--- title: How many dogs or cats you can keep in Vernon question: "How many dogs or cats can I keep?" place: Vernon, British Columbia, Canada place_path: ca/bc/vernon category: Pets, animals and wildlife owner: shared sources_read: 2026-11-05 review: machine_checked canonical: "https://govhandbook.com/ca/bc/vernon/how-many-pets/" json: "https://govhandbook.com/ca/bc/vernon/how-many-pets.json" --- # How many dogs or cats you can keep in Vernon **Question:** How many dogs or cats can I keep? **Short answer:** In the City of Vernon, you may keep up to three dogs per lot under the Regional District of North Okanagan's Dog Control Bylaw. The City's Bylaw 5252 limits companion animals such as cats to "three total of any species" per lot, but the wording is unclear, so ask Bylaw Compliance. **Who handles it:** More than one level of government **Cost:** More than 3 dogs: $100 ticket, or bylaw notice $100 ($80 if paid within 14 days). Too many companion animals: City bylaw notice $50 ($25 early, $60 late); City municipal ticket $150 ($100 early). **Where:** - Phone: RDNO Dog Control (dogs), 250-541-3647 - Phone: City Bylaw Compliance (other animals), 250-550-3505 ## Key facts - **Dogs allowed:** Three dogs per lot within a municipal boundary such as Vernon (RDNO Dog Control Bylaw s. 6). Not counted: a registered guide dog living with the person it assists, owners in the Guide Dog in Training Program, and RCMP dogs. (Sources differ: The RDNO licensing page says 'per single-family dwelling'; the bylaw says per lot. The bylaw is followed.) - Source: [Dog Control Bylaw No. 2881, 2021 (consolidated), Regional District of North Okanagan, s. 6, 7](https://www.rdno.ca/sites/default/files/2025-03/BL_2881_C.pdf) - Official wording: "No Owner shall have more than three (3) Dogs on:" … "a lot within a municipal boundary; or," … "The three (3) Dog limit in section 6 of this Bylaw excludes:" … "any Dog used by the Royal Canadian Mounted Police." - Source: [DocuPet Dog License Information, Regional District of North Okanagan, Dog Licensing Information](https://www.rdno.ca/doglicense) - Official wording: "Maximum of three dogs allowed per single-family dwelling." - Check: wording matched the official text retrieved 2026-11-06 - **Cats allowed:** Bylaw 5252 says no more than "three (3) total of any species of companion animal" (cats, dogs, rabbits and others) on one lot unless licensed or the Zoning Bylaw permits. It can be read as three in total or three per species; ask Bylaw Compliance (250-550-3505). - Source: [Animal Regulation and Animal Pound Bylaw 5252, s. 1 (Companion Animal), 3(b)](https://www.vernon.ca/sites/default/files/docs/bylaws/animal_regulation_and_animal_pound_bylaw_5252.pdf) - Official wording: "No owner may own more than three (3) total of any species of companion animal on one lot unless they are licenced to do so or the Zoning Bylaw permits otherwise." … "means any species of cats, dogs, rabbits, guinea pigs, rodents, reptiles or Mini Pigs" - Check: wording matched the official text retrieved 2026-11-06 - **Other animal limits:** Mini pigs: two per property, counted within the companion-animal total. Urban hens: four. No swine, male goats or more than four guinea pigs on any lot unless it is assessed as farm land. - Source: [Animal Regulation and Animal Pound Bylaw 5252, Schedule C s. 4; s. 3(h); Schedule A s. 2](https://www.vernon.ca/sites/default/files/docs/bylaws/animal_regulation_and_animal_pound_bylaw_5252.pdf) - Official wording: "No more than two Mini Pigs may be kept on any property, except as an" … "No person shall keep swine, male goats, or more than four (4) guinea pigs" … "on any lot in the City, unless the lot is assessed as "farm land"" … "No person shall keep more than four (4) hens, except as an agricultural use" - Check: wording matched the official text retrieved 2026-11-06 - **Exceptions:** More than three companion animals if licensed to do so or if the Zoning Bylaw permits it. The dog limit excludes guide dogs, guide-dog-in-training owners and RCMP dogs. The Dog Control Bylaw defines a 'Dog' as an animal over three months old. - Source: [Animal Regulation and Animal Pound Bylaw 5252, s. 3(b)](https://www.vernon.ca/sites/default/files/docs/bylaws/animal_regulation_and_animal_pound_bylaw_5252.pdf) - Official wording: "unless they are licenced to do so or the Zoning Bylaw permits otherwise." - Source: [Dog Control Bylaw No. 2881, 2021 (consolidated), Regional District of North Okanagan, s. 5 (Dog), 7](https://www.rdno.ca/sites/default/files/2025-03/BL_2881_C.pdf) - Official wording: ""Dog" means an animal of the canine species over the age of three (3) months;" … "any Dog used by the Royal Canadian Mounted Police." - Check: wording matched the official text retrieved 2026-11-06 - **Fine:** More than 3 dogs: $100 ticket; bylaw notice $100, or $80 if paid within 14 days. Too many companion animals (City Bylaw 5252 s. 3(b)): City bylaw notice $50 ($25 early, $60 late); City municipal ticket $150 ($100 early). - Source: [https://www.rdno.ca/sites/default/files/2025-03/BL_2909_C.pdf, Schedule A, Appendix 4](https://www.rdno.ca/sites/default/files/2025-03/BL_2909_C.pdf) - Official wording: "More than (3) Dogs 6 $100.00 $80.00 Yes" - Source: [Dog Control