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HAY RIVER - A Hay River woman has been nominated for a national award for her tireless work to protect animals in the NWT.

Bonnie Dawson's name has been put forward for the Animal Action Awards, which are presented annually by the International Fund for Animal Welfare.

Hay River's Bonnie Dawson, who has been nominated for a national award from the International Fund for Animal Welfare, holds photos of some of her own pets. - Paul Bickford/NNSL photo

Dawson works at applying political pressure - through such methods as letter-writing and blogging - for new NWT legislation to protect animals from abuse and neglect.

"I want the current Dog Act thrown out completely and I want an animal protection act put in place here in the NWT that will meet and even surpass the current animal protection acts in all of the other provinces," she said.

Dawson said she has been told by territorial politicians that new legislation will be ready before the end of the 16th assembly.

Although she lives in Hay River where she works as a financial administrator at the Ptarmigan Inn, Dawson is secretary of the Beaufort Delta Regional SPCA.

It was Linda Eccles, the founder and executive director of the Beaufort Delta Regional SPCA, who nominated Dawson for the award.

In her nominating letter, Eccles noted Dawson has gained the confidence of members of the legislative assembly in working towards legislative changes to protect animals.

She described Dawson as "relentless" in her efforts.

"Such a challenge is immense and we are so grateful to her for her commitment," Eccles wrote.

Dawson, 55, is honoured by the nomination.

"I was shocked. I was humbled. I was surprised," she said.

While she believes receiving the award would help advance the cause, Dawson doesn't think she is going to win since there are many others doing such important work across Canada.

"It's nice to be nominated," she said.

The winners - usually six to 12 a year - will be announced in late summer or early fall.

Along with her work helping the SPCA, Dawson is also organizing a new group, Action for the Protection of Northern Animals. That group's goal is to give a voice to abused animals, she explained.

"It's got to be stopped," she said. "It's just got to be stopped."

Dawson said she has loved animals since she was a child.

"They're my life and they always have been," she said.

Currently, she owns two dogs, a cat and a rabbit.

Dawson is originally from Ontario, but has lived in Hay River since 2006.