMAL REGULATION AND IMPOUNDING BYLAW NO. 1, 1986 To regulate the keeping of animals within the Electoral Areas of the Capital Regional District. |
How it works
Salt Spring Island is run by the CRD for animal control and by Islands Trust for land use. Under CRD Bylaw 1465, keeping more than four dogs over four months old for each dwelling unit on a parcel requires a kennel licence. Dogs four months old or younger are not counted.
A kennel licence allows more dogs, up to the number on the licence. Breeding kennel licences go only to breeders whose dogs are registered with a kennel club. Breeding and boarding kennels need a fenced exercise area.
Good to know
- Zoning: the Land Use Bylaw 355 defines a kennel as three or more dogs kept as part of a commercial enterprise, and a kennel must be a permitted use in your zone. Call Islands Trust to check your lot.
- Kennel licence fees are $75 (breeding, four or fewer dogs), $150 (breeding, five or more dogs) and $200 (boarding).
- No limit on cats and no combined limit on other animals was found in Bylaw 1465 or Land Use Bylaw 355.
- Tickets under CRD Bylaw 1857: $75 for keeping dogs without a kennel licence, $50 for more dogs than the licence permits.
Official forms and pages
The same question in other places
Sources
- CRD Bylaw No. 1465, Animal Regulation and Impounding Bylaw (consolidated June 2023) (PDF) (read 2026-11-05)
- Salt Spring Island Land Use Bylaw No. 355 (consolidated June 2026), Islands Trust (PDF) (read 2026-11-05)
- CRD Bylaw 1857, Ticket Information Authorization Bylaw (PDF) (read 2026-11-05)
- Animal Regulation and Impounding Bylaw No. 1, 1986 (Consolidated) | Capital Regional District (read 2026-11-05)
Checked by script, not yet by a person: the official wording behind 4 of 6 facts was matched to the official text; 2 could not be confirmed. How answers are checked.