The holidays are coming!
Every year I get so excited about the food, the atmosphere, the great conversations with family and friends.
One thing I’m not that great at though is gifts. I tell myself each year that I will start budgeting and shopping earlier. And lo and behold December 23 catches me running around stores in a frenzy.
Lately, though, there has been a trend amongst my loved ones when it comes to gifting. And that is gifts with a purpose or that help support a mission. I have made donations to favourite charities, bought gifts that donated proceeds, and volunteered during the holidays with my friends.
And since I started working at the Nova Scotia SPCA, I might have started to make gifts that have an “In Support of Nova Scotia SPCA” logo on them. I just can’t help it when candles smell nice and support furry friends.
With the holidays fast approaching, your mind might be on gifts and preparations, but also on giving back to the community. And we have some ways you can do that for our adorable furry friends in SPCA shelters across the province, during the holiday season, and after.
Gifts with a Purpose
Those candles I just mentioned are only one of the partnerships we have with amazing local businesses. Proceeds from these items
are donated to the Nova Scotia SPCA. You can buy items such as candles from Burning Flame Co, coffee from Rescue Coffee, special edition cider bottles from Bulwark, or salt and swag from Tidal Salt, among others.
If you follow our social media accounts, sometimes you might see amazing partnerships pop up throughout the year where you can buy pet portraits, join us for yoga with puppies, or for Christmas pictures on the waterfront.
Start your own Fundraiser
Do you have a birthday coming up? Wedding? Or do you just simply want to give back? You can start your own fundraiser, and we have an online platform where people can easily donate.
Some people make it a birthday gift, they bake, draw, lemonade stands. The possibilities are endless, and we would love to hear about them.
Shop at our Thrift Stores
With four stores across the province – Dartmouth, Stellarton, New Minas, and Sydney – you can donate, browse and purr-chase gently-used, pre-loved items. A one-of-a-kind gift! It’s shopping and donating you can feel good about as 100% of the proceeds help local pets. Find the nearest SPCA thrift store to you and stop by today!
Yearly Fundraisers
We love being a part of yearly events and when that specific time of the year comes around, we’re all giddy. These events happen at specific times of the year, so we encourage you follow our social media accounts to always be on top of dates.
And right now, we’re in the middle of our Giving Tuesday campaign (December 3-10, 2024). Last year’s Cats vs. Dogs campaign was furry popular with Cats being crowned winners. So you can help us settle this BFF battle by donating to support your team. Donations will be doubled by a matching donor up to $100,000!
Next year we are looking at Treat Week in February and the Blue Nose Marathon Giv’r Charity Challenge. So, stay tuned for those!
Lottery
Our weekly 50/50 raffles truly give back to the community, with the jackpot being shared between a winner and our furry friends. You can buy tickets online for a chance to become our newest winner.
If you would like to read some stories about past winners and how funds from the raffles help, follow the links below:
- A Lottery of Love: The SPCA 50/50
- Loving Animals is ALWAYS a Win-Win
- For the Pets and the Community: 50/50 Winner Story
Monthly Donations 
If you wish to give year-round, you can become a monthly donor and be a part of our Paw Program. Monthly donors provide loyal support that animals can count on. Giving monthly allows the Nova Scotia SPCA to plan ahead and invest in better long-term solutions. You can choose whatever amount (big or small) that will be safely deducted every month to help pets who need it most. Join the SPCA Paw Program below today to save pets, support families, and strengthen communities.
Leave a Gift in Your Will
Make your love for animals last forever! If you’ve ever experienced a pet’s unconditional love, you can honour them by leaving a gift to the Nova Scotia SPCA in your will. No matter the size, your bequest makes a real difference. From the most basic necessities like food and safety, to veterinary care and lifesaving medicine, your gift gives pets in need the healing they need and the love they deserve.
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We do not receive government funding for our shelter operations. In 2023, we helped over 16,000 pets through different programs. And we were able to do that because of you, our generous community.
There isn’t only one way to help, so you can choose the way that works for you.
Because every little helps!
Happy Paw-lidays!