September 28th, 2010, a Tuesday night, will be the Fifth Annual Pasta Night at Zucco’s Restaurant, 451 Dalton Avenue, Pittsfield, MA. This event will be held from 5:00 to 8:00 p.m. The cost is $7 for an adult and $5 for kids under 12.
You will have a choice of spaghetti or ziti and two meatballs, or if you prefer, 2 sweet or hot sausages. If you just can’t decide, have a combo. Delicious bread and butter will also be served. Beverages, salad, or dessert are an additional charge.
There will be a fun raffle as well as a 50/50 raffle!
Berkshire Humane Society will do all the publicity. There will be posters everywhere!
Our organization receives the entire $7.00 or $5.00 from pasta sales, and Zucco’s receives all other money from food or beverage sales.
This is a great evening for all with a delicious dinner. We hope you will mark your calendars and join us for the event. We look forward to seeing you there!
We also thank Zucco’s for helping Berkshire Humane Society.
August 6, 2010 Pittsfield MA . . . The Berkshire Humane Society is holding its first major fundraising benefit for Purradise – the new cat adoption center in Great Barrington.
A Night At The Kit Kat Club will be held at the Crissey Farm Banquet Center in Great Barrington on Friday, Sept. 10th from 6 to 11 PM. It’s located at 426 Stockbridge Road.
The Kit Kat Club will be the world’s first Cat Night Club. The dress is festive, funky or fun – with guests encouraged to bring out their inner felines.
The party will include great food, singer, Beth Rose and her band, Heather Fishe, Master Magician, Carl Seiger, The Cat Tease Girls, swing dance demos by Paul & Nadia Rix and dancing to dJ, Dave Leonard’s swinging sounds.
It’s also an opportunity to win fabulous vacations, jewelry, deluxe dining, spa experiences and original art that all benefits Purradise.
This great night out costs $100 and helps hundreds of Berkshire’s homeless cats, call us at 413-447-7878 ext. 31 for reservations.
Please join us – as a rider, sponsor, or spectator – and celebrate horses! The 19th Annual Berkshire Humane Society Horse Show will be held Sunday, August 29, at Overmeade Farm, 940 East Street, Lenox. The event begins at 9AM sharp!
The show is recognized by the Western Massachusetts Professional Horseman’s Association (WNEPHA) and includes competitions for all levels of riding. The show hosts hunter, equitation and jumper divisions. It will feature hunter and equitation classes in thirteen divisions. The equitation divisions include: Short and Long Stirrup, Mini, Adult, Limit, and Open. The hunter divisions include: Novice Junior, Low/Adult, Children’s and Junior/Amateur. Jumper and Open Pleasure divisions will also be offered.
The Judge’s Award will be presented to the competitor who exhibits the best turn-out of horse and rider and demonstrates good sportsmanship and horsemanship. Prizes will be awarded. In addition, a Hunter Classic will be held which will award cash prizes to the top finishers.
If you are not a “horse person,” please join us anyway! We will be conducting raffles and selling our merchandise throughout the festive day!
Since its inception, this event has raised over $150,000 for Berkshire Humane Society. If you would like to be a horse show sponsor, or receive information, please contact Berkshire Humane Society at (413) 447-7878.
The Berkshire Humane Society and the Central Berkshire Ambulance Service will be conducting a Pet CPR and First Aid Course on June 17th at the shelter on 214 Barker Road in Pittsfield. The certificate program will be from 5pm until 7pm in the shelter’s classroom. The cost is $30 per person and includes either a Dog or Cat First Aid Handbook and a Red Cross Pet First Aid Certificate of Completion at the end of the program that evening. Pre-registration is required, no walk-ins will be allowed. To register please bring or send a check, payable to the Berkshire Humane Society, Attention: Pet CPR, to BHS by June 15th. Space is limited to 20 participants and you must be at least 16 years of age. No pets please. The instructor is Lance Beauchamp of Central Berkshire Ambulance Service, 77 Seymour Street, in Pittsfield. He is a Mass EMT and a Red Cross Pet First aid and CPR instructor. For more information please call Karen at 413-447-7878 ext 29 or at kkarlberg@berkshirehumane.org.
The Berkshire Humane Society’s annual lasagna dinner on Thursday, March 25, 2010 from 5 to 8 pm will benefit Purradise, the new BHS Cat Adoption Center that opens this spring. Once again, the event will be hosted by Gary Happ, owner of Crissey Farm Banquet House, the banquet facility next to the Brewery in the Jenifer House Commons at 426 Stockbridge Road in Great Barrington. Purradise, the Berkshire’s first Cat Adoption Center, is at 301 Stockbridge Road, and a close neighbor of Crissey Farm.
The cost is $10 for adults, $6 for children under 12, and payable at the door. Both meat and vegetarian lasagna will be served, along with garlic bread and salad. There is a cash bar.
