Berkshire Humane Society Inc

BERKSHIRE HUMANE SOCIETY IS A 501(C)(3) NONPROFIT, OPEN-ADMISSION ANIMAL SUPPORT ORGANIZATION. OUR MISSION IS TO ENSURE THE COMPASSIONATE CARE, TREATMENT AND PLACEMENT OF COMPANION ANIMALS, WHILE PROMOTING AND IMPROVING THE WELFARE OF ALL ANIMALS THROUGH EDUCATION AND OUTREACH.

SEE SCHEDULE OBERKSHIRE HUMANE SOCIETY (BHS) IS A PRIVATE, NON-PROFIT SOCIALLY CONSCIOUS ORGANIZATION NOT AFFILIATED WITH ANY OTHER ANIMAL WELFARE GROUP. BHS RECEIVES NO PUBLIC FUNDS FROM LOCAL, STATE, OR FEDERAL SOURCES - THE ANIMAL SHELTER DEPENDS ENTIRELY ON THE COMPASSION AND GENEROSITY OF ITS COMMUNITY. EACH MONTH, THE SHELTER SPENDS $127,565 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 AGILITY, TRICKS, AND NOSE WORK. ANNUALLY, FAMILY DOG SCHOOL ASSISTS MORE THAN 180 PEOPLE, HELPING TO KEEP DOGS IN THEIR HOMES. BHS FOSTERS A DEEP CONNECTION TO ITS COMMUNITY, OFFERING LOW-COST SPAY/NEUTER PROGRAMS AND CLINICS FOR VACCINATIONS AND MICROCHIPPING TO UNDER-SERVED POPULATIONS. THE SHELTER PARTNERS WITH CITY OFFICIALS TO TARGET NEIGHBORHOODS MOST IN NEED. FREE MEDICAL EXAMS ARE OFFERED AT THESE CLINICS, ALONG WITH TRAP-NEUTER-RETURN RESOURCES, WHICH ARE A DIRECT RESULT OF BHS'S COLLABORATION WITH ANIMAL DREAMS, A VOLUNTEER ORGANