The Humane Canada’s Justice and Legislative Affairs Program (formerly the Criminal Justice System Reform Program) signature event for prosecutors and those who work with them is the 10th annual Prosecution of Animal Abuse Conference, will be happening online again this year on Thursday, November 28th and Friday, November 29th, 2024.

Some of the session speakers and highlights of this year’s conferences include:

• Back-to-back sessions diving into the world of Veterinary Forensics: first with two of Canada’s foremost experts on the subject, Dr. Margaret Doyle and Dr. Shane Bateman, followed by Jace Huggins from US-based National Animal Care and Control Association (NACA);
• Kim Gramlich from Delta Police Victim Services and founder of Justice Facility Dogs Canada will discuss how accredited dogs can support victims in the Canadian Criminal Justice System (CJS);
• Dr. Peter Sandøe, professor of bioethics and director of the Centre for Companion Animal Welfare at the University of Copenhagen, will present the different views on animal ethics found in modern Western societies and how these views influence and are influenced by animal welfare legislation; and
• Canadian Centre for Child Protection’s Monique St. Germain and Debra Danco will will explain the history and evolution of Community Impact Statements, along with considerations in crafting effective statements that are admissible, with tips on what to include (and what not to), as well as some highlights from their latest research into the production of child sexual abuse material in Canada and its correlations to animal sexual abuse.

The Prosecution for Animal Abuse Conference brings together Crown Prosecutors, law enforcement and other allied professionals to share information and resources about animal cruelty and the Violence Link (the relationship between animal abuse and human abuse) in order to ensure that crimes against animals are prosecuted effectively and efficiently.

Registration is now open! You can learn more about the conference and purchase tickets here.