A silent auction and raffle prizes will give everyone a chance to win a little something for themselves while helping the homeless felines of Berkshire County. The annual lasagna dinner promises to be the place to hear all the “Cat Buzz,” have a delicious meal, and help a worthy cause. Help make this new Cat Adoption Center a real Purradise by coming to dinner on March 25th!
To celebrate “National Prevent a Litter Month”, the Berkshire Humane Society will be offering vouchers for pet owners who cannot afford to spay and neuter their cats and dogs. The voucher system works by a pet owner coming to the BHS Shelter during the hours of operation and requesting a voucher certificate. The only requirement is a valid license/ID and proof of residence in Berkshire County. They owners must schedule the surgery for their own pets at a veterinarian hospital that accepts the vouchers. The Berkshire Society reimburses the veterinarians directly for the surgery. The vouchers are worth $60 towards a spay/neuter surgery for felines and [click to continue…]
The Berkshire Humane Society will benefit from the 2nd Annual Sasha’s Memorial Ski Race to be held at the Bousquet Ski Area on Dan Fox Drive in Pittsfield. The race will be held on Friday, February 19th registration begins at 5pm and race starts at 7PM. Race Organizer and Bousquet Ski School Director, Cindy Bartlett says, “The race will be 1 Run GS on Grand Slalom top to Bottom.” “The race is open to skiers and riders of ages and disciplines,” she added. Prizes will be awarded and all entrants are eligible for Door Prizes. The entry fee is $25, with all proceeds going to benefit the Berkshire Humane Society for the care and feeding of the homeless animals at the shelter on Barker Road in Pittsfield. The race is in honor of “Sasha” the beloved Mascot of the Bousquet Ski area for many years. Visitors are welcome to attend and watch the race. If you would like more information about the race or about being a sponsor, please contact Cindy at 413-442-8316 Ext 27.
Don’t miss the Boat!
Purchase your entries for a chance to win this great cruise today, call 413-447-7878 to place your order.
We are currently experiencing technical difficulties with online ordering, we are working to restore this feature.
From The New York Times:
Is it better to walk a human or to walk a dog?
New research from the University of Missouri has found that people who walk dogs are more consistent about regular exercise and show more improvement in fitness than people who walk with a human companion. In a 12-week study of 54 older adults at an assisted living home, 35 people were assigned to a walking program for five days a week, while the remaining 19 served as a control group. Among the walkers, 23 selected a friend or spouse to serve as a regular walking partner along a trail laid out near the home. Another 12 participants took a bus daily to a local animal shelter where they were assigned a dog to walk.
To the surprise of the researchers, the dog walkers showed a big improvement in fitness, while the human walkers began making excuses to skip the workout. Walking speed among the dog walkers increased by 28 percent, compared with just a 4 percent increase among the human walkers.
Read the rest of the story by clicking here.
BHS alumnus “Caleb” was voted “Best ReinDog” in Williamstown’s annual ReinDog Parade on December 5th.
Caleb is shown with his owner, Dr. Jon Cluett, who also happens to be a member of the BHS Board of Directors.
Contratulations Caleb and Jon!
Tickets are on sale for the 12th Annual Berkshire Humane Society Holiday Auction. The event is scheduled for Saturday, November 14th at the Crowne Plaza in Pittsfield. Tickets are $25.00 per person, which includes passed hors d’oeuvres, pasta stations, desserts and a free ticket for a raffle item of your choice. The doors will open at 5pm for the Silent Auction, the Special Needs Raffle and the live entertainment. The Live Auction portion of the evening is scheduled for later in the evening. There will be a $5.00 Auction Only admission fee for those who do not want the food portion of the event.
$1000 FIRST PRIZE!
Our Lucky Dog Raffle tickets are now being sold by BHS members, supporters and volunteers throughout Berkshire County. Buy them for yourself, give them as gifts, or sell them to your friends! Last year our Lucky Dog Raffle brought in over $18,000! Take a chance and win $1,000 and at the same time help our community’s homeless animals!
The drawing is on November 14th at our annual Holiday Auction.
1st prize…….$1000
2nd prize……..$500
3rd prize……..$250
4th prize……..$150
5th prize…….$100
April 24, 2009, Williamstown, MA…The 7th Annual Humane Race Fun Run and 1 Mile Walk presented by theBrowns of Williamstown and benefiting the Berkshire Humane Society will take place on Saturday, May 9th at 10:00 AM. For the first time, the event will be held in downtown Williamstown and will highlight many of the town’s most famous attractions such as its charming business district, the Francine and Sterling Clark Art Institute and the Williams College campus. The race begins in front of theBrowns at 16 Water Street. Parking is available in the Town Garage Lot across from Linear Park on Water Street (see website www.HumaneRace.org for parking and course map).
