It was the spookiest day of the year. The silence crept into every corner of the shelter.
Actually, it’s not entirely true. It was Halloween, yes, but as in any animal shelter, the Colchester SPCA was filled with the sounds of barks, purrs, footsteps, greetings, the scratching of pens on paper, and more.
A normal symphony for a Thursday. And a normal day for Olivia, who regularly visited the shelter to offer love and attention to furry friends.
On this particular day in 2024, Olivia and her friends stopped by to drop off some toys, and as always, she insisted on visiting the animals. She missed having a pet around when she moved to Nova Scotia to attend university, so this was a great alternative.
A few days before, Venom and his siblings were surrendered at the Colchester SPCA and were patiently waiting for their people.
When Olivia walked into the adoption room, she first cuddled Venom’s sister. But there was something about Venom that told Olivia she might have found her furry companion. And that instinct was right. From the first moment Olivia held him, they became inseparable.
“After first picking him up, I didn’t put him down until it was time to go in the box to go home. All the staff were always incredibly helpful and kind and made this experience adopting my first animal on my own super easy and stress-free,” Olivia remembered. 
Papers were signed, information was shared, and Olivia and Venom were ready to start their new chapter. But Halloween has its ways to show us why it is the spookiest day of the year.
Like most cats, Venom proved to be an escape artist. In the car, he managed to escape the box and hide in a hole in the dashboard of the car. In a rush, mechanics and firefighters were called, and the car was taken apart piece by piece.
“I cried thinking I was the world’s worst mother. Everyone tried to reassure me that this was not my fault, but I felt awful that this little baby was all alone in there. A few hours later, they were able to get him out, and they all started putting the car back together. From that point on, I would not let go of the tiny little venom that weighed 1.8 kilograms,” Olivia said. “It was from this awful experience (for me, ‘Venom’ was napping and barely noticed he was causing such a situation) that ‘Venom’ quickly became Dash.”
With the scary days behind him and with a new name, Dash didn’t waste any time making his new home his kingdom. Once in the apartment, he explored every nook and cranny, found his favourite spots, and settled into supporting all university students who needed it.
Cats have an unwarranted reputation for their social boundaries. But Dash had quickly rewritten all the rules.
Olivia described him as “very social”, a cat who loves to meet new people and make friends. “He greets complete strangers with love and affection, he will sit with you while you cry, even if he doesn’t know you, and he will wipe your tears. He can also distract you; he will play for hours with any type of toy.”
So, it’s no surprise that one of his favourite things to do is sit in the window and watch people come and go. “When his human friends pass him in the window, they will call out, ‘Hi Dash!’ and he always meows back or starts purring because he loves his people,” Olivia related.
On that list of favourite things, there’s food, especially those tube treats, spring toys, walks on his leash and chasing leaves. “He is a bit of a spoiled diva, but also a cuddly angel that has his zoomies moments. When he is particularly ‘crazy,’ I like to say that Venom is coming out,” Olivia added. 
While he is an easy-going cat, Dash has a list of dislikes, too. His FOMO (fear of missing out) is super high on that list. But there’s one you don’t hear often. Olivia explained, “He also really dislikes when people sneeze and will glare at them until they stop and apologize to him, which he normally replies to with a huff.”
Olivia and Dash have made a lot of memories together in such a short time. They have travelled, made new friends, and studied together. “Having Dash in my life has improved my mental health significantly. He is exactly what I needed, and I could not have asked for a more perfect companion. Dash is always a joy to come back to my room after a long and draining day. He has taught me so much,” Olivia said.
Our furry friends do teach us a lot about unconditional love, patience, and being in the present. Just like Dash, other kittens, puppies, young at heart cats and dogs, and critters are waiting for their person in shelters across the province. Our amazing staff is caring for them until you find each other.
And Olivia said it best, “These adoptable animals are amazing and full of love, they are ready to share with you. The staff at the SPCA is always super helpful, and they walk you through the whole process and are there if you have any questions. To the staff, thank you for everything you do for these animals, without you they wouldn’t be given the chance to find their forever homes, they wouldn’t get the love and affection you provide for them. The time and effort you put in is noticed, and we appreciate you all so much!”