Nova Scotia SPCA PAW'dcast

Join Joel, Sarah, and Anya as they discuss all things Halloween! From their favourite movies to famous haunting companion animals, to the myths that gave us these spook-tacular stories, they cover it all!

Join us as we chat with Elizabeth Murphy, CEO of the Nova Scotia SPCA, about her reflection on the organization. In part one of Elizabeth’s reflection series, she discussed the demands of working in animal welfare, and how our organization is adapting to better respond to the needs of Nova Scotians. In this episode, Elizabeth explains the Nova Scotia SPCA’s 2025 Financial Statements. She touches on the need for the SPCA to diversify their revenue streams, how difficult it can be to say no, and the importance of community support. We are all one community and tackling the hardships facing Nova Scotians can’t and won’t be solved by one organization. To read our 2025 Financial Statements, click here! https://www.novascotiaspca.ca/wp-content/uploads/2026/04/31_Dec_2025-Financial-Statements-NSSPCA.pdf To read more of Katya’s thoughts, click here! Katya Lidsky | The Thriving Volunteer's Creation on Patreon Here is the link to the CRA’s website. apps.cra-arc.gc.ca/ebci/hacc/srch/pub/dsplyRprtngPrd/134704741RR0001

Taylor sat down with Kathryn, a new guest on the PAW’dcast, to discuss remembering pets who have passed away. They talked about ways to remember their pets, how and when the grief hits them, and how they processed their grief. Remembering our pets is a beautiful and simple way to keep them alive. This emotional episode provided them the opportunity to share their grief and loss.

Join Kate Tuttle and Heidi Tattrie Rushton about a new book coming soon, Pet Tales. Pet Tales is set in Kentville, Nova Scotia. It follows 11-year-old Ada Boudreau wanting to start a food bank for pets. And if that sounds familiar to you, the Nova Scotia SPCA has the Pet Pantry to help support families. Heidi also discusses her past careers and what inspired her to start writing.

Kate Tuttle and Dr. West return to ask and answer more questions that kids have for pet doctors. Ranging from questions about cats and dogs to mythological animals, the kids didn't hold back! Enjoy listening to this funny and informative episode. Even better, let your kids listen and see what questions they come up with!

Join Taylor as she chats with Dr. West about the changing landscape of shelter medicine. How has the field changed with new information and ever advancing technology? Dr. West has been a veterinarian for 32 years and shares his expertise and anecdotes to paint a vivid picture of all the changes that have occurred over the years.

Whether you want to start or end your day on an adorable note, this episode is perfect for you! Joel and Taylor sat down to tell funny stories about their pets. From jumping out a window after a cat, to a gerbil hidden in the walls, to a cat escaping on a plane, these stories detail the adorable and joyful life of living with pets. If you’re looking to add a furry friend to your home to create memories with, visit https://www.novascotiaspca.ca/how-you-can-help/adoptions/

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 BIPOC Youth Program for high school students! Exploring Different Animal Care Careers with the Nova Scotia SPCA College of Animal Welfare | Podcast Episode on RSS.com

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 bringing a new pet into their home. They discussed the 3-3-3 rule, the importance of microchipping your pet, what you can do if your pet is more active than you anticipated, and more!

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 Petszel came to be, how Petszel will help adopters, how the app is free for adopters and the SPCA, and more!

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 legacy, visit www.novascotiaspca.ca/leave-a-legacy/ .

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 more! Click this link if you need to make a cruelty report, https://www.novascotiaspca.ca/who-we-are/animalcruelty/ .

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 prevent going to landfills to how thrift stores are a great alternative to fast fashion. For more information on our thrift stores, visit www.novascotiaspca.ca/thriftstores/ .

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 includes mentions of domestic violence when discussing our Paws & Support Program.

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 this episode, if you want to know more about our programs or apply, you can visit https://www.novascotiaspca.ca/ .

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 learn what they enjoyed most about it. The Animal Care Career Exploration Program is made possible by a TELUS Community Board grant. The grants are funded by the TELUS Friendly Future Foundation and support initiatives from Canadian registered charities that focus on local, grassroots community-based health and education programs that help youth reach their full potential. For more information or to register for the spring session of the Animal Care Career Exploration Program, please email: college@spcans.ca

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 our organization. To read Elizabeth’s full reflection, visit: www.novascotiaspca.ca/2026/01/08/reflecting-on-where-we-were-where-we-are-and-where-we-are-going/ .

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 wear stethoscopes? Do I have to brush my dog's teeth? And more! After listening to this episode, if you want to book a veterinary appointment for your furry friend, you can visit www.tartantailsvet.ca/booknow .

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 how to make them. After listing to this episode, if you want to find out more about our thrift stores, you can visit www.novascotiaspca.ca/thriftstores/ .