The main attraction of the Humane Race is without question – the dogs. Runners and walkers can participate with or without a four-legged friend. The cost for the event is $15 for adults and $10 for children 12 and under to pre-register, $20 for adults and $15 for children 12 and under for race day registration. Children in strollers are free and there is no extra cost to run with a dog. The first 100 participants to register will receive a commemorative T-shirt. All dogs will receive an adorable bandana. Finish line festivities will include prizes, raffles, food, music and more, and will take place at the end of Spring Street! For additional details and to register, please visit our website, www.HumaneRace.org.
This year, we are thrilled to introduce two new activities just for kids. The Clark will host an art project featuring their famous painting by Renoir of Tama the Japanese Dog. Kids are invited to create their own puppy pin or bookmark with Tama’s likeness, just look for their table at the finish line.
At 12:30 PM the fun moves to Water Street Books, at 26 Water Street. Williamstown K-9 Police Officer Mike Ziemba and his police dog, Blue, will read two books; I Got Two Dogs, by John Lithgow and Officer Buckle and Gloria by Peggy Rathmann. After the readings, children are invited to create art for the “MY FAVORITE DOG” contest. Prizes will be awarded in three categories and judged by Officer Ziemba. Well-behaved dogs on leashes are welcome to attend and snacks will be provided for all. For more information call Water Street Books at 413.458.8021.
The Berkshire Humane Society is a privately run, non-profit organization, which receives no city, state or federal funding of any kind. The BHS is a vital part of the Berkshire’s social fabric, providing support and assistance to pet owners throughout the county and beyond. In addition to pet adoptions, the BHS offers many invaluable social services such as low cost spay and neuter programs, a pet food bank for needy pet owners, educational outreach programs, family dog school, and a “Safe Pet” program in conjunction with the local shelter for victims of domestic violence and abuse, the Elizabeth Freeman Center.
For more information, please contact:
Alix Cabral
Race Director
The Humane Race
228 Main St., #415
Williamstown, MA 01267
(413) 441-3677
info@humanerace.org
April 2, 2009 … A Pancake Breakfast to benefit the Police K-9 Fund will be held at Applebee’s Restaurant on Saturday April 18th from 8am until 10am. All proceeds from this event will go towards the purchase and care of specially trained K-9 police dogs throughout Berkshire County. These K-9 officers assist Their Human partners in eradicating the county of illegal drugs and materials, along with tracking suspects for area Law Enforcement. The K-9 Fund Committee includes, Jodi Bond, The Berkshire Humane Society, Eleanor Sonsini Animal Shelter and the Pittsfield Veterinary Hospital along with Officer Dwane Foisy, who lost his K-9 partner Ki in January of this year. The Police K-9 Fund was created in memory of Ki, a K-9 Police Officer. The
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April 1, 2009 …The very popular Camp Humane Summer Program at the Berkshire Humane Society is now accepting registrations for children going into grades 3 through 6 this coming September. The 7th grade session has already filled. “Camp Humane is an educational experience designed for kids who love animals”, says Camp Humane Director, Karen Karlberg. Each session runs Monday through Friday, 9am until 3pm in the modern classroom at the Berkshire Humane Society Shelter on Barker Road in Pittsfield. This year’s session schedule is: Week A July 6-10 for Grade 3, Week B July 13-17 for Grade 4, Week C July 20-24 for Grade 5 and Week D July 27-31 for Grade 6. Each week is designed for that particular grade level. All sessions will have a variety of animal professionals doing presentations for the campers. There is hands-on
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March 18, 2009 The Berkshire Humane Society no longer has a shortage of cat food in the Community Pet Food Bank thanks to the overwhelming response to the Berkshire Eagle’s article on Tuesday, March 17! The shelves at the shelter and the satellite pet food pantries throughout Berkshire County are restocked with the almost 2,500 bags of cat food donated since the call for help went out. This cat food is already being distributed to cat owners in need, helping them keep their feline friends in their own homes.
Staff members at the Berkshire Humane Society have shed tears of joy [click to continue…]
Animal Law Coalition drafted a bill to ban devocalizing/silencing dogs and cats in Massachusetts but they need your help to get the bill passed. If you live in Massachusetts, please contact your state representative and senator and ask them to co-sponsor “An Act Prohibiting Devocaliztion of Dogs and Cats.” For more information on this bill and devocalizing (which is a painful surgical procedure to remove vocal chords, often referred to as “debarking” in dogs) please go to the ALC’s article on their website at: www.animalcoalition.com/animal-cruelty/article/684
February 20, 2009 … The Bounti-Fare Restaurant will host the “Pasta for Paws” benefit dinner on Tuesday, March 3rd from 5 until 7PM at the restaurant on Curran Highway, North Adams. The dinner includes a choice of spaghetti with marinara sauce or meatballs, salad, and garlic bread. There will be complimentary desserts and coffee available also. The cost is $8 for adults and $5 for children 12 -3 years old, kids under 3 are free. You can pay at the door the night of the event or purchase tickets from the main office at Conte Middle School in N. Adams.
