MPP Effie Triantafilopoulos Files Motion to Strengthen Crown Education on the Link Between Animal Cruelty and Gender-Based and Family Violence

June 2, 2026

June 2, 2026

QUEEN’S PARK — Yesterday, Effie Triantafilopoulos filed a Private Member’s Motion in the Ontario Legislature calling on the government to ensure Crown attorneys and Crown counsel are educated on the connection between animal cruelty and gender-based and family violence.

The motion states:

“That in the opinion of this House, the Government of Ontario should ensure that Crown attorneys and Crown counsel in Ontario are educated on the connection between animal cruelty and gender-based and family violence.”

Triantafilopoulos also delivered a Member Statement in the Legislature highlighting the growing recognition of what experts refer to as the “Violence Link” — the well-documented connection between abuse against animals and violence against people, including intimate partner violence, child abuse, elder abuse, and coercive control.

“Animal cruelty is often not an isolated act,” said Effie Triantafilopoulos, Member of Provincial Parliament for Oakville North-Burlington and Parliamentary Assistant to the Minister for Tourism, Culture, and Gaming. “Research increasingly shows that violence directed at animals can be an indicator of escalating violence within the home. Better awareness and education across the justice system can help identify high-risk situations earlier, strengthen interventions, and improve protections for victims and their families.”

The motion builds on several actions already taken in Ontario to strengthen protections for vulnerable individuals and animals. Ontario established some of the strongest provincial animal protection laws in Canada through the Provincial Animal Welfare Services Act (PAWS Act), which introduced tougher penalties for animal abuse and strengthened enforcement powers.

It also builds on progress made through Triantafilopoulos’ previous Private Member’s Motion on Keira’s Law, which was incorporated into the Strengthening Safety and Modernizing Justice Act, 2023. Those reforms established mandatory education for judges and justices of the peace on intimate partner violence and coercive control.

Her motion also aligns with recommendations and findings from Ontario’s Standing Committee on Justice Policy report on intimate partner violence, which recognized the role coercive control and threats against companion animals can play in abusive relationships and highlighted the importance of coordinated responses across the justice system.

“Addressing gender-based and family violence means recognizing the full scope of harm that can exist within a home, including the clear link between animal cruelty and human abuse. By strengthening education and awareness within our justice system, this motion helps protect women, children, and vulnerable individuals earlier and more effectively”. Said the Honourable Charmaine Williams, Minister of Women’s Social & Economic Opportunity. “Creating safer communities is fundamental to advancing women’s social and economic opportunity, because no woman can fully participate in society, pursue opportunity, or build financial independence while living in fear. This motion is another important step toward ensuring survivors across Ontario are supported, protected, and empowered to build secure futures.”

Experts and advocacy organizations across Canada have increasingly emphasized the importance of recognizing the Violence Link in legal and public safety responses. Humane Canada, founder and lead agency of the Canadian Violence Link Coalition, and the Ontario Association of Interval & Transition Houses are among the organizations that have advocated for greater awareness and education in this area.

If adopted, the motion would formally recognize the connection between animal cruelty and family violence while encouraging enhanced education and awareness among Crown attorneys and crown counsel involved in the justice system.

Quotes

“We support MPP Triantafilopoulos’s motion to improve understanding of animal cruelty in the context of gender-based violence by mandating training on the violence link for justice system stakeholders—including police, prosecutors, the judiciary, and family law professionals. This motion echoes recommendations made in the recently published report authored by MPP Jess Dixon that resulted from the Standing Committee on Justice Policy’s study of intimate partner violence in 2024, which includes a section dedicated to animal cruelty and its connection to this type of violence”. – Kerri Thomson, Manager, Justice and Legislative Affairs, Humane Canada * Humane Canada is the Founder and Lead Agency of the Canadian Violence Link Coalition (CVLC) which recognizes the link between violence against people and animal abuse.

“Our research has documented a strong relationship between animal abuse and intimate partner violence. We therefore enthusiastically support the motion to ensure education and training for Crown prosecutors and other family court professionals on the relationship between animal maltreatment and gender-based violence”. – Amy J. Fitzgerald, PhD; Betty Barrett, PhD; Patti Fritz, PhD; Rochelle Stevenson, PhD; and Amy Peirone, PhD., academic faculty members of the Animal Abuse and Interpersonal Violence Research Group (AIPARG) at the University of Windsor

“True survivor-centered care requires a multi-sectoral ‘backbone’ wherein Crown prosecutors and other family court professionals work together to dismantle barriers to support. Effie Triantafilopoulos’ Private Member’s Motion on animal cruelty and intimate partner violence strives for a collaborative approach which empowers survivors to step out of a state of emergency and into a future where their pets—and their peace of mind—are secured.” – Marlene Ham, Executive Director, Ontario Association of Interval & Transition Houses (OAITH)

Resources

Video of Effie’s Member Statement
Ontario’s Standing Committee on Justice Policy’s Study on Intimate Partner Violence
Strengthening Safety and Modernizing Justice Act, 2023
Oakville North-Burlington MPP’s Keira’s Law motion receives royal assent – InsideHalton
Bill 136, Provincial Animal Welfare Services Act, 2019

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Media Contact:
Katie Robinette, Executive Assistant
Katie.robinette@pc.ola.org
Office of Effie Triantafilopoulos, MPP (Oakville North-Burlington), Parliamentary Assistant to the Minister for Tourism, Culture, and Gaming, and Deputy Speaker