ACT (Awareness, Collaboration, Tools) Project for Women with Animals Experiencing Gender-Based Violence

What is the ACT Project?

The ACT (Awareness, Collaboration, Tools) Project aims to address systemic barriers to help-seeking, safety planning and support services for women with animals (companion, farm, and service) experiencing Gender-Based Violence. This project falls under the scope of Humane Canada’s National Programs Department, which includes the ground breaking Criminal Justice System Reform Program which integrates the Canadian Violence Link Coalition (CVLC), the National Centre for the Prosecution of Animal Cruelty (NCPAC) and the legislative and policy changes needed to support the goals of the NCPAC and CVLC.   

Visit the ACT to Keep Families Safe Online Learning Centre for education, resources, and more! 

To contribute to lasting systemic change, the ACT Project is building on the foundational work of the CVLC to confront the human-animal Violence Link by raising awareness, improving cross-sector collaboration and offering practical options, response policies, and improved support systems.   

During this 3-year project Humane Canada has engaged key multi-sectoral stakeholders from the help-seeking and safety planning sectors, including women’s shelters, anti-violence organizations, social services, child protection organizations, law enforcement, veterinary professionals, and animal welfare services. The project also seeks to address the needs of underrepresented groups of women with animals experiencing Gender-Based Violence, including survivors, Indigenous women, rural women, and the women in the Official Language Minority Communtiy (OLMC).   
 
If you are interested in learning more about this exciting initiative or getting involved, please get in touch with the ACT Program Manager, Sue O’Neill: sue@humanecanada.ca.

ACT Newsletter

We are pleased to bring you the quarterly ACT (Awareness, Collaboration, Tools) Newsletter:


Humane Canada acknowledges the financial support of Women and Gender Equality Canada for this project. 

Humane Canada acknowledges and appreciates the contributions of the project partners for this project