Bylaw No. 2881, 2021 (consolidated), Regional District of North Okanagan, Schedule G](https://www.rdno.ca/sites/default/files/2025-03/BL_2881_C.pdf) - Official wording: "More than (3) Dogs $100.00" - Source: [Bylaw Notice Enforcement Bylaw 6048, Schedule A, Schedule A (Bylaw 5252)](https://www.vernon.ca/sites/default/files/docs/bylaws/Bylaw%20Notice%20Enforcement%20Bylaw%206048.pdf) - Official wording: "3(b) To many companion animals $ 50.00 $25.00 $60.00 YES" - Source: [Municipal Ticket Information Bylaw 6049, 2025, Schedule B (Bylaw 5252)](https://www.vernon.ca/sites/default/files/docs/bylaws/Municipal%20Ticketing%20Information%20Bylaw%206049.pdf) - Official wording: "3(b) Too many companion animals $150.00 $100.00" - Check: wording matched the official text retrieved 2026-11-06 - **Bylaw:** Dog Control Bylaw No. 2881, 2021 (dogs; Regional District of North Okanagan). Animal Regulation and Animal Pound Bylaw Number 5252, 2010 (other companion animals; City of Vernon). - Source: [Dog Control Bylaw No. 2881, 2021 (consolidated), Regional District of North Okanagan, s. 1](https://www.rdno.ca/sites/default/files/2025-03/BL_2881_C.pdf) - Official wording: "Dog Control Bylaw No. 2881, 2021" - Source: [Animal Regulation and Animal Pound Bylaw 5252, s. 13](https://www.vernon.ca/sites/default/files/docs/bylaws/animal_regulation_and_animal_pound_bylaw_5252.pdf) - Official wording: "Animal Regulation and Animal Pound Bylaw Number 5252, 2010" - Check: wording matched the official text retrieved 2026-11-06 ## How it works Two bylaws apply in the City of Vernon. The Regional District of North Okanagan's [Dog Control Bylaw No. 2881]() allows three dogs per lot within a municipal boundary. Not counted: a registered guide dog living with the person it assists, owners in the Guide Dog in Training Program, and RCMP dogs. The City's [Animal Regulation and Animal Pound Bylaw 5252]() covers other companion animals such as cats and rabbits. ## Limits - Dogs: three per lot. - Cats and other companion animals: Bylaw 5252 says no more than "three (3) total of any species of companion animal" on one lot, unless licensed or the Zoning Bylaw permits more. This can be read as three in total or three per species. Ask Bylaw Compliance at 250-550-3505 which applies to you. - Mini pigs: two per property, counted within the companion-animal total. - Guinea pigs: no more than four per lot. - Swine and male goats: not allowed on any lot unless it is assessed as farm land. - Urban hens: four (see backyard chickens). ## Good to know - The RDNO licensing page says three dogs "per single-family dwelling", but the bylaw says per lot. This answer follows the bylaw. - The bylaws describe no licence or kennel process for keeping more, and the cat rule refers to the old Zoning Bylaw 5000; the current one is Zoning Bylaw 6000. Ask the City. ## Official forms and pages - [Animal Regulation and Animal Pound Bylaw 5252 (PDF)](https://www.vernon.ca/sites/default/files/docs/bylaws/animal_regulation_and_animal_pound_bylaw_5252.pdf) - [Dog Control Bylaw No. 2881 (PDF)](https://www.rdno.ca/sites/default/files/2025-03/BL_2881_C.pdf) ## Related questions - [Vernon dog licences: fees and how to get one](https://govhandbook.com/ca/bc/vernon/dog-licence.md) - [Vernon backyard chickens, bees and livestock rules](https://govhandbook.com/ca/bc/vernon/backyard-chickens.md) ## The same question elsewhere - [Dog and cat limits in British Columbia, by municipality](https://govhandbook.com/ca/bc/how-many-pets.md) - [Coldstream](https://govhandbook.com/ca/bc/coldstream/how-many-pets.md) - [Lake Country](https://govhandbook.com/ca/bc/lake-country/how-many-pets.md) - [Spallumcheen](https://govhandbook.com/ca/bc/spallumcheen/how-many-pets.md) - [Armstrong](https://govhandbook.com/ca/bc/armstrong/how-many-pets.md) - [Lumby](https://govhandbook.com/ca/bc/lumby/how-many-pets.md) - [Enderby](https://govhandbook.com/ca/bc/enderby/how-many-pets.md) ## Sources - [Animal Regulation and Animal Pound Bylaw 5252 (PDF), City of Vernon](https://www.vernon.ca/sites/default/files/docs/bylaws/animal_regulation_and_animal_pound_bylaw_5252.pdf) (read 2026-11-05) - [Dog Control Bylaw No. 2881, 2021 (consolidated) (PDF), Regional District of North Okanagan](https://www.rdno.ca/sites/default/files/2025-03/BL_2881_C.pdf) (read 2026-11-05) - [DocuPet Dog License Information, Regional District of North Okanagan](https://www.rdno.ca/doglicense) (read 2026-11-05) - [https://www.rdno.ca/sites/default/files/2025-03/BL_2909_C.pdf](https://www.rdno.ca/sites/default/files/2025-03/BL_2909_C.pdf) (read 2026-11-05) - [Bylaw Notice Enforcement Bylaw 6048, Schedule A](https://www.vernon.ca/sites/default/files/docs/bylaws/Bylaw%20Notice%20Enforcement%20Bylaw%206048.pdf) (read 2026-11-05) - [Municipal Ticket Information Bylaw 6049, 2025](https://www.vernon.ca/sites/default/files/docs/bylaws/Municipal%20Ticketing%20Information%20Bylaw%206049.pdf) (read 2026-11-05) _Checked by script, not yet by a person: the official wording behind 6 of 6 facts was matched to the official text. Gov Handbook is an independent guide, not affiliated with any government. How answers are checked: https://govhandbook.com/methods/ · Canonical page: https://govhandbook.com/ca/bc/vernon/how-many-pets/_