Humane Canada 

OTTAWA, ON (December 9, 2025) — In a landmark move for child and animal protection, the Canadian government has introduced Bill C-16, the Protecting Victims Act, which will criminalize the distribution of animal sexual abuse images nationwide. This decisive action, announced today by Justice Minister Sean Fraser, marks a pivotal step toward safeguarding the most vulnerable members of our society, both animals and children. 

“Across Canada, countless animals and children have suffered in silence, hidden behind closed doors and overlooked by outdated laws. Today, a vital moment of change is within reach — a moment where compassion, justice, and safety for the most vulnerable are finally being recognized in the eyes of the law,” said Barbara Cartwright, CEO of Humane Canada, the Federation of Humane Societies and SPCAs. 

Animal sexual abuse images represent extreme cruelty and are frequently used by perpetrators to groom, manipulate, and exploit children. The RCMP has warned of online groups that coerce children into creating abusive images or videos involving animals, then use that material to extort victims into further acts of harm. Criminalizing the distribution of this content is a critical measure to disrupt exploitation, protect children, and prevent further violence toward animals. 

The Government of Canada’s recognition of the harm caused by animal sexual abuse images, and the move to criminalize their distribution, reflects years of persistent advocacy led by Humane Canada and its Member organizations across the country. 

“Criminalizing the distribution of animal sexual abuse images is an essential step toward safeguarding both animals and children,” said Barbara Cartwright. “These images are used as tools of coercion, intimidation, and exploitation. Recognizing the deep and dangerous connection between violence against animals and the sexual exploitation of children is vital to building a safer Canada.” 

The violence link is real: when animals suffer, people suffer. Animals are family, and too often they are silent victims in coercive control, child exploitation, and gender-based violence. Recognizing this reality means finally seeing the whole family unit and taking steps to protect both animals and the people who love them. 

“For too long, animals have been used as instruments of fear and tools of coercive control while our laws failed to reflect the reality victims face. Today marks a turning point for animals,” added Barbara Cartwright. 

This is an important step toward safer homes and stronger protections. 

Humane Canada

Photo: iStock/Rachbauer