News & Notices

GTHS will be hosting its Humane Education Open House

Posted: July 192, 2025

Georgian Triangle Humane Society Partners with Humane Canada to Help Youth Increase Empathy/Compassion and Become Allies in the Prevention of Gender-based Violence

Georgian Triangle Humane Society Partners with Humane Canada to Help Youth Increase Empathy/Compassion and Become Allies in the Prevention of Gender-based Violence

* GTHS’s study showed Humane Education program participants have demonstrated a 17 per cent increase in their social and emotional skills 
* Registration for Summer 2025 Humane Education programming is now open
* Humane Canada’s Promising Practices Online Learning Centre for educators is now live

Collingwood, ON - June 24, 2025 – Georgian Triangle Humane Society (GTHS) today announced a partnership with Humane Canada on a program called the Promising Practices Project, focused on engaging men and boys as allies against gender-based violence through humane education. GTHS’s programming in summer 2025 will integrate the Promising Practices Framework to foster positive change in attitudes and behaviours, contributing to a safer and more inclusive community.

The GTHS’s Humane Education Program comprises several course options and aims to introduce age-appropriate concepts including the following:
* Addressing the link between human and animal violence
* Respecting boundaries
* Living well together
* Taking empowered action
* Building self-confidence

The programs are designed to help youth become allies in the prevention of gender-based violence while continuing to increase their empathy and care for all living things.

GTHS’s Humane Education Program Continues to Grow
The GTHS first launched its Humane Education Program in 2017 and has long adopted the principles advocated by the Promising Practices Project into its programming, emphasizing the critical connection between human violence and animal abuse.

* One million animals per year in Canada are abused because of domestic violence¹
* Abusers of animals are five times as likely to harm humans²
* 56% of women experiencing gender-based violence delay leaving out of concern for their animals²
* 1 in 3 of domestic violence victims end up returning in order to protect their beloved animals²

According to two reports in 2018-2020³, program participants have demonstrated a 17 per cent increase in their social and emotional skills, with an even higher increase for boys. When participants take additional courses, or re-do the course, the results show an additional 10 per cent increase.

Since the launch of its Humane Education program, GTHS has worked with an average of 2,500 youth every year, and in 2024, it saw a 70 per cent increase in youth participation compared to 2020.

According to the Centre for Addiction and Mental Health (CAMH), more than half of Ontario students report symptoms of depression and anxiety and a third of students (31 per cent) rate their ability to cope as fair or poor. In 2023, CAMH found that one-quarter of Ontario students reported being bullied at school since the beginning of the school year in 2022. Numerous studies published post-COVID have unanimously concluded that the prolonged isolation imposed on our youth during the pandemic either worsened or triggered a staggering level of mental health problems, especially in children and adolescents.

“When young children come into our building and work directly with animals, they put down their phones. They are not distracted. They use the animals as a vehicle to catalyze interpersonal relationships,” said Karen Marsh, executive director of the GTHS. “Where they might be in cliques or groups in schools, or students might be removing themselves from the group because they're afraid of being bullied, or they're different in some way – all of those barriers seem to be broken down when an animal is a common denominator in a group of youth. Our program focuses on fostering ‘a service to others’ versus ‘a service to self’ model. It offers a detailed look at the relationships with animals and people using hands-on, activity-based lessons that foster empathy and compassion.” 

In early 2024, Marsh joined the steering committee at Humane Canada’s Promising Practices to offer expertise and help oversee the creation of an educational framework.

“The Promising Practices Project aims to create an educational framework that involves men and boys in ending gender-based violence,” said Sue O’Neill, Manager, Promising Practices Project at Humane Canada. “While much of the work has been led by survivors who are women, and gender diverse individuals, we know ending violence requires collective effort.This adaptable framework provides strategies and tools to start conversations and educate individuals to become allies in creating a violence-free world. We’re excited to see this project gain traction and continue to grow. Drawing on the expertise of the Georgian Triangle Humane Society and other partners, we have recently launched the Promising Practices Online Learning Centre, offering educators access to the framework and resources to help implement their own programs.”

Programs Aim to Inspire Lasting Change
Participants in GTHS’s after-school programs learn to understand animal behaviour, recognize body language, practice consent, and assess whether a pet is comfortable and enjoying attention. By teaching respect, empathy and empowerment, the GTHS aims to inspire lasting change and contribute to a community where all beings are treated with kindness and dignity.

Registration for the GTHS summer courses (July 7 to August 28) is now open:
- Junior Volunteers (Ages 10-14)

- Summer Camp (Ages 6-9)

For more information on GTHS’s Humane Education Program, visit https://gths.ca/youth-programs/.  

New state-of-the-art facility to shelter more animals and engage more youth
With the growing population and unprecedented crisis with more strays and surrendered animals arriving daily, GTHS has been in desperate need of a new facility. On June 14, GTHS made an announcement about the building of the Regional Centre for Pets and People. In addition to sheltering over 5,500 animals, employing 600 volunteers and 50 staff members and providing over 6,700 spay/neuter surgeries, the new centre will engage over 6,000 youth in meaningful programming through workshops, tours and hands-on activities, encouraging young people to become active, caring community members.

About the Georgian Triangle Humane Society
The GTHS is a non-profit charity that operates an Animal Centre serving the south Georgian Bay region by providing shelter for homeless animals and adopting them to caring families. They offer innovative programs that enhance and support the human-animal bond. These programs include Lifelong Learning, Access to Care and Animal Transport for pets in underserved communities. For more information, visit https://gths.ca/.  

https://gths.ca/youth-programs/

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