Nova Scotia SPCA PAW'dcast

Join Sarah Lyon and Marni Tuttle as they discuss the recent changes and updates to the Nova Scotia SPCA’s Dartmouth Campus. In this episode you’ll learn more about the College of Animal Welfare and a new program starting in September, our public Veterinary Hospital Tartan Tails, and the recent move our shelter hospital made. In case you missed it, check out this episode to learn more about our BIP...

Hill’s Adoption Weekend is happening on June 6 and 7. Because of this fun event, Sarah Lyon and Taylor Huestis decided to match potential adopters with their new BFF (Best Furry Friend). We had potential adopters send in their lifestyles and what they were looking for in a pet. Taylor and Sarah matched them with pets that would fit their lifestyle and offered a few tips to help them navigate bring...

Join our host Sarah Lyon as she chats with Matt Russell, the co-founder and CEO of Petszel. The Petszel app offers adopters different resources to help them navigate the post-adoption phase. While adopting a pet is an exciting time, the aftermath can be overwhelming. This easy-to-use app is one way to help smooth the transition of welcoming a pet into your home. Sarah and Matt chatted about how Pe...

Join our host Creston Rudolph as he chats with Dale McIsaac about what it means to leave a legacy. Dale created a memorial fund for his late son Ben, a Nova Scotia SPCA Board Member who cared deeply about animal welfare. Dale discusses Ben’s love of animals, the causes that were important to him, and the way the fund aims to support as many of these causes as possible. If you’re looking to leave a...

In this episode, Anya Zub, the Regional Manager for our Thrift Stores, sat down with the Nova Scotia SPCA’s Chief Inspector Kevin Strooband and the Deputy Chief Inspector Sarah Palmer to learn more about the role of Enforcement. Kevin and Sarah define what the Five Freedoms are, what happens when we receive a report of cruelty, what Enforcement’s primary goal is when responding to a report, and mo...

Join us for a chat with Anya Zub, Regional Manager for our Thrift Stores. Throughout the month of March, the Nova Scotia SPCA Thrift Stores participated in Sustainability Fairs across the province. Anya sat down with us to discuss the ways that thrift stores are a simple and great way for someone to begin their sustainability journey. We touched on a variety of topics, from how many goods they pre...

This is part two of our two-part More Than Shelters series. In this episode we discuss our Paws & Support program and our Palliative Care program. Heather and Sarah discuss why these programs exist, the value of fosters, and more! After listening to this episode, if you want to know more about our programs or apply, you can visit https://www.novascotiaspca.ca/ . **Trigger Warning: This episode...

The Nova Scotia SPCA is more than shelters. Join us for a chat with Heather Woodin, Chief Animal Operations at the Nova Scotia SPCA, to learn about some of the programs that we offer. This is part one of a two-part series. In this episode we discuss our Pet Pantry and the P.U.P. Program (Accidental Litters). Learn why these programs exist, who can access these programs and more! After listening to...

Join our host Jennifer Welshman for a chat about our Animal Care Career Exploration Program. Created by the Nova Scotia SPCA College of Animal Welfare, the program aims to educate BIPOC youth about the various animal care careers and address the lack of diversity in the field. Jennifer sat down with a coordinator and a student of the exploration program to discuss the benefits of the program and l...

Join us for a chat with Adina MacRae, an animal coordinator in the Nova Scotia film and tv industry. She has over 20 years of experience handling animals, specializing in dogs. We touched on how Adina became an animal coordinator, what does an animal coordinator do, safety regulations for animals, what have been her favourite projects, and more!

Join us as we chat with Elizabeth Murphy, the CEO of the Nova Scotia SPCA, about her reflection on the organization. We touched on the reason for her reflection, the demands of working in animal welfare, and how the Nova Scotia SPCA is adapting to better respond to the needs of Nova Scotians. This is part one of a four-part series where Elizabeth will offer some insights into the inner workings of...

Join us for a furr-tastic interview with Dr. Mike West. This episode, we had a special host sit down with Dr. West and ask him questions that children have for veterinarians. Dr. West was asked questions from a three-and-a-half-year-old all the way to high schoolers. He answered questions like: do companion animals have identical twins? Why do cats have fluff in their ears? Why do veterinarians we...

