[4] Some of its founders were Richard Taylor, president of the Ottawa Humane Society; Alne Cameron, former Veterinary Director General for Canada and president of the Ottawa Humane Society; Senator Frederic McGrand; and former lawyer Gord Gunn, who had witnessed the suffering of horses in World War I.

[5] Currently, the organization is led by Chief Executive Officer Barbara Cartwright, who joined Humane Canada in July 2011.

The Federation works with the Canadian livestock sector to improve standards of care for animals on farm, as well as in transit and at slaughter.

As a founding member of the National Companion Animal Coalition, Humane Canada has been involved in setting the standard for microchip identification for pets, and has worked on such issues as dog bite prevention, puppy mills and municipal bylaws for dogs and cats.

Humane Canada is also a member of the Animal Welfare Committee of the Canadian Veterinary Medical Association.