TPURRADISE

301 Stockbridge RdGreat Barrington, MA 01230

413-717-4244

alesMAIN SHELTER214 Barker RdPittsfield, MA 01201413-447-7878

HBERK SH I R E H UMANE S O C I E T Y N EWS L E T T E R • S UMMER 2 0 1 3

berkshirehumane.org

umane

“You can judge a man's true character by the way he treats his fellow animals.” – Paul McCartney

DANCING

for the STRAYS

fundraiserSaturday July 20, 2013

6pm to 10:30pm

Hancock Shaker Village

Looking for the summer’s hottest event? Well, search no farther!On Saturday, July 20th, Berkshire Humane Society (BHS) andPurradise Feline Adoption Center will be hosting “DANCING forthe STRAYS.” Held at the Hancock Shaker Village, 1843 WestHousatonic Street in Pittsfield, MA, our annual evening of fun andfundraising will take place under a big tent beneath the stars, from6pm to 10:30pm when the fireflies and crickets call it a night.

Begin by sipping cocktails (cash bar) before feasting on a sumptuousbuffet dinner from Savory Harvest Caterers, famous for their inventiveways with local fresh foods.

Once again, there’s a fabulous live auctionwhere our guest auctioneerJoe Finnegan will be auctioning off some great packages that include

• A Custom Stone Bench donated by New England Landscape and Aquatics

• An African Photo Safari for two at Zulu Nyala Game Lodge• A Paradise Get-a-Way in Turks and Caicos• A Five Night Stay at the well-known Surf Club Beach resort in Montauk, Long Island

• Four Patriots Tickets to the home opener against the New York Jets• A Dinner Party for eight by Savory Harvest• A Weekend Stay and Six-Course Dinner for two at Berkshires Shirakaba, A Taste of Japan in the Berkshires

• A Golf Package that includes some of the best courses in BerkshireCounty

• A Special Boarding Package plus extras from Shaker Hill Pet Resort• Entertainment Packages with dining and tickets to many of the cultural attractions throughout the Berkshires.For more information about these exciting auction items, visit

berkshirehumane.org. If you can’t attend our gala fundraiser butwould like to bid on these items, please call Diane at 413-447-7878ext. 31. She would be more than happy to help you!

Then comes the dancing – in your best dressy or casual clothes andmost comfy dancing shoes. DJ Jesse Stewart, who’s also the ProgramDirector and DJ for WSBS Radio, guarantees that you’ll be kickingup your heels in honor of our beloved homeless pets. It’s going to bea “boogie night!”

For your entertainment, watch some extraordinary professional“cats” perform dance demos. There’s Tuan Nguyen with his NewHottness Hip Hop Dancers, Latin Ballroom Dances by KimberlyMassimiano, as well as Afro-Cuban moves demonstrated by KimWaterman, Joanne Delcarpine, and the Berkshire Pulse Dancers andDrummers.

Please come and dance for the strays! Tickets are $125, and you’llnot only be supporting the Berkshire’s finest animal shelter but alsoenjoying a glorious night out. Because BHS/Purradise is a private,non-profit organization that receives no public funding, our homelessanimals are depending on you. For more information or to makeyour reservations, call 413-447-7878, ext. 31. Bring friends! Bringneighbors! It’s going to be a ball!

NEW WALKING TRAILS FOR BHS DOGS

When Roberta Townsend, Canine Services Supervisor at BerkshireHumane Society (BHS), wanted a new walking trail for our dogs, sheknew just whom to call – Dave Melle. Recently voted Volunteer ofthe Month, Dave is well known around the shelter for his “Can Do”attitude and his devotion to the animals – especially the dogs.

Dave began volunteering at BHS as a dog walker slightly less than ayear ago. But in a few months, he gradually began taking on morejobs that are essential for the interior and exterior maintenance of theshelter, including everything from cutting the grass and repairing thelawn mower to vacuuming the heat ducts. “I like to try and save theshelter some money, so that they can spend it on the animals,” Daveexplains.

Although BHS has a trail that winds around the perimeter of ourgrounds, Roberta thought that another one through the wooded areascould offer dogs some great enrichment opportunities - private timeaway from other dogs, fresh sights, sounds, and smells, as well as relieffrom the summer heat. After she and Claudia Sala, a kennel staffmember, ducked branches and braved soggy leaves to map out a generalroute, Roberta approached Dave.

With chain saw and clippers in hand, Dave worked his magic onerecent Saturday morning, clearing a new 200 foot trail off the originalin about two hours. But Dave’s work didn’t stop there. The followingweek, John Perreault, Executive Director of BHS, asked him to createan additional trail. The next Saturday Dave was back, and, in anothertwo hours, he opened up a second new trail that connects with theothers.

