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Dear

I am writing to ask for your support in addressing a largely unrecognized gap affecting rural, farming, and ranching women experiencing domestic or intimate partner violence in Alberta.

Recent research and reporting have highlighted that domestic violence in agricultural communities often presents unique barriers that differ significantly from those in urban settings. In rural and farming communities, women may not only be concerned for their own safety and that of their children, but also for the welfare of livestock and farm animals dependent on their daily care.

Unlike companion animals alone, livestock may represent:

• a family livelihood,
• years of breeding and genetic investment,
• food security,
• business assets,
• and a woman’s future economic stability.

Many women in these situations face impossible choices:

• leave and risk neglect or abandonment of dependent animals,
• remain in unsafe situations,
• or attempt to navigate unclear legal and logistical pathways without support.

Current domestic violence systems in Alberta are not designed to address the realities of agricultural operations, livestock ownership, or rural isolation. While Alberta has strong domestic violence organizations and animal welfare organizations, there appears to be little coordinated infrastructure connecting these systems in ways that support rural women safely and lawfully.

I am asking the Alberta government to consider funding and supporting:

• research and data collection specific to rural/agricultural domestic violence,
• coordination between women’s shelters, animal welfare organizations, veterinarians, sanctuaries, and agricultural groups,
• legal guidance and referral systems for women whose livestock may also be tied to family businesses or shared farm assets,
• emergency and temporary livestock foster or boarding networks,
• confidential transport and logistical support,
• and increased awareness that domestic violence in farming and ranching communities often involves unique structural barriers tied to land, livestock, isolation, and economic dependence.

Importantly, this is not simply an animal welfare issue. It is a rural safety, infrastructure, and policy issue.

Community response to recent discussions of this topic has shown that Albertans are willing to help. Producers, transporters, veterinarians, sanctuaries, and rural residents have already begun asking how they can support women and animals in crisis situations. What is currently missing is coordination, legal clarity, and institutional support.

Rural women deserve domestic violence supports that recognize the realities of agricultural life and the additional barriers they may face when attempting to leave unsafe situations.

Thank you for your time and consideration. I hope the province will explore ways to better understand and address this issue in collaboration with rural communities, agricultural organizations, and domestic violence support services.

Sincerely,