Stronger Laws for People and Animals: Understanding Bill C-16
Animals deserve safety, and so do the people who love them.
On June 18, 2026, Bill C-16, the Protecting Victims Act, became law, bringing important changes to Canada’s Criminal Code and other federal legislation. Most of these changes came into force on July 18.
For years, Humane Canada has worked alongside our member organizations, researchers and frontline practitioners to bring national attention to the violence link: the connection between violence against animals and violence against people. We have advocated for stronger laws that recognize how animals can be threatened, harmed or exploited as a means of controlling and intimidating victims.
Bill C-16 marks an important step forward. The new legislation criminalizes the distribution of representations of bestiality, explicitly recognizes animals in criminal harassment and exploitation offences, and expands access to support animals in court. A new coercive control offence that also recognizes violence against animals will come into force in the next two years.
This is more than an animal welfare issue. It is a public safety issue, and these changes will help create safer homes and stronger protections for those most at risk.
Humane Canada will continue driving this work until these measures are fully enacted and vulnerable people and animals are protected across the country.
The Challenge
Violence against animals and violence against people are deeply connected. Until now, Canadian law had not fully recognized this reality.
Animals are frequently harmed, threatened or used as leverage in situations of intimate partner violence, child exploitation and criminal harassment. Abusers can use animals to intimidate, silence and control victims, creating significant barriers for people who are trying to flee dangerous situations or seek help.
For years, without laws that acknowledged this connection, both people and animals remained vulnerable, and critical warning signs went unaddressed.
Bill C-16 changes that by bringing greater recognition of the violence link into federal law.
What Has Changed
1. New Offence for Representations of Bestiality
Under section 160(3.1), it is now an offence to knowingly publish, distribute, transmit, sell, make available or advertise visual representations of bestiality.
Maximum sentence: five years.
The changes also:
include material involving bestiality in provisions related to sexually explicit material made available to children (s. 171.1);
include it within the definition of “illicit material” (s. 164(8)); and
include representations of bestiality as a primary offence under s. 490.011(1).
2. Threats, Violence and Monitoring
Criminal harassment (s. 264) and exploitation (s. 279.04) now recognize threats or violence against any animal known to the victim.
Criminal harassment also includes monitoring a person’s location or movements, including through tracking devices attached to animal collars or leashes.
3. Support Animals in Court
Bill C-16 expands access to support animals under s. 486.1 for certain witnesses, including children, people with mental or physical disabilities, and witnesses in cases involving sexual violence, criminal harassment, trafficking or intimate partner violence.
Support animals may also be present during victim and community impact statements, with similar access provided in military court proceedings.
Still to Come: Recognizing Animals in Coercive Control
Bill C-16 creates a new Criminal Code offence addressing patterns of coercive or controlling conduct toward an intimate partner.
The offence will explicitly include:
using, attempting to use or threatening violence against any animal known to the intimate partner
controlling or attempting to control the way an intimate partner cares for an animal
Importantly, this protection extends beyond animals in the victim's own care. An animal known to the victim, including an animal belonging to a friend or family member, could also be targeted by a perpetrator.
The coercive control provisions will come into force by June 18, 2028. This implementation period allows time for the development and delivery of training so criminal justice professionals can identify and understand coercive and controlling behaviour.
The Future You Can Help Build
For years, Humane Canada and our Member organizations have worked to bring national attention to the violence link, advance research, support justice professionals, and push for stronger protections. Bill C-16 reflects the progress of this collective effort, but the work is far from over.
Education, advocacy, and support for survivors and animals affected by violence all require sustained investment. Your donation helps us support frontline organizations protecting both people and animals and continue advocating for the next wins, like closing gaps left by Bill C-34 and beyond.
Donate today and help us build a future where every victim, human or animal, gets the protection they deserve.
