---
title: How many dogs or cats you can keep in Sechelt
question: "How many dogs or cats can I keep in Sechelt?"
place: Sechelt, British Columbia, Canada
place_path: ca/bc/sechelt
category: Pets, animals and wildlife
owner: municipal
owner_body: District of Sechelt
sources_read: 2026-11-06
review: machine_checked
canonical: "https://govhandbook.com/ca/bc/sechelt/how-many-pets/"
json: "https://govhandbook.com/ca/bc/sechelt/how-many-pets.json"
---

# How many dogs or cats you can keep in Sechelt

**Question:** How many dogs or cats can I keep in Sechelt?

**Short answer:** In Sechelt, keeping more than 3 dogs is an offence under the Animal Control and Licensing Bylaw. No limit on cats was found. Urban hens and rabbits together are capped by lot size, from 6 on lots under 2,000 m² to unlimited over 1 hectare.

**Who handles it:** Municipal (District of Sechelt, https://www.sechelt.ca)  
**Cost:** Bylaw notice for more than 3 dogs: $150. Animals kept contrary to the Zoning Bylaw: $150.  
**How long:** Not applicable.  
**Where:**
- Phone: Bylaw Enforcement, 604-885-1986 ext. 2
- In person: Municipal Hall, 2nd Floor, 5797 Cowrie Street, Sechelt, BC V0N 3A0 (9:00 a.m. to 4:00 p.m. (the District page does not give the days of the week))

## Key facts

- **Dogs allowed:** More than 3 dogs is an offence under the Animal Control and Licensing Bylaw (s. 3.1).
  - Source: [Bylaw Notice Enforcement Implementation Bylaw No. 515, 2012 (consolidated February 2026), Schedule A, Animal Control and Licensing Bylaw](https://www.sechelt.ca/media/d0ibsbhf/515-2012-bylaw-notice-enforcement-implementation-consolidated.pdf)
  - Official wording: "611, 2023 Section 3.1 More than 3 dogs $150 Yes"
  - Check: wording matched the official text retrieved 2026-11-06
- **Cats allowed:** Not confirmed. The Animal Control and Licensing Bylaw is a scan with no readable text, so a cat limit could not be checked.
- **Other animal limits:** Urban hens and rabbits (together): up to 6 on lots under 2,000 m², up to 12 on lots over 2,000 m² to 1 ha, unlimited over 1 ha. Not in RM1 or RM2 zones. Beehives depend on lot size.
  - Source: [Zoning Bylaw No. 580, 2022 (consolidated May 2025), s. 2.9.4](https://www.sechelt.ca/media/frrcd5c5/580-2022-zoning-bylaw.pdf)
  - Official wording: "Urban hens and rabbits are permitted in Residential zones, other than the RM1 and RM2 zones" … "Less than 2,000 m2 6" … "Greater than 2,000 m2 to 1 ha 12"
  - Check: wording matched the official text retrieved 2026-11-06
- **Exceptions:** Not confirmed. The Animal Control and Licensing Bylaw is a scan, so its exceptions could not be read.
- **Fine:** Bylaw notice: $150 for more than 3 dogs (compliance agreement available). Animals kept contrary to the Zoning Bylaw: $150 (s. 10.2).
  - Source: [Bylaw Notice Enforcement Implementation Bylaw No. 515, 2012 (consolidated February 2026), Schedule A, Animal Control and Licensing Bylaw](https://www.sechelt.ca/media/d0ibsbhf/515-2012-bylaw-notice-enforcement-implementation-consolidated.pdf)
  - Official wording: "611, 2023 Section 3.1 More than 3 dogs $150 Yes" … "Animals kept in contravention of the Zoning" … "Bylaw"
  - Check: wording matched the official text retrieved 2026-11-06
- **Bylaw:** Animal Control and Licensing Bylaw No. 611, 2023
  - Source: [Dog Licences, Dog Licences page](https://www.sechelt.ca/living-here/pets-and-wildlife/dog-licences/)
  - Official wording: "Animal Control and Licensing Bylaw No. 611, 2023"
  - Check: wording matched the official text retrieved 2026-11-06

## How it works

The [Animal Control and Licensing Bylaw 611](<https://www.sechelt.ca/media/rx3lr4ph/611-2023-animal-control-and-licensing-bylaw.pdf>) makes it an offence to keep more than 3 dogs (s. 3.1, as worded in the bylaw notice schedule). The bylaw is a scan with no readable text, so its exceptions and the properties it covers could not be read.

