Animal Cruelty Legislation

Hello,

Thank you for your continued support of Humane Canada. We’re pleased to share an update on the latest developments in animal cruelty legislation. Please note that this report contains some mildly graphic content that some readers may find difficult.

On February 11, a Winnipeg couple responsible for the torture and deaths of more than 90 animals were sentenced to 12 years imprisonment on animal cruelty charges, with a lifetime prohibition order against being around animals. It is the highest sentence in Canadian court history for an animal cruelty offence.

In delivering his decision, the judge read from Winnipeg Humane Society's Community Impact Statement. Humane Canada was proud to support this member organization in crafting this statement, which included important context on the trauma and emotional damage that their staff underwent in fielding calls from the community about the horrific details that emerged during and after the investigation in the media.

Please note there is some mildly graphic content to follow:

The couple created a business selling videos of animals being crushed to death on the dark web that they marketed to a Telegram group with more than 100 members.

While animal cruelty is an offence under the Criminal Code, there are currently no sufficient charges that address this issue of possessing and sharing animal torture content which is becoming an increasingly urgent issue. This content has links to violent online extremism that targets children and vulnerable youth to desensitize them to violence.

The United States adopted federal legislation specific to the act of animal crushing and related videos in 2010. Humane Canada will be asking the government to adopt similar measures in Bill C-16 that would include appropriate provisions and penalties for this violence to better protect potential animal victims.

In other news, on December 9, the federal government introduced Bill C16, the Protecting Victims Act—a major step toward recognizing the Violence Link. The bill would criminalize animal sexual abuse images and modernize definitions of illicit material in the Criminal Code.

A new offence targets the publication or distribution of bestiality representations, with penalties of up to five years. Updates would group these materials with other forms of child sexual abuse and exploitation.

Bill C16 also creates a new coercive control offence that explicitly includes harming, threatening, or controlling the care of an intimate partner’s animals, using language similar to the previous government private member’s bill C-332, which received unanimous support in the House of Commons. Criminal harassment provisions would also be amended to cover threats directed at a person’s animals.

The Criminal Code update on the criminalization of animal sexual abuse images is something that Humane Canada has been fighting for since before Bill C-84, which updated the definition of bestiality to include any contact for a sexual purpose with an animal in 2019. Closing that loophole will better protect not only animal victims, but also children who are subjected to these images which are too often used as a grooming tool by perpetrators of sexual abuse.  

Perpetrators of abuse often use animal abuse, and threats of it, to coerce, control, and intimidate partners, children, and elders into staying silent about their abuse. They use the same approach to prevent people from leaving or to force them to return. Animals are often overlooked in cases involving broader human harm unless explicitly included in legislation.

Bill C16 was deemed read a second time on February 2 and sent to the House of Commons Standing Committee on Justice and Human Rights for further study. You can track the bill’s progress here.

We thank you fo your continued kindness for animals and support of animal cruelty legislation in Canada. We look forward to keeping you updated on progress made.

Links:

• Humane Canada
• Bill C-16

Hi there,

Thank you for all your continued support of Humane Canada and Animal Cruelty Legislation.  We are happy to share some highlights and updates with you.

Recent highlights close to home:

Our associate, The Beagle Alliance, has been working tirelessly to advocate for the beagles used in testing at a facility in Ontario. Their efforts, alongside ours and those of other organizations, helped push Ontario’s Premier to announce a provincial ban on testing dogs and cats. An important first step toward ending animal testing for good.

 On October 2, Petition e-6589 was officially read into the House of Commons. This petition calls for an END TO FUR FARMING in Canada. We are proud to recognize our associate, The Fur-Bearers, for leading this important initiative. 

At the University of Guelph, Dr. Shane Bateman is pioneering forensic veterinary science in Canada. One of only a few veterinarians trained in this emerging field, he prepares future vets to identify, document, and support investigations of animal abuse. Learn more here →

The University of Toronto’s Animal Law program is equipping future lawyers with the tools to protect animal welfare and advance legal protections for animals. Learn more here→

Letter to include Animal Response in Canada’s Emergency Management and Response:

Animals are family. In times of crisis, they deserve protection, care, and safety. When natural disasters hit, animals are often left behind, frightened and alone. We are working to change this. You can help by adding your voice at the link to Humane Canada’s letter, this isn’t just about saving lives in the moment, it’s about rewriting how we prepare for the future. A future where animals are integrated into Canada's emergency planning.

Advocate To Save the Animals at Marineland

Humane Canada is calling on Ontario to take immediate action to protect these endangered animals before it’s too late. Despite repeated offers of assistance with relocating the animals to safer environments, Marineland has refused to collaborate with independent animal welfare experts. Add your voice at the link and help ensure these animals are given the safety, care, and dignity they deserve.

We are so grateful for your care and advocacy for animals in Canada, and we look forward to updating you again next time!

Links:

• Humane Canada