HumaneTales BERKSHIRE HUMANE SOCIETY NEWSLETTER • SUMMER 2013
MAIN SHELTER 214 Barker Rd Pittsfield, MA 01201 413-447-7878
berkshirehumane.org
PURRADISE 301 Stockbridge Rd Great Barrington, MA 01230 413-717-4244
“You can judge a man's true character by the way he treats his fellow animals.” – Paul McCartney
DANCING for the STRAYS fundraiser Saturday 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) and Purradise Feline Adoption Center will be hosting “DANCING for the STRAYS.” Held at the Hancock Shaker Village, 1843 West Housatonic Street in Pittsfield, MA, our annual evening of fun and fundraising will take place under a big tent beneath the stars, from 6pm to 10:30pm when the fireflies and crickets call it a night. Begin by sipping cocktails (cash bar) before feasting on a sumptuous buffet dinner from Savory Harvest Caterers, famous for their inventive ways with local fresh foods. Once again, there’s a fabulous live auction where our guest auctioneer Joe 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 Berkshire County
• 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 but would like to bid on these items, please call Diane at 413-447-7878 ext. 31. She would be more than happy to help you! Then comes the dancing – in your best dressy or casual clothes and most comfy dancing shoes. DJ Jesse Stewart, who’s also the Program Director and DJ for WSBS Radio, guarantees that you’ll be kicking up your heels in honor of our beloved homeless pets. It’s going to be a “boogie night!” For your entertainment, watch some extraordinary professional “cats” perform dance demos. There’s Tuan Nguyen with his New Hottness Hip Hop Dancers, Latin Ballroom Dances by Kimberly Massimiano, as well as Afro-Cuban moves demonstrated by Kim Waterman, Joanne Delcarpine, and the Berkshire Pulse Dancers and Drummers. Please come and dance for the strays! Tickets are $125, and you’ll not only be supporting the Berkshire’s finest animal shelter but also enjoying a glorious night out. Because BHS/Purradise is a private, non-profit organization that receives no public funding, our homeless animals are depending on you. For more information or to make your reservations, call 413-447-7878, ext. 31. Bring friends! Bring neighbors! It’s going to be a ball!
NEW WALKING TRAILS FOR BHS DOGS When Roberta Townsend, Canine Services Supervisor at Berkshire Humane Society (BHS), wanted a new walking trail for our dogs, she knew just whom to call – Dave Melle. Recently voted Volunteer of the 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 a year ago. But in a few months, he gradually began taking on more jobs that are essential for the interior and exterior maintenance of the shelter, including everything from cutting the grass and repairing the lawn mower to vacuuming the heat ducts. “I like to try and save the shelter some money, so that they can spend it on the animals,” Dave explains. Although BHS has a trail that winds around the perimeter of our grounds, Roberta thought that another one through the wooded areas could offer dogs some great enrichment opportunities - private time away from other dogs, fresh sights, sounds, and smells, as well as relief from the summer heat. After she and Claudia Sala, a kennel staff member, ducked branches and braved soggy leaves to map out a general route, Roberta approached Dave. With chain saw and clippers in hand, Dave worked his magic one recent Saturday morning, clearing a new 200 foot trail off the original in about two hours. But Dave’s work didn’t stop there. The following week, John Perreault, Executive Director of BHS, asked him to create an additional trail. The next Saturday Dave was back, and, in another two hours, he opened up a second new trail that connects with the others. As a result of Dave’s efforts, Roberta estimates that the length of the walking trails has almost doubled. And she and Dave are planning to 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, and their walkers are especially appreciative that Dave made the trails so wide – five feet to be exact. “I thought I cut them too big, but, as it turns out, no one has to dodge or walk around trees. Someone joked that you can drive a car through them,” he laughs. Besides being a valuable volunteer at BHS, Dave is also the Animal Control Officer in Windsor, MA. And, of course, he has dogs of his own: Bigger, a labradoodle, and Laci, a terrier mix, were previous shelter 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 the combined 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 his new forever home. Last month, when North Adams Animal Control Officer Melissa Wilkinson answered a call about a cat’s frantic cries, she found Noah in the concrete chutes that are over 20 feet deep. “He was either washed into them from the river or someone dumped him,” she explains. For two weeks, Melissa tried to capture Noah in a humane trap, but he was so frightened that he wouldn’t go anywhere near it. With the help of the North Adams Fire Department who opened the access panels, Melissa would climb down a ladder into the chutes every other day to bring him food, placing it close to or in the trap. Finally, Noah was enticed into it, and Melissa was able to rescue him. As a result of his desperate attempts to climb out, Noah’s back feet were badly cut, and his nails were torn and infected. But Noah proved to be as tough as he is personable. After coming to BHS, he was brought to Dr. Margaret Darcy of South Street Veterinary Services in Pittsfield, MA, who meticulously cleaned and cared for his injuries. Once back at the shelter, the feline staff continued to soak his legs twice a day and administer antibiotics. Despite his traumatic ordeal, Erin Starsja, Feline and Small Animals Services Supervisor, calls Noah’s recovery complete and quite remarkable. “Looking at him now, you’d never know he had any issues,” she says. Erin estimates Noah to be about one year old, and, because he’s so easy going, she believes he would fit well into any new home. “He won’t stop purring,” she says. “He’s a real love bug.” Interested in being that special person who adopts Noah? Call a feline adoption counselor at 447-7878, ext. 24, or stop in at BHS to meet him.
