---
title: How many dogs or cats you can keep in Telkwa
question: "How many dogs or cats can I keep in Telkwa?"
place: Telkwa, British Columbia, Canada
place_path: ca/bc/telkwa
category: Pets, animals and wildlife
owner: municipal
owner_body: Village of Telkwa
sources_read: 2026-11-08
review: machine_checked
canonical: "https://govhandbook.com/ca/bc/telkwa/how-many-pets/"
json: "https://govhandbook.com/ca/bc/telkwa/how-many-pets.json"
---

# How many dogs or cats you can keep in Telkwa

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

**Short answer:** In Telkwa, you may keep no more than three dogs over four months old per dwelling unit. More than three needs a kennel licence. The bylaw sets no limit on cats.

**Who handles it:** Municipal (Village of Telkwa, https://www.telkwa.ca)  
**Cost:** Fine: $106.30 each for keeping more than three dogs, operating a kennel or unlawfully harbouring animals.  
**Where:**
- Phone: Village Office, 250-846-5212 (Monday to Friday, 8:30 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. (closed 12:30 to 1:30 p.m.))
- Email: Village Office and bylaw complaints, info@telkwa.ca
- In person: Village Office, 1415 Hankin Ave, Telkwa, BC V0J 2X0

## Key facts

- **Dogs allowed:** No more than three dogs over four months old per dwelling unit, unless temporarily caring for another animal for up to 30 days. More than three dogs needs a kennel licence.
  - Source: [Animal Control and Licensing Bylaw No. 691, 2019, s. 7.2(a)](https://telkwa.civicweb.net/document/31288/)
  - Official wording: "more than three (3) dogs over the age of four (4) months unless they are temporarily caring for another animal for a period not to exceed thirty (30) days"
  - Source: [Animal Control and Licensing Bylaw No. 691, 2019, s. 4.12](https://telkwa.civicweb.net/document/31288/)
  - Official wording: "No person shall own more than three (3) dogs unless they are licensed as a dog kennel."
  - Check: wording matched the official text retrieved 2026-11-08
- **Cats allowed:** None set. Telkwa's Animal Control and Licensing Bylaw sets no limit on cats.
- **Other animal limits:** No rooster. Under 0.91 ha: at most 10 chickens or 3 rabbits. Over 0.91 ha: at most 20 chickens, 6 rabbits or 6 turkeys. Combined chickens, turkeys and rabbits may not exceed half those quantities. Prohibited: horses, cows, pigs, mules, donkeys, goats, sheep, llamas, alpacas, venomous reptiles, wild cats, wolves, bears.
  - Source: [Animal Control and Licensing Bylaw No. 691, 2019, s. 7.4](https://telkwa.civicweb.net/document/31288/)
  - Official wording: "No person shall harbour: a) a rooster;" … "more than ten (10) chickens or three (3) rabbits on property under the size of 0.91 hectares (1.5 acres)" … "more than twenty (20) chickens, or six (6) rabbits, or six (6) turkeys on property over the size of 0.91 hectares (1.5 acres)" … "a combined amount of chickens, turkeys, or rabbits that exceeds half of the quantities mentioned in section 7.4(b) and 7.4(c)" … "Roosters • Horses • Cows • Pigs • Mules / donkeys • Goats / sheep • Llamas / alpaca" … "Reptiles and snakes classified as venomous, whether or not they have venom glands"
  - Check: wording matched the official text retrieved 2026-11-08
- **Exceptions:** A kennel (more than three dogs bred, reared, trained or boarded) is allowed only where the Zoning Bylaw lists it: the C2 and M1 zones. Temporarily caring for another animal for up to 30 days is allowed.
  - Source: [Animal Control and Licensing Bylaw No. 691, 2019, s. 7.3](https://telkwa.civicweb.net/document/31288/)
  - Official wording: "A kennel shall not be permitted within the Village outside of designated areas as set out in the Village of Telkwa Zoning Bylaw."
  - Source: [Animal Control and Licensing Bylaw No. 691, 2019, s. 2 "Kennel"](https://telkwa.civicweb.net/document/31288/)
  - Official wording: "a place where more than three (3) dogs are bred, reared, trained or boarded"
  - Source: [Zoning Bylaw No. 747, 2022, s. 9.2.1 (C2), s. 11.2.1 (M1)](https://telkwa.civicweb.net/document/32707/)
  - Official wording: ".21 Industrial, Light .22 Institutional .23 Kennel .24 Licensed Establishment" … ".10 Industrial, Light .11 Kennel .12 Light Equipment Repair and Sales"
  - Check: wording matched the official text retrieved 2026-11-08
- **Fine:** $106.30 each for harbouring more than 3 dogs (s. 7.2), operating a kennel (s. 4.12) and unlawful harbouring of animals (s. 7.4).
  - Source: [Fees and Charges Bylaw No. 792, 2025, Schedule B, Animal Control Offence Fees](https://telkwa.civicweb.net/document/36216/)
  - Official wording: "Operating a Kennel 4.12 $ 106.30" … "Harbouring More than 3 Dogs 7.2 $ 106.30" … "Unlawful Harbouring of Animals 7.4 $ 106.30"
  - Check: wording matched the official text retrieved 2026-11-08
- **Bylaw:** Village of Telkwa Animal Control and Licensing Bylaw No. 691, 2019, section 7.
  - Source: [Animal Control and Licensing Bylaw No. 691, 2019, title](https://telkwa.civicweb.net/document/31288/)
  - Official wording: "ANIMAL CONTROL AND LICENSING BYLAW NO. 691, 2019"
  - Check: wording matched the official text retrieved 2026-11-08

