How many dogs or cats you can keep in Vernon

How many dogs or cats can I keep?

Vernon, British ColumbiaChecked against official textSources read 2026-11-05

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.

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.Dog Control Bylaw No. 2881, 2021 (consolidated), Regional District of North Okanagan, s. 6, 7; DocuPet Dog License Information, Regional District of North Okanagan, Dog Licensing Information · Wording matched the official text retrieved 2026-11-06 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. Maximum of three dogs allowed per single-family dwelling.
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).Animal Regulation and Animal Pound Bylaw 5252, s. 1 (Companion Animal), 3(b) · Wording matched the official text retrieved 2026-11-06 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
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.Animal Regulation and Animal Pound Bylaw 5252, Schedule C s. 4; s. 3(h); Schedule A s. 2 · Wording matched the official text retrieved 2026-11-06 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
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.Animal Regulation and Animal Pound Bylaw 5252, s. 3(b); Dog Control Bylaw No. 2881, 2021 (consolidated), Regional District of North Okanagan, s. 5 (Dog), 7 · Wording matched the official text retrieved 2026-11-06 Official wording unless they are licenced to do so or the Zoning Bylaw permits otherwise. "Dog" means an animal of the canine species over the age of three (3) months; any Dog used by the Royal Canadian Mounted Police.
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).https://www.rdno.ca/sites/default/files/2025-03/BL_2909_C.pdf, Schedule A, Appendix 4; Dog Control Bylaw No. 2881, 2021 (consolidated), Regional District of North Okanagan, Schedule G; Bylaw Notice Enforcement Bylaw 6048, Schedule A, Schedule A (Bylaw 5252); Municipal Ticket Information Bylaw 6049, 2025, Schedule B (Bylaw 5252) · Wording matched the official text retrieved 2026-11-06 Official wording More than (3) Dogs 6 $100.00 $80.00 Yes More than (3) Dogs $100.00 3(b) To many companion animals $ 50.00 $25.00 $60.00 YES 3(b) Too many companion animals $150.00 $100.00
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).Dog Control Bylaw No. 2881, 2021 (consolidated), Regional District of North Okanagan, s. 1; Animal Regulation and Animal Pound Bylaw 5252, s. 13 · Wording matched the official text retrieved 2026-11-06 Official wording Dog Control Bylaw No. 2881, 2021 Animal Regulation and Animal Pound Bylaw Number 5252, 2010

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

The same question in other places

Coldstream · Lake Country · Spallumcheen · Armstrong · Lumby · Enderby

Dog and cat limits in British Columbia, by municipality →

Sources

Animal Regulation and Animal Pound Bylaw 5252 (PDF), City of Vernon (read 2026-11-05)
Dog Control Bylaw No. 2881, 2021 (consolidated) (PDF), Regional District of North Okanagan (read 2026-11-05)
DocuPet Dog License Information, Regional District of North Okanagan (read 2026-11-05)
https://www.rdno.ca/sites/default/files/2025-03/BL_2909_C.pdf (read 2026-11-05)
Bylaw Notice Enforcement Bylaw 6048, Schedule A (read 2026-11-05)
Municipal Ticket Information Bylaw 6049, 2025 (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. How answers are checked.