Welfare Awareness

Humane Canada, as the Canadian Federation of Humane Societies, was formed in 1957 out of concern for the welfare of animals being slaughtered for food in Canada. At that time, there were no regulations addressing the humane slaughter of animals. Humane Canada took on the issue and was influential in the introduction of the federal Humane Slaughter of Food Animals Act in 1959.

We continue to play a crucial role in farmed animal welfare in Canada. As a founding member of the National Farm Animal Care Council (NFACC), Humane Canada advocates for continual improvements to the standards for farmed animal care that are included in Canada’s codes of practice. Humane Canada also campaigns for improvements to various policies and regulations to improve the treatment of farmed animals at the provincial and federal levels. We encourage the public to support campaigns and petitions that demonstrate society's support for improvements.

Humane Canada also campaigns for improvements to various policies and regulations to improve the treatment of farmed animals at the provincial and federal levels.

Wild animals have complex needs and behaviours adapted to life in their natural environments. Human activities can have significant impacts on their welfare, from captivity and wildlife trade to hunting, trapping and habitat disruption.

Humane Canada works to raise awareness of these impacts and promote the humane treatment and protection of wild animals.

Wild Animal Welfare Issues in Canada

Wild Animals in Captivity and Entertainment
Captivity can prevent wild animals from expressing natural behaviours and meeting their complex physical, social and psychological needs. The use of wild animals for entertainment can create serious and lasting welfare concerns.

Wildlife Trade and Exotic Pets
Wild and exotic animals have complex physical, behavioural and environmental needs that are often difficult or impossible to meet in a home. Keeping them as pets can compromise their welfare and can also create risks for people, other animals and native wildlife.

Farming Wild Species
Wild species are not domesticated or adapted to being raised and handled by humans. Confinement, handling, transport and other farming practices can compromise their physical and psychological welfare.

Wildlife and Human Activity
Roads, development and other human activities increasingly bring people and wildlife into contact. Greater awareness and humane approaches can help reduce preventable injuries, suffering and deaths.

In Canada, animals continue to be used in scientific research, testing, and education. While animal-based research has contributed to scientific and medical advances, it also raises important ethical and animal welfare concerns.

Animals used in research can experience pain, stress, fear, and discomfort. Their welfare may be affected by housing conditions, transportation, handling, procedures, and breeding practices.

The internationally recognized Three Rs guide efforts to improve animal welfare in science:

Replace or avoid the use of animals, wherever possible.

Reduce the number of animals used to the minimum required to obtain sufficient data, without compromising welfare.

Refine husbandry and procedures to minimize the suffering and enhance the welfare of those animals used.

Looking Toward Alternatives

Innovative technologies are helping reduce reliance on animals in research and testing. Advances such as human tissue models, AI-driven analysis, and organ-on-chip systems offer promising alternatives that can improve both animal welfare and scientific outcomes.

Humane Canada envisions a future where scientific advancement and animal welfare go hand in hand. By promoting the Three Rs, encouraging transparency, and supporting the development of humane alternatives, we can help create a future where fewer animals are used in science and those that are used receive the strongest possible protections.

One Health, One Welfare is a concept that states animal health is directly connected to human well-being and our environment. It emphasizes that the health and welfare of humans, animals, and ecosystems are interdependent and bound together in a complex web of relationships. By focusing on the intersections of animal welfare within this framework, we underline the importance of ensuring the humane treatment, care, and well-being of animals as a critical component of the overall health of our society and planet.

This mentality is at the core of everything Humane Canada does. We acknowledge that improving animal welfare not only benefits animals but also has positive impacts on human populations and the environment. Ultimately, One Health One Welfare promotes a holistic view of health that encourages collaborative efforts across various sectors and disciplines to achieve optimal outcomes for all forms of life on earth.