Join us for a chat on upcycling for the holidays. Our expert crafter Anya Zub, Regional Manager, Thrift Stores, sat down with us to discuss the value of upcycling. It gives second chances and new life to items, it's a budget friendly approach to Christmas, and a fun way to spend time with friends and family. Anya gave some excellent ideas on the kinds of crafts you can make as well as some tips on...

Join us for an episode dedicated to our special senior pets in honour of National Adopt a Senior Pet Month. Our own Alicia Avendano, Shelter Liaison and Veterinary Assistant, talked to us about what makes senior pets special, what makes them great companions and the benefits of adopting a senior pet. We also touched on our Palliative Care Program, how it helps offer pets the retirement they deserv...

Join us for a claws-itively spooky Halloween episode! Sit down with our hosts Scarah Lyon and Joel Booyce, as they discuss their favourite myths and legends about cats. Superstitions have followed cats all throughout human history, some good, some bad. Our hosts discuss both, debunk a myth or two, and offer some tips and tricks on how to ensure our furry friends have a safe and fun Halloween, too....

Join us for a chat with Frances Cheslo, an RVT and Shelter Engagement Specialist with Hill’s Pet Nutrition Canada, where we discuss Hill’s 2025 Canada State of Shelter Pet Adoption Report, specifically their findings surrounding fostering. One of the biggest insights is that the vast majority of people believe they can’t afford to foster! Marni and Frances sit down to discuss what the reality of f...

Join us for a chat with Dr. West from Tartan Tails Veterinary Hospital about how our furry friends tell us they are in pain. Or don’t tell us. September is Animal Pain Awareness Month, and one of the most difficult things about our pets is knowing when they are in pain. Dr. West gave some insights into types of pain in cats and dogs, common signs they are in pain, a few ways we can help ease some...

Join us for a chat with our friends at PetSmart Charities of Canada, where we discuss the state the veterinary medicine in Canada. In this episode, we’re discussing a study done by PetSmart Charities of Canada and Gallup, what they found, how they are using these findings, and some ways we work together to help animals and their families. You will not want to miss this episode. You can find the fu...

Join us for a chat with Dr. Shane Bateman about a different topic than usual, but a very interesting one. We’re diving into a fascinating and lesser-known field—veterinary forensic science. What is veterinary forensic science? Why is it important in the industry? How do vets become detectives? We’ll explore all that and more. And if you’re interested in learning more about Dr. Bateman’s work after...

Join us for an amazing chat with Judy Layne, a dedicated supporter of Nova Scotia SPCA. In the last episode, we talked about making wills. In this episode, we touched on the why behind making one and helping a charity. Judy brings us back to the start of her journey rescuing pets, how they influenced her life, and why she is honoring them with a $100,000 match and a gift in her will. A short episo...

Join us for an insightful and vulnerable chat with Dana Garrod from Epilogue Wills about making a will. We touched on why you should make a will, are online wills legal, how you can support a charity, and much more. Spoiler alert, it can take as fast as 20 minutes to do it. Talking about a will can be difficult, making one shouldn’t. And if you are looking at starting one and leaving something to...

Join us for a chat with Debbie Chaplain to chat all things fostering. Debbie has been a wonder-furr foster with the Kings SPCA Shelter, and today we get to learn more about her motivation to foster, her experience, delve into some great memories, and the most asked question: how do you not adopt them all? Spoiler alert, sometimes there might be a foster fail situation. To learn more about how to b...

Reading Pawse with the Nova Scotia SPCA

Join us for a slow Sunday where we read adoption stories from the province written by our fabulous staff and volunteers for the Paw Print newsletter. These feel-good stories remind us why we do the work we do and the happily ever afters we create as a community. If you want to hear or read more, you can subscribe to our newsletter here: www.novascotiaspca.ca/thepawprint/ .

Right after a rather chilling experiment, the NS SPCA Deputy Chief Inspector, Paul Hunter, sat down with us to chat about what he went through at –11 degrees for 15 minutes. He also shared tips on what to look for when your pet starts to get cold and some of the common ways they can get hurt if left outside in the cold for too long. And as always, don’t forget if you see an animal in distress, ACT...