As a result of Dave’s efforts, Roberta estimates that the length ofthe walking trails has almost doubled. And she and Dave are planningto make yet another one, which would make a quarter of a mile loop.There’s no question that the dogs are enjoying the new scenery, andtheir walkers are especially appreciative that Dave made the trails sowide – five feet to be exact. “I thought I cut them too big, but, as itturns out, no one has to dodge or walk around trees. Someone jokedthat you can drive a car through them,” he laughs.

Besides being a valuable volunteer at BHS, Dave is also the AnimalControl Officer in Windsor, MA. And, of course, he has dogs of hisown: Bigger, a labradoodle, and Laci, a terrier mix, were previousshelter dogs, and Red, a coonhound, was a stray in Windsor.

Thank you, Dave Melle!

Saving noah Poor Noah! We don’t know how long he was trapped in the

flood control chutes in North Adams, but we do know that thecombined efforts of many professionals in Berkshire County helped save the life of this sweet long-haired orange tabby cat.Now he’s at Berkshire Humane Society (BHS) and waiting for hisnew forever home.

Last month, when North Adams Animal Control Officer MelissaWilkinson answered a call about a cat’s frantic cries, she foundNoah in the concrete chutes that are over 20 feet deep. “He waseither washed into them from the river or someone dumped him,”she explains. For two weeks, Melissa tried to capture Noah in ahumane trap, but he was so frightened that he wouldn’t goanywhere near it. With the help of the North Adams Fire Departmentwho opened the access panels, Melissa would climb down a ladderinto the chutes every other day to bring him food, placing it closeto or in the trap. Finally, Noah was enticed into it, and Melissawas able to rescue him.

As a result of his desperate attempts toclimb out, Noah’s back feet were badlycut, and his nails were torn and infected.But Noah proved to be as tough as he ispersonable. After coming to BHS, he wasbrought to Dr. Margaret Darcy of SouthStreet Veterinary Services in Pittsfield, MA,who meticulously cleaned and cared forhis injuries. Once back at the shelter, thefeline staff continued to soak his legs twicea day and administer antibiotics. Despitehis traumatic ordeal, Erin Starsja, Felineand Small Animals Services Supervisor,calls Noah’s recovery complete and quiteremarkable. “Looking at him now, you’dnever know he had any issues,” she says.

Erin estimates Noah to be about oneyear old, and, because he’s so easy going,she believes he would fit well into any newhome. “He won’t stop purring,” she says.“He’s a real love bug.” Interested in beingthat special person who adopts Noah? Calla feline adoption counselor at 447-7878,ext. 24, or stop in at BHS to meet him.

Like us on Facebook. Call us at 413-447-7878. Visit us at berkshirehumane.org

THE BIGGER THE CHALLENGE,THE BIGGER THE REWARD

Some folks just love a challenge, and Joe Smegal is one of them! Forhim, that challenge came in the form of not one, but two big and veryspecial hounds named Jed and Buddy Mack, both of whom are alumniof Berkshire Humane Society (BHS).

Jed, a middle-aged, 75-poundcoonhound, came to BHS inthe summer of 2007 as a sur-render. Like most hounds, hewas very active, scent driven andsomewhat stubborn, all of whichmade him somewhat difficultto place. After being at theshelter for several months, hewas adopted but then returnedin summer of 2008, where hewaited and waited.

Enter Joe. After losing hisbeloved Alaskan Malamute atage 15, he heard Jed’s story andcame to visit him – several times,

in fact. Although Joe knew the hound would be a challenge from thestart – he pulled a lot on walks and was not yet housebroken – Joe decidedthat he “deserved another chance” and brought him home in fall of 2008.

As it turns out, Joe and Jed were the perfect match. “I didn’t want alap dog,” Joe explains. “I wanted a dog that would get me off the couch.”And Jed was that dog. Although Joe had no previous experience withhounds, he knew that a combination of structure, patience, and positivereinforcement was essential for training Jed. In their time together, Joedescribed Jed as “having come a long way” – he was housebroken, walkedpolitely on a leash, learned some tricks, and, most important, becameJoe’s best buddy.

Sadly, in early 2013, Jed passed away. Because Joe’s experience withJed was so rewarding, though, he was ready to take on another challenge– this time, Buddy Mack, an adolescent Plotthound who was waiting atBHS for his new home. “I knew he was a difficult dog to place,” saysJoe. “Whoever adopted him would have to know about hounds.”