Members of the Conte Middle School Youth Group will be volunteer Hosts and Servers during the evening. Raffles and BHS merchandise will also be available for sale. The event is a chance for “Hands & Paws” to work together to help support the animals and the many programs that BHS provides for the community. Proceeds from the dinner will help support the Berkshire Humane Society’s many programs for pets and people. For additional information, please call the Berkshire Humane Society at 413-447-7878.
February 05, 2009 … The Bousquet Ski Area will be holding a benefit ski race on Friday February 20th at 7PM in honor of “Sasha” the beloved Mascot of the Bousquet Ski area. , “There will be 1 Run GS on Grand Slalom top to Bottom,” says Race Organizer and Bousquet Ski School Director, Cindy Bartlett. The race is open to all ages and disciplines including skis, snowboards and telemark skis. Prizes will be awarded and all entrants are eligible for Door Prizes. The entry fee is $25, with all proceeds going to the care and feeding of the homeless animals at the Berkshire Humane Society. And registration begins at 5pm the day of the race Feb. 20th. Visitors are welcomed to and watch the race. For more information contact Cindy at 413-442-8316 Ext 26.
February 4, 2009 …The Berkshire Humane Society will be celebrating “National Prevent a Litter Month during February by distributing spay and neuter voucher-certificates for both cats and dogs. “This is an important program for Berkshire County pet owners who cannot afford to spay or neuter their pets,” says John Perreault, Executive Director. “It is especially important to reach out to those pet owners affected by the tough economy,” he added. Eligible pet owners can receive a voucher-certificate worth $60 towards a spay/neuter surgery for felines and $75 towards the surgery for canines. Since this program started over 14 years ago, The BHS Spay/Neuter Program has helped over 2,500 families spay or neuter their pets. The funds are
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Attention all Berkshire County Kids Grades K-6th
The Berkshire Humane Society is having a coloring contest to help celebrate the premiere of the upcoming movie
“Hotel for Dogs”
which opens January 16th, 2009
at the Regal Cinema
Berskhire Mall, Lanesoro, MA
Just download your copy of the coloring page here, print it out and have some fun coloring!
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For Premier of “Hotel for Dogs”
The Berkshire Humane Society will have a special Dog Adoption Event in the lobby of the Regal Cinema at the Berkshire Mall in Lanesboro on Saturday & Sunday January 17th & 18th as part of the weekend premier of the new movie, “Hotel for Dogs” (opens in theaters, Friday January 16th.)
BHS adoption counselors will be on-hand with dogs from the shelter that are available for adoption. This is to celebrate the premiere of “Hotel for Dogs” and to showcase the importance of the adoption option of a
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Donna Ekhardt, was chosen to be the 2008 recipient of the Lynne West Shelter Volunteer award. Congratulations Donna, and thank you for all of your hard work.
Dec 1, 2008 … The Berkshire Humane Society would like invite the public to its annual Holiday Open House on Sunday Dec. 7th from 1pm until 3pm at the shelter on 214 Barker Road in Pittsfield. All BHS Volunteers are especially asked to attend as a thank-you from the staff and animals at the shelter for all that they do.
There will be free [click to continue…]
November 21, 2008 The Berkshire Humane Society is leading an effort to coordinate Pet-Food supplies for needy families this winter season. BHS is working with Animal Friends of Northern Berkshire to build up a supply of dry and canned, cat and dog food at designated drop off and pickup sites in Adams, N. Adams and Dalton. The Berkshire Visitors Bureau, at Hoosick St. in Adams will take donations of new bags and cans of pet-food. [click to continue…]
Thank You for Making the 2008 Auction a Wonderful Success
A heartfelt thank you goes out to all those who made our 2008 Holiday Auction and Brunch a huge success. We had record crowds fill the new venue of the Crowne Plaza Ballroom and everyone agreed it was a wonderful new location to hold the annual event. We raised over $40,000 in a very difficult economic climate, which shows just how much people care about the work we do at the Berkshire Humane Society for animals and people. [click to continue…]
October is Adopt a Shelter Dog Month and we are excited to announce we now have our very own Dog Blog.
On the Dog Blog, you will find posts about
October 1, 2008 …How better to celebrate than to adopt a dog that has been residing at the Berkshire Humane Society on Barker Road in Pittsfield for over a year. There are two such canines at the shelter, still hopeful that the right people will come in and take them to a home of their own. Lisa Corbett, Canine Services Manager at BHS, says of these long term residents, “We want the public to know that we do keep adoptable animals for as long as it takes to find them the right home.” Not only does BHS provide [click to continue…]
