Berkshire Humane Society (BHS)

See schedule oberkshire Humane Society (bhs) is a private, nonprofit, socially conscious organization not affiliated with any other animal welfare agency. Bhs receives no public funds from state or federal sources. Bhs has a contract with the city of pittsfield to house the stray animals of Berkshire county and receives minimal funds from this contract. The animal shelter depends on the compassion and generosity of the community. Each month the shelter spends approximately $150,000 helping animals and people.berkshire Humane Society offers a variety of programs and services. In addition to adopting out companion animals, bhs offers family dog school, which was created to address the primary reason dogs and puppies are surrendered; "bad behavior." Family dog school offers free consultation and affordable training, providing sessions in manners, tricks, nose work, reactivity, and canine good citizen therapy certificates. Annually family dog school assists more than 250 people, helping to keep dogs in their homes.bhs fosters a deep connection to the community which is why we opened a wellness clinic. This clinic provides low-cost treatment options for basic medical needs such as comprehensive health exams, bloodwork, flea and tick treatment, vaccinations, microchipping, parasite screenings and treatment, heartworm & tickborne disease testing, feline leukemia & aids testing, and more. Beyond the clinic bhs also offers low cost spay and neuter programs and clinics for vaccinations and microchipping forunderserved populations. The shelter partners with city officials to target those most-in-need neighborhoods. Free medical exams are offered at these clinics along with trap-neuter return resources.trap-neuter-return is led by a group of volunteers dedicated to promoting the Humane treatment and care of stray or feral cats in Berkshire county and surrounding towns. The community cat program works diligently to help keep the cat population in control and looks to home any cat trapped who is not feral. For cat-specific programs bhs also offers a satellite building, purradise, located in great barrington, offering cat-only adoptions and feline boarding services.another valuable program serving both people and animals is bhs's safepet program, which is designed to assist victims of domestic violence and people experiencing extreme hardship or crisis. Bhs works in tandem with the elizabeth freeman center, a pittsfield-based resource for women, as well as the brien center, elder services of Berkshire county, elder protective services of Berkshire county, and Berkshire medical center. Pets entered into this free 30-day program are fostered by bhs volunteers and staff who care for the animals until they can be reunited with their family. The arrangement is entirely confidential. The safepet program serves approximately 50 clients per year, which equals over 2,000 days of animal care. More than 3,000 volunteer hours have been devoted to fostering animals in the safepet program.to support animals whose owners are experiencing financial difficulty, bhs offers a free pet food bank that is well stocked from community donations. This service also helps keep pets in their home. Each year, the shelter receives approximately 3,000 requests for pet food. When possible, bhs supplies pet food to various food banks throughout Berkshire county. Bhs has also started collaborations with elder services' meals on wheels program providing dog or cat food to seniors who may experience insecurities, ultimately helping keep pets in their homes, providing much needed companionship.because bhs believes in fostering compassion in humans, the shelter offers Humane education programs. These programs touch more than 2,100 children and adults over the course of each year through in-shelter and outreach programs. Since covid we havenft done summer camp, but continue to educate by offering school/class tours and visiting schools. Some visiting programs have been for animal information and career education in animal welfare. By educating future generations, bhs fosters compassion and inspires advocacy.catwalk boutiques are important revenue sources for Berkshire Humane Society. The successful resale shops in great barrington and lenox specialize in women's clothing and accessories. The stores rely on donated clothing and accessories from the community for inventory.for more information visit berkshirehumane.org

See schedule osince its inception in 1992, bhs shelter accepts more than 1,400 animals that are cared for and made available for adoption. Animals are surrendered for many reasons-financial hardship, death of owner, change in living circumstances. Shelter staff prioritizes problem-solving to help keep animals in their home whenever possible, caring for, rehabilitating, and placing surrendered animals into responsible homes is the crux of bhs's mission. Bhs is the only open-admission and socially conscious animal shelter in Berkshire county and surrounding areas, which means that animals are accepted without discrimination against age, breed, or temperament. Many animals that come to bhs have no where else to go. There is no charge for surrendering animals. From dogs and cats to birds and all types of small mammals, bhs is the place to find a new pet. Trained adoption counselors work with potential adopters to find the best fit for their families and lifestyles. The canine staff uses the aspca's "safer" (safety assessment for evaluating rehoming) tool to identify the risk of future aggression and individual behavior support needed before adoption. Bhs adoption fees include spaying/neutering, vaccinations, microchipping, worming, and a free lifetime of advice. Bhs loses money on every single adoption. The shelter does not place limits on the time that an adoptable animal stays at the shelter. In 2023, 1421 animals were adopted; on average, dogs wait 18 days to be adopted, small animals 50 days, and cats 29 days. The cost of care during an average stay was more than $450.00 per animal.for more information, please visit berkshirehumane.org