Today, Joe reports that Buddy Mack is doing very well. At almostone year old, he’s weighing in at 85 pounds. Like Jed, Buddy Mackhasn’t always been easy. But as Joe explains, “The bigger the challenge,the bigger the reward.” One small habit that Joe’s still working on,though, is Buddy Mack’s fondness to vocalize. Apparently, he loves tobay when they go on walks – whether it’s six in the morning or eleven atnight. “The neighbors’ lights come on a lot, but he’s getting better,” Joe adds.

BHS VISITS HERBERG MIDDLE SCHOOLDogs and more dogs was the topic of a recent humane education

visit by Berkshire Humane Society (BHS) staff to Herberg MiddleSchool (HMS) in Pittsfield, MA.

For two consecutive Wednesdays in May, Lisa Corbett, lead trainerat BHS’s Family Dog School, and Mary A. Koncel, Humane Educator,presented Dogs 101, a two-part program, to about 100 seventhgraders at HMS. Marion Grant, a language arts instructor whoinitiated the collaboration, explains, “As part of a unit on Wherethe Red Fern Grows by Wilson Rawls, we wanted to have thestudents develop a greater understanding of dogs - the breeds, theirbehaviors, and their needs and care.”

For the first meeting, Lisa and Mary discussed the history of thedog/human relationship as well as the different groups of dogs,selection of a new dog, and care of dogs. The second meetingfocused on communicating with and understanding dogs, with aparticular emphasis on positive reinforcement as a means of training.

Marion and her colleague Laura Patton were pleased with resultingstudent projects. “They used the first two programs as a way totake notes, and then follow up with formal collegial discussions ontopics they learned about,” she says. “The students then researcheddog breeds and published breed brochures.“

After the classroom presentations, BHS invited the classes to visitthe shelter for tours, clicker training demonstrations, and discussionsabout our shelter dogs, covering such topics as the types of dogsthat are surrendered and the reasons as well our intake and evaluationprocess before they are placed on the adoption floor.

“The programs were wonderful,” says Marion. “The studentsloved them and got so much out of them.” Staff at BHS was alsoexcited to share its knowledge and experience. And, as part of oureffort to enrich our humane education program, we look forwardto working with HMS again as well as developing opportunitieswith other local schools.

An Eleanor Update… Remember Eleanor, our beautiful tabby who was severely overweight when she was surrendered to BerkshireHumane Society earlier this year? Well, she’s continuing to thrive under the great care of her in-house foster mom, Diane Briggs. Curious andconfident now, Eleanor’s become more mobile, often playing and taking little strolls down the hallways of the shelter when it’s closed. As a resultof her increased activity, she’s also gained more muscle and strength. And, yes, she still has a hearty appetite, but a consistent diet of Hill’s ScienceDiet wet and dry Metabolic Advanced Weight Solution is helping her to keep off those pounds. Go Eleanor!

Thank youBerkshire Bank and The Appelbaum-Kahn Foundation for their generous support of Camp Humane 2013, our summer camp program where kids and animals meet!

PUPS ACTOffers Regulations of Puppy Mills

By Judy Embry

Something needs to be done to improve theconditions at puppy mills – large, commercialbreeding operations where dogs are often housedin dirty and crowded conditions, and The PuppyUniform and Safety Act, or the PUPS Act, isjust that something.

The current Animal Welfare Act(AWA) requires that facilities breedingdogs for commercial resale through pet storesbe licensed, regulated, and inspected by the United States Departmentof Agriculture (USDA). Unfortunately, however, puppy mills thatsell directly to the public can escape any federal oversight partlybecause the AWA was implemented before the creation of the Internet.These unregulated Internet sellers and other direct sales facilitiesprofit by selling thousands of puppies a year. As a result of thedeplorable care provided by these unscrupulous breeders, their puppiesare often sick and unsocialized. Sadly, when people buy them, theycan end up with puppies that have serious health problems andrequire expensive veterinary care. Some even die. Also, the adultbreeding dogs at these puppy mills are frequently deprived of exerciseand human contact, confined to filthy, stacked wire cage, and deniedroutine veterinary care.

The PUPS Act will close this gaping loophole in the AWA byrequiring that 1) all dog breeders who sell more than 50 puppies ayear directly to the public be licensed by the USDA and 2) all dogsat commercial breeding facilities be given 60 minutes of exercise aday (Humane Society of the United States).

The PUPS Act, S. 395 and H.R. 847, needs to move out ofcommittee and get to the House and Senate for vote. Please contactyour federal representative and senators and ask them to support thisimportant legislation. To find your representation or senators, go towww.senate.gov and www.house.gov.