No official page or bylaw we read sets a limit on cats. The District's Cats page says pet licences are only required for dogs.

## Good to know

- Hens and rabbits together: up to 6 on lots under 2,000 m², up to 12 on lots over 2,000 m² to 1 hectare, and unlimited over 1 hectare. They are not allowed in the RM1 and RM2 zones. See the backyard chickens answer.
- The [Zoning Bylaw 580](<https://www.sechelt.ca/media/frrcd5c5/580-2022-zoning-bylaw.pdf>) defines a kennel as a place where three or more dogs, cats, birds or other domestic pets are boarded, groomed, harboured, trained, rescued or bred. We did not find kennel licensing rules in readable text.
- A bylaw notice for more than 3 dogs is $150, and a compliance agreement may be available. Keeping animals contrary to the Zoning Bylaw is also $150.
- Questions about exceptions: Bylaw Enforcement, 604-885-1986 ext. 2.

## Official forms and pages

- [Animal Control and Licensing Bylaw No. 611, 2023 (PDF, scanned)](https://www.sechelt.ca/media/rx3lr4ph/611-2023-animal-control-and-licensing-bylaw.pdf)
- [Zoning Bylaw No. 580, 2022 (consolidated May 2025) (PDF)](https://www.sechelt.ca/media/frrcd5c5/580-2022-zoning-bylaw.pdf)
- [Bylaw Notice Enforcement Implementation Bylaw No. 515, 2012 (consolidated February 2026) (PDF)](https://www.sechelt.ca/media/d0ibsbhf/515-2012-bylaw-notice-enforcement-implementation-consolidated.pdf)

## Related questions

- [Sechelt dog licences: fees and how to get one](https://govhandbook.com/ca/bc/sechelt/dog-licence.md)
- [Sechelt backyard chickens, bees and livestock rules](https://govhandbook.com/ca/bc/sechelt/backyard-chickens.md)
- [Sechelt dog leash rules and off-leash areas](https://govhandbook.com/ca/bc/sechelt/dog-leash-rules.md)
- [Sechelt bylaw fines and how tickets work](https://govhandbook.com/ca/bc/sechelt/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)
- [Gibsons](https://govhandbook.com/ca/bc/gibsons/how-many-pets.md)
- [Bowen Island](https://govhandbook.com/ca/bc/bowen-island/how-many-pets.md)
- [Lantzville](https://govhandbook.com/ca/bc/lantzville/how-many-pets.md)
- [Nanaimo](https://govhandbook.com/ca/bc/nanaimo/how-many-pets.md)
- [Lions Bay](https://govhandbook.com/ca/bc/lions-bay/how-many-pets.md)
- [West Vancouver](https://govhandbook.com/ca/bc/west-vancouver/how-many-pets.md)

## Sources

- [Animal Control and Licensing Bylaw No. 611, 2023 (PDF, scanned)](https://www.sechelt.ca/media/rx3lr4ph/611-2023-animal-control-and-licensing-bylaw.pdf) (read 2026-11-06)
- [Bylaw Notice Enforcement Implementation Bylaw No. 515, 2012 (consolidated February 2026) (PDF)](https://www.sechelt.ca/media/d0ibsbhf/515-2012-bylaw-notice-enforcement-implementation-consolidated.pdf) (read 2026-11-06)
- [Zoning Bylaw No. 580, 2022 (consolidated May 2025) (PDF)](https://www.sechelt.ca/media/frrcd5c5/580-2022-zoning-bylaw.pdf) (read 2026-11-06)
- [Dog Licences, District of Sechelt](https://www.sechelt.ca/living-here/pets-and-wildlife/dog-licences/) (read 2026-11-06)

_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. Gov Handbook is an independent guide, not affiliated with District of Sechelt. How answers are checked: https://govhandbook.com/methods/ · Canonical page: https://govhandbook.com/ca/bc/sechelt/how-many-pets/_