How many dogs or cats you can keep in Williams Lake

How many dogs or cats can I keep?

Williams Lake, British ColumbiaChecked against official textSources read 2026-11-05

Short answer

In Williams Lake you may keep no more than two dogs over four months old and no more than two cats over two months old on any parcel. A kennel is the exception for dogs: it needs a kennel licence and zoning that allows it.

Key facts

Dogs allowed	No more than two dogs over four months old on any parcel in the City, except kennels.Animal Control and Licensing Bylaw 2102, 2009 (consolidated), s. 17 · Wording matched the official text retrieved 2026-11-06 Official wording With the exception of kennels, no person shall own, keep, possess or harbour more than two (2) dogs actually or apparently over the age of four (4) months on any parcel in the City.
Cats allowed	No more than two cats over two months old on any parcel in the City.Animal Control and Licensing Bylaw 2102, 2009 (consolidated), s. 27 · Wording matched the official text retrieved 2026-11-06 Official wording No person shall own, keep, possess or harbour more than two cats actually or apparently over the age of two months on any parcel in the City.
Other animal limits	Backyard hens: 3 to 6 depending on lot size, with a hen licence. Backyard bees: at most 2 colonies and 2 nucleus colonies per parcel, with a beekeeping licence. Farm animals only in zones that allow them.Animal Control and Licensing Bylaw 2102, 2009 (consolidated), s. 29.1.2; Animal Control and Licensing Bylaw 2102, 2009 (consolidated), s. 29.2.3; Animal Control and Licensing Bylaw 2102, 2009 (consolidated), s. 29 · Wording matched the official text retrieved 2026-11-06 Official wording keep at least three (3) and not more than four (4) hens per parcel that is less than 745 sq m (8,019 sq ft) limited to a maximum of two (2) colonies and two (2) nucleus colonies per parcel No person shall own, keep, possess or harbour any farm animals except in areas designated for that use in the City's Zoning Bylaw
Exceptions	A kennel (more than two dogs over four months old) needs a kennel licence and must be permitted by the Zoning Bylaw; the Animal Control Officer may set the number of dogs. Kennel licence: $50 for 4 or fewer dogs, $100 for 5 or more. Dogs under four months and cats under two months are not counted.Animal Control and Licensing Bylaw 2102, 2009 (consolidated), s. 13; Animal Control and Licensing Bylaw 2102, 2009 (consolidated), s. 15; Animal Control and Licensing Bylaw 2102, 2009 (consolidated), Schedule A; Animal Control and Licensing Bylaw 2102, 2009 (consolidated), definitions, "kennel" · Wording matched the official text retrieved 2026-11-06 Official wording unless a kennel is permitted under the City's Zoning Bylaw the number of dogs permitted at the kennel Kennel license @ 4 or less dogs $50.00 Kennel license @ 5 or more dogs $100.00 more than two dogs actually or apparently over the age of four months are kept, trained, boarded or bred
Fine	Bylaw notice: $100 for more than 2 dogs and $100 for more than 2 cats ($75 if paid within 14 days; $125 if paid late).Bylaw Notice Enforcement Bylaw No. 2196, 2013 (consolidated), Schedule A-1 · Wording matched the official text retrieved 2026-11-06 Official wording More than 2 dogs 17 More than 2 cats 27 $100.00 $75.00 $125.00
Bylaw	Animal Control and Licensing Bylaw No. 2102, 2009Animal Control and Licensing Bylaw 2102, 2009 (consolidated), s. 1 · Wording matched the official text retrieved 2026-11-06 Official wording This Bylaw shall be cited as the Animal Control and Licensing Bylaw No. 2102, 2009.

How it works

The Animal Control and Licensing Bylaw limits animals per parcel in Williams Lake, not per person or household.

Limits

Dogs: no more than two over four months old on any parcel, except kennels.
Cats: no more than two over two months old on any parcel.
Hens: 3 to 6 depending on lot size, with a hen licence. Bees: at most 2 colonies and 2 nucleus colonies per parcel, with a beekeeping licence. Farm animals only in zones that allow them. See the backyard-chickens answer.

Good to know

A kennel (more than two dogs over four months old) needs a kennel licence and must be permitted by the Zoning Bylaw. The Animal Control Officer may set the number of dogs. The licence is $50 for 4 or fewer dogs and $100 for 5 or more.
Dogs under four months and cats under two months do not appear to be counted, based on the bylaw's wording.
Exceeding the limit is a $100 bylaw notice for more than 2 dogs and $100 for more than 2 cats ($75 if paid within 14 days; $125 if paid late).
The City's copy of the bylaw is dated 2019; later changes, if any, were not seen.

Official forms and pages

Animal Control and Licensing Bylaw 2102, 2009 (PDF)

The same question in other places

100 Mile House · Quesnel · Clearwater · Lillooet · Ashcroft · Barriere

Dog and cat limits in British Columbia, by municipality →

Sources

Animal Control and Licensing Bylaw 2102, 2009 (consolidated) (read 2026-11-05)
Bylaw Notice Enforcement Bylaw No. 2196, 2013 (consolidated), Schedule A-1 (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.