{"title":"How many dogs or cats you can keep in White Rock","question":"How many dogs or cats can I keep?","slug":"how-many-pets","place":{"path":"ca/bc/white-rock","name":"White Rock","region":{"code":"bc","name":"British Columbia"},"country":{"code":"ca","name":"Canada"}},"category":{"slug":"pets-and-wildlife","name":"Pets, animals and wildlife"},"owner":"municipal","owner_label":"Municipal","owner_body":{"name":"City of White Rock","url":"https://www.whiterockcity.ca"},"short_answer":"White Rock's Animal Control and Licensing Bylaw allows no more than three dogs on any property, and no kennels. It sets no limit on cats. Exotic animals, livestock and poultry are banned.","aliases":["dog limit white rock","how many cats white rock","exotic pets white rock"],"cost":null,"how_long":null,"where":[{"type":"phone","label":"Bylaw Enforcement","value":"604-541-2146"},{"type":"email","label":"Bylaw Enforcement","value":"bylaw@whiterockcity.ca"}],"documents":[],"forms":[{"title":"Animal Control and Licensing Bylaw 1959 (PDF)","url":"https://www.whiterockcity.ca/DocumentCenter/View/271/Consolidated---Animal-Control-and-Licensing-Bylaw-2012-Number-1959-PDF"}],"related":[{"slug":"dog-licence","title":"White Rock dog licences: fees and how to get one","url":"https://govhandbook.com/ca/bc/white-rock/dog-licence/"},{"slug":"backyard-chickens","title":"White Rock backyard chickens, bees and livestock rules","url":"https://govhandbook.com/ca/bc/white-rock/backyard-chickens/"},{"slug":"dangerous-dogs","title":"White Rock rules for aggressive and dangerous dogs","url":"https://govhandbook.com/ca/bc/white-rock/dangerous-dogs/"}],"nearby":[{"place":"ca/bc/surrey","name":"Surrey","url":"https://govhandbook.com/ca/bc/surrey/how-many-pets/"},{"place":"ca/bc/langley","name":"Langley City","url":"https://govhandbook.com/ca/bc/langley/how-many-pets/"},{"place":"ca/bc/langley-township","name":"Township of Langley","url":"https://govhandbook.com/ca/bc/langley-township/how-many-pets/"},{"place":"ca/bc/delta","name":"Delta","url":"https://govhandbook.com/ca/bc/delta/how-many-pets/"},{"place":"ca/bc/new-westminster","name":"New Westminster","url":"https://govhandbook.com/ca/bc/new-westminster/how-many-pets/"},{"place":"ca/bc/burnaby","name":"Burnaby","url":"https://govhandbook.com/ca/bc/burnaby/how-many-pets/"}],"topic":{"title":"Dog and cat limits in British Columbia, by municipality","url":"https://govhandbook.com/ca/bc/how-many-pets/"},"facts":{"dog_limit":{"label":"Dogs allowed","value":"No more than three dogs on any real property. Dogs under four months old are not counted. A kennel (more than three dogs) is not allowed.","short":"Max three dogs","status":"stated","sources":[{"url":"https://www.whiterockcity.ca/DocumentCenter/View/271/Consolidated---Animal-Control-and-Licensing-Bylaw-2012-Number-1959-PDF","title":"Animal Control and Licensing Bylaw 2012, No. 1959 (consolidated April 2025) (PDF)","section":"ss. 3, 4, 5","quotes":["No person shall keep or allow to be kept on any real property more than three dogs.","No person shall keep, own or operate a kennel.","excludes any dog under the","age of four months"]}],"check":{"result":"matched","text_date":"2026-11-06"}},"cat_limit":{"label":"Cats allowed","value":"The bylaw sets no limit on cats.","short":"No limit","status":"stated","sources":[{"url":"https://www.whiterockcity.ca/DocumentCenter/View/271/Consolidated---Animal-Control-and-Licensing-Bylaw-2012-Number-1959-PDF","title":"Animal Control and Licensing Bylaw 2012, No. 1959 (consolidated April 2025) (PDF)","section":"s. 3 'pet'","quotes":["“pet” means any domestic animal other than livestock or poultry kept within a"]}],"check":{"result":"matched","text_date":"2026-11-06"}},"other_limits":{"label":"Other animal limits","value":"Exotic animals (Schedule D), livestock, poultry and aviaries are banned. Bees: no more than two colonies per lot, only on lots zoned RS1 or RS4, at least 15 feet from any property line.","status":"stated","sources":[{"url":"https://www.whiterockcity.ca/DocumentCenter/View/271/Consolidated---Animal-Control-and-Licensing-Bylaw-2012-Number-1959-PDF","title":"Animal Control and Licensing Bylaw 2012, No. 1959 (consolidated April 2025) (PDF)","section":"s. 7, s. 45, Schedule D","quotes":["No person shall possess or keep in any area, temporarily or permanently, any species","individual or any exotic animal.","any livestock, poultry, aviary, or apiary except as permitted pursuant to City of White Rock Bee Keeping","Snakes, except those designated as wildlife by Provincial enactment"]},{"url":"https://www.whiterockcity.ca/DocumentCenter/View/4187/Bee-Keeping-Bylaw-1992-no-1313","title":"Bee Keeping Bylaw 1992, No. 1313 (PDF)","section":"s. 3","quotes":["No person shall keep more that two (2) colonies of bees on any lot.","No person shall keep more that two (2) colonies of bees on any","Beehives shall only be permitted on a property that is zoned