Like us on Facebook. Call us at 413-447-7878. Visit us at berkshirehumane.org • Like us on Facebook. Call us at 413-447-7878. Visit us at berkshirehumane.org

MEET THE STAFFIf you have a question about

a cat, rabbit, ferret, or prettymuch any other small mammalor bird at Berkshire HumaneSociety (BHS), ask Erin Starsja,our Feline and Small AnimalServices Supervisor, and she’llpretty much always have an answerfor you— and a huge smile aswell!

It’s no wonder that Erin foundher niche at BHS. As a child,she was passionate about animals.“Even though my mother was always allergic to cats,” Erin says, “shesaw how much I loved them. So since the time I was three, I’ve had acat in my house.”

Erin came to BHS four and a half years ago as a volunteer whostaffed the front desk and worked in the cat room, taking care of itsresidents and helping with adoptions and surrenders. When a staffposition became available a little while later, Erin applied and becamea Feline and Small Animal Adoption Counselor.

Cheryl Truskowski, BHS shelter manager, jokes that she hired Erinbecause she needed “someone tall to reach the top cages” but thenquickly, and seriously, elaborates on Erin’s many other qualifications– being dependable and reliable, having natural common sense, andbeing completely devoted to animals and her job, to name a few. LastJuly, as a result for her exemplary work at the shelter, Erin was promotedto her current position as Feline and Small Animal Services Supervisor.

Erin lives in Pittsfield with her fiancé, their son and daughter aswell as “several four-legged children” who include two cats and a dog.For her, making a difference for animals is the best part of working atBHS. “I can’t bring them all home, “ Erin says, “but I can help takecare of them while they’re here and then place them in good familiesand homes.”

RRR

THE HUMANE RACEThanks to our volunteers, participants, sponsors, and new co-chairs Christa Abel and Dawn Catelotti of BarkNCat, this year’sHumane Race in Williamstown, MA, raised almost $12,000 forthe animals at Berkshire Humane Society and Purradise FelineAdoption Center.

help our shelter animals andWIN A BRAND NEW SUBARU

TICKETS$40 EACH OR 3 FOR $100

Like us on Facebook. Call us at 413-447-7878. Visit us at berkshirehumane.org Like us on Facebook. Call us at 413-447-7878. Visit us at berkshirehumane.org

RAFFLE2013 SUBARU OUTBACK

TO BENEFIT BERKSHIRE HUMANE SOCIETY

THE RAFFLE IS LIMITED TO 2,100 ENTRIESTHE DRAWING WILL BE HELD ON OCTOBER 14, 2013

BERKSHIRE HUMANE SOCIETY214 Barker Road, Pittsfield, Massachusetts 01201www.berkshirehumane.org • 413-447-7878

Newsletter Design: Shirley Sparks, Stockbridge, MA • Photos: BHS Staff • Printed by: Quality Printing, A Green Co.

BOARD OF DIRECTORSCindy Bartlett

President

Fred PomerantzVice-President

Leslie WeilVice-President

Deborah StorieSecretary

Patricia SinclairTreasurer

Alix CabralJonathan Cluett, MD

Assist. SecretaryKaren LeopardiJackie McHughAssist. Treasurer

Evan MorowitzChristopher Nerrie

Jane PattonJohn Reynolds, DVM

Janie StrachanDiana Wall

ADMINISTRATIVE STAFFJohn PerreaultExecutive Director

Lisa CorbettFamily Dog SchoolHead Instructor

Cheryl TruskowskiShelter Manager

Elizabeth BrownOutreach Coordinator

Mary KoncelHumane EducatorTerry Bissaillon

Volunteer Coordinator Diane Briggs

Administrative AssistantSherry Betit

Financial Specialist

PURRADISEBerkshire Humane Society Feline Adoption Center

301 Stockbridge Road Great Barrington, MA

413-717-4244Danielle Hammell

Manager

James has found hisforever loving home!

Mary Ellen Morris presenting John Perreault and James our 18 year old senior feline, the first ever recipient of the Danny Boy Adoption Fund .

THE CHRONICLES OF DANNY BOYDanny Boy was a senior unwanted Pug who inspired NancyO’Malley, Martha Pope, and Mary Ellen Morris, volunteersfor the Sonsini Shelter, to write and publish a book titled, TheChronicles of Danny Boy. One hundred percent of the proceedswill go towards supporting the needs of senior dogs and cats inshelters in Berkshire County. The books are available for sale atthe Berkshire Humane Society and Sonsini Animal shelter.