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An Eleanor Update … Remember Eleanor, our beautiful tabby who was severely overweight when she was surrendered to Berkshire Humane Society earlier this year? Well, she’s continuing to thrive under the great care of her in-house foster mom, Diane Briggs. Curious and confident now, Eleanor’s become more mobile, often playing and taking little strolls down the hallways of the shelter when it’s closed. As a result of 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 Science Diet wet and dry Metabolic Advanced Weight Solution is helping her to keep off those pounds. Go Eleanor!
THE BIGGER THE CHALLENGE, THE BIGGER THE REWARD
BHS VISITS HERBERG MIDDLE SCHOOL
Some folks just love a challenge, and Joe Smegal is one of them! For him, that challenge came in the form of not one, but two big and very special hounds named Jed and Buddy Mack, both of whom are alumni of Berkshire Humane Society (BHS).
Dogs and more dogs was the topic of a recent humane education visit by Berkshire Humane Society (BHS) staff to Herberg Middle School (HMS) in Pittsfield, MA.
Jed, a middle-aged, 75-pound coonhound, came to BHS in the summer of 2007 as a surrender. Like most hounds, he was very active, scent driven and somewhat stubborn, all of which made him somewhat difficult to place. After being at the shelter for several months, he was adopted but then returned in summer of 2008, where he waited and waited. Enter Joe. After losing his beloved Alaskan Malamute at age 15, he heard Jed’s story and came to visit him – several times, in fact. Although Joe knew the hound would be a challenge from the start – he pulled a lot on walks and was not yet housebroken – Joe decided that 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 a lap 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 with hounds, he knew that a combination of structure, patience, and positive reinforcement was essential for training Jed. In their time together, Joe described Jed as “having come a long way” – he was housebroken, walked politely on a leash, learned some tricks, and, most important, became Joe’s best buddy. Sadly, in early 2013, Jed passed away. Because Joe’s experience with Jed was so rewarding, though, he was ready to take on another challenge – this time, Buddy Mack, an adolescent Plotthound who was waiting at BHS for his new home. “I knew he was a difficult dog to place,” says Joe. “Whoever adopted him would have to know about hounds.” Today, Joe reports that Buddy Mack is doing very well. At almost one year old, he’s weighing in at 85 pounds. Like Jed, Buddy Mack hasn’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 to bay when they go on walks – whether it’s six in the morning or eleven at night. “The neighbors’ lights come on a lot, but he’s getting better, ” Joe adds.
For two consecutive Wednesdays in May, Lisa Corbett, lead trainer at BHS’s Family Dog School, and Mary A. Koncel, Humane Educator, presented Dogs 101, a two-part program, to about 100 seventh graders at HMS. Marion Grant, a language arts instructor who initiated the collaboration, explains, “As part of a unit on Where the Red Fern Grows by Wilson Rawls, we wanted to have the students develop a greater understanding of dogs - the breeds, their behaviors, and their needs and care.” For the first meeting, Lisa and Mary discussed the history of the dog/human relationship as well as the different groups of dogs, selection of a new dog, and care of dogs. The second meeting focused on communicating with and understanding dogs, with a particular emphasis on positive reinforcement as a means of training. Marion and her colleague Laura Patton were pleased with resulting student projects. “They used the first two programs as a way to take notes, and then follow up with formal collegial discussions on topics they learned about,” she says. “The students then researched dog breeds and published breed brochures.“ After the classroom presentations, BHS invited the classes to visit the shelter for tours, clicker training demonstrations, and discussions about our shelter dogs, covering such topics as the types of dogs that are surrendered and the reasons as well our intake and evaluation process before they are placed on the adoption floor. “The programs were wonderful,” says Marion. “The students loved them and got so much out of them.” Staff at BHS was also excited to share its knowledge and experience. And, as part of our effort to enrich our humane education program, we look forward to working with HMS again as well as developing opportunities with other local schools.
MEET THE STAFF If you have a question about a cat, rabbit, ferret, or pretty much any other small mammal or bird at Berkshire Humane Society (BHS), ask Erin Starsja, our Feline and Small Animal Services Supervisor, and she’ll pretty much always have an answer for you— and a huge smile as well! It’s no wonder that Erin found her niche at BHS. As a child, she was passionate about animals. “Even though my mother was always allergic to cats,” Erin says, “she saw how much I loved them. So since the time I was three, I’ve had a cat in my house.” Erin came to BHS four and a half years ago as a volunteer who staffed the front desk and worked in the cat room, taking care of its residents and helping with adoptions and surrenders. When a staff position became available a little while later, Erin applied and became a Feline and Small Animal Adoption Counselor. Cheryl Truskowski, BHS shelter manager, jokes that she hired Erin because she needed “someone tall to reach the top cages” but then quickly, and seriously, elaborates on Erin’s many other qualifications – being dependable and reliable, having natural common sense, and being completely devoted to animals and her job, to name a few. Last July, as a result for her exemplary work at the shelter, Erin was promoted to her current position as Feline and Small Animal Services Supervisor. Erin lives in Pittsfield with her fiancé, their son and daughter as well 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 at BHS. “I can’t bring them all home, “ Erin says, “but I can help take care of them while they’re here and then place them in good families and homes.”