RSl"]}],"check":{"result":"matched","text_date":"2026-11-06"}},"exceptions":{"label":"Exceptions","value":"The limit and the kennel ban do not apply to a City-authorized animal shelter, BC SPCA premises, a retail pet store, a veterinary hospital, or an educational institution's research or teaching premises.","status":"stated","sources":[{"url":"https://www.whiterockcity.ca/DocumentCenter/View/271/Consolidated---Animal-Control-and-Licensing-Bylaw-2012-Number-1959-PDF","title":"Animal Control and Licensing Bylaw 2012, No. 1959 (consolidated April 2025) (PDF)","section":"s. 6","quotes":["The prohibitions in Sections 4 and 5 do not apply to:","An animal control shelter authorized by the City;","A retail pet store;","A veterinary hospital under the control of a veterinarian registered"]}],"check":{"result":"matched","text_date":"2026-11-06"}},"fine":{"label":"Fine","value":"Operating a kennel (s. 5): $500. Keeping an exotic animal, livestock or poultry: $150 first offence, $250 second, $500 third and later. The ticket schedule has no separate line for the three-dog limit in s. 4. Court fine under the bylaw: $1,000 to $10,000.","status":"stated","sources":[{"url":"https://www.whiterockcity.ca/DocumentCenter/View/2072/Consolidated---Ticketing-for-Bylaw-Offences-2011-No-1929-PDF","title":"Ticketing for Bylaw Offences Bylaw 2011, No. 1929 (consolidated) (PDF)","section":"Schedule B3","quotes":["Operating a kennel","$500.00","Keeping an exotic animal","$150.00 1st"]},{"url":"https://www.whiterockcity.ca/DocumentCenter/View/271/Consolidated---Animal-Control-and-Licensing-Bylaw-2012-Number-1959-PDF","title":"Animal Control and Licensing Bylaw 2012, No. 1959 (consolidated April 2025) (PDF)","section":"s. 53","quotes":["shall be liable upon summary","conviction to a fine of not less than one thousand dollars ($1,000.00) and not more than","ten thousand dollars ($10,000.00)."]}],"check":{"result":"matched","text_date":"2026-11-06"}},"bylaw":{"label":"Bylaw","value":"Animal Control and Licensing Bylaw, 2012, No. 1959 (consolidated April 2025)","status":"stated","sources":[{"url":"https://www.whiterockcity.ca/DocumentCenter/View/271/Consolidated---Animal-Control-and-Licensing-Bylaw-2012-Number-1959-PDF","title":"Animal Control and Licensing Bylaw 2012, No. 1959 (consolidated April 2025) (PDF)","section":"s. 1","quotes":["This Bylaw may be cited as \"Animal Control and Licensing Bylaw, 2012, No. 1959.\""]}],"check":{"result":"matched","text_date":"2026-11-06"}}},"facts_summary":{"total":6,"stated":6,"matched":6,"none":0,"unknown":0},"body_markdown":"## How it works\n\nThe City of White Rock limits dogs, not cats. The [Animal Control and Licensing Bylaw](https://www.whiterockcity.ca/DocumentCenter/View/271/Consolidated---Animal-Control-and-Licensing-Bylaw-2012-Number-1959-PDF) says no more than three dogs may be kept on any real property. Dogs under four months old are not counted. A kennel (more than three dogs) is not allowed. The bylaw sets no limit on cats.\n\n## Good to know\n\n- The limit and kennel ban do not apply to a City-authorized animal shelter, BC SPCA premises, a retail pet store, a veterinary hospital, or an educational institution's research or teaching premises.\n- Exotic animals (listed in Schedule D of the bylaw), livestock, poultry and aviaries are banned. See the backyard chickens answer.\n- Bees: no more than two colonies per lot, only on lots zoned RS1 or RS4, at least 15 feet from any property line. Those zone names come from a 1992 bylaw and predate the 2024 Zoning Bylaw, so ask Bylaw Enforcement how this applies today.\n- Fines: operating a kennel $500. Keeping an exotic animal, livestock or poultry is $150, then $250, then $500. The ticket schedule has no separate line for the three-dog limit. A court fine under the bylaw can be $1,000 to $10,000.\n- Every dog needs a licence. See the dog licence answer.","sources":[{"url":"https://www.whiterockcity.ca/DocumentCenter/View/271/Consolidated---Animal-Control-and-Licensing-Bylaw-2012-Number-1959-PDF","title":"Animal Control and Licensing Bylaw 2012, No. 1959 (consolidated April 2025) (PDF)","accessed":"2026-11-05"},{"url":"https://www.whiterockcity.ca/DocumentCenter/View/4187/Bee-Keeping-Bylaw-1992-no-1313","title":"Bee Keeping Bylaw 1992, No. 1313 (PDF)","accessed":"2026-11-05"},{"url":"https://www.whiterockcity.ca/DocumentCenter/View/2072/Consolidated---Ticketing-for-Bylaw-Offences-2011-No-1929-PDF","title":"Ticketing for Bylaw Offences Bylaw 2011, No. 1929 (consolidated) (PDF)","accessed":"2026-11-05"}],"sources_read":"2026-11-05","review":{"status":"machine_checked","badge":"Checked against official text","label":"Checked by script, not yet by a person: the official wording behind 6 of 6 facts was matched to the official text."},"urls":{"html":"https://govhandbook.com/ca/bc/white-rock/how-many-pets/","markdown":"https://govhandbook.com/ca/bc/white-rock/how-many-pets.md","json":"https://govhandbook.com/ca/bc/white-rock/how-many-pets.json"}}