## How it works

Section 7 of the [Animal Control and Licensing Bylaw No. 691, 2019](<https://telkwa.civicweb.net/document/31288/>) limits animals. Dogs: no more than three over four months old per dwelling unit, unless you are temporarily caring for another animal for up to 30 days. Cats: the bylaw sets no limit.

## Good to know

- A kennel (more than three dogs bred, reared, trained or boarded) is allowed only where the [Zoning Bylaw No. 747, 2022](<https://telkwa.civicweb.net/document/32707/>) lists it, in the C2 and M1 zones.
- Other animals: no rooster. On under 0.91 ha: at most 10 chickens or 3 rabbits. On over 0.91 ha: at most 20 chickens, 6 rabbits or 6 turkeys. Combined chickens, turkeys and rabbits may not exceed half those quantities.
- Prohibited: horses, cows, pigs, mules, donkeys, goats, sheep, llamas, alpacas, venomous reptiles, wild cats, wolves and bears.
- The fine is $106.30 each for harbouring more than three dogs, operating a kennel, or unlawful harbouring of animals.
- Questions: Village Office, 250-846-5212.

## Official forms and pages

- [Animal Control and Licensing Bylaw No. 691, 2019 (PDF)](https://telkwa.civicweb.net/document/31288/)
- [Zoning Bylaw No. 747, 2022 (PDF)](https://telkwa.civicweb.net/document/32707/)

## Related questions

- [Telkwa dog licences: fees and how to get one](https://govhandbook.com/ca/bc/telkwa/dog-licence.md)
- [Telkwa backyard chickens, bees and livestock rules](https://govhandbook.com/ca/bc/telkwa/backyard-chickens.md)
- [Telkwa dog leash rules and off-leash areas](https://govhandbook.com/ca/bc/telkwa/dog-leash-rules.md)

## The same question elsewhere

- [Dog and cat limits in British Columbia, by municipality](https://govhandbook.com/ca/bc/how-many-pets.md)
- [Houston](https://govhandbook.com/ca/bc/houston/how-many-pets.md)
- [Granisle](https://govhandbook.com/ca/bc/granisle/how-many-pets.md)
- [New Hazelton](https://govhandbook.com/ca/bc/new-hazelton/how-many-pets.md)
- [Terrace](https://govhandbook.com/ca/bc/terrace/how-many-pets.md)
- [Kitimat](https://govhandbook.com/ca/bc/kitimat/how-many-pets.md)
- [Fort St James](https://govhandbook.com/ca/bc/fort-st-james/how-many-pets.md)

## Sources

- [Animal Control and Licensing Bylaw No. 691, 2019 (PDF), Village of Telkwa](https://telkwa.civicweb.net/document/31288/) (read 2026-11-08)
- [Zoning Bylaw No. 747, 2022 (PDF), Village of Telkwa](https://telkwa.civicweb.net/document/32707/) (read 2026-11-08)
- [Fees and Charges Bylaw No. 792, 2025 (PDF), Village of Telkwa](https://telkwa.civicweb.net/document/36216/) (read 2026-11-08)
- [Contact, Village of Telkwa](https://www.telkwa.ca/contact) (read 2026-11-08)

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