PUPS ACT Offers Regulations of Puppy Mills By Judy Embry Something needs to be done to improve the conditions at puppy mills – large, commercial breeding operations where dogs are often housed in dirty and crowded conditions, and The Puppy Uniform and Safety Act, or the PUPS Act, is just that something. The current Animal Welfare Act (AWA) requires that facilities breeding dogs for commercial resale through pet stores be licensed, regulated, and inspected by the United States Department of Agriculture (USDA). Unfortunately, however, puppy mills that sell directly to the public can escape any federal oversight partly because the AWA was implemented before the creation of the Internet. These unregulated Internet sellers and other direct sales facilities profit by selling thousands of puppies a year. As a result of the deplorable care provided by these unscrupulous breeders, their puppies are often sick and unsocialized. Sadly, when people buy them, they can end up with puppies that have serious health problems and require expensive veterinary care. Some even die. Also, the adult breeding dogs at these puppy mills are frequently deprived of exercise and human contact, confined to filthy, stacked wire cage, and denied routine veterinary care. The PUPS Act will close this gaping loophole in the AWA by requiring that 1) all dog breeders who sell more than 50 puppies a year directly to the public be licensed by the USDA and 2) all dogs at commercial breeding facilities be given 60 minutes of exercise a day (Humane Society of the United States). The PUPS Act, S. 395 and H.R. 847, needs to move out of committee and get to the House and Senate for vote. Please contact your federal representative and senators and ask them to support this important legislation. To find your representation or senators, go to www.senate.gov and www.house.gov.
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Thank you Berkshire Bank and The Appelbaum-Kahn Foundation for their generous support of Camp Humane 2013, our summer camp program where kids and animals meet!
THE HUMANE RACE Thanks to our volunteers, participants, sponsors, and new cochairs Christa Abel and Dawn Catelotti of BarkNCat, this year’s Humane Race in Williamstown, MA, raised almost $12,000 for the animals at Berkshire Humane Society and Purradise Feline Adoption Center.
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
2013 SUBARU OUTBACK
RAFFLE
TO BENEFIT BERKSHIRE HUMANE SOCIETY
help our shelter animals and
WIN A BRAND NEW SUBARU
TICKETS $40 EACH OR 3 FOR $100
THE RAFFLE IS LIMITED TO 2,100 ENTRIES THE DRAWING WILL BE HELD ON OCTOBER 14, 2013 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
THE CHRONICLES OF DANNY BOY Danny Boy was a senior unwanted Pug who inspired Nancy O’Malley, Martha Pope, and Mary Ellen Morris, volunteers for the Sonsini Shelter, to write and publish a book titled, The Chronicles of Danny Boy. One hundred percent of the proceeds will go towards supporting the needs of senior dogs and cats in shelters in Berkshire County. The books are available for sale at the Berkshire Humane Society and Sonsini Animal shelter.
Mary Ellen Morris presenting John Perreault and James our 18 year old senior feline, the first ever recipient of the Danny Boy Adoption Fund .
James has found his forever loving home!
BERKSHIRE HUMANE SOCIETY 214 Barker Road, Pittsfield, Massachusetts 01201 www.berkshirehumane.org • 413-447-7878 BOARD OF DIRECTORS
Cindy Bartlett President
Fred Pomerantz Vice-President
Leslie Weil
Evan Morowitz Christopher Nerrie Jane Patton John Reynolds, DVM Janie Strachan Diana Wall
Vice-President
Deborah Storie Secretary
Patricia Sinclair Treasurer
ADMINISTRATIVE STAFF John Perreault Executive Director
Lisa Corbett Alix Cabral Jonathan Cluett, MD
Family Dog School Head Instructor
Assist. Secretary
Cheryl Truskowski
Karen Leopardi Jackie McHugh Assist. Treasurer
Shelter Manager
Elizabeth Brown
Mary Koncel
Humane Educator
Terry Bissaillon
Volunteer Coordinator
Diane Briggs
Administrative Assistant
Sherry Betit
Financial Specialist
PURRADISE Berkshire Humane Society Feline Adoption Center 301 Stockbridge Road Great Barrington, MA 413-717-4244 Danielle Hammell Manager
Outreach Coordinator
Newsletter Design: Shirley Sparks, Stockbridge, MA • Photos: BHS Staff • Printed by: Quality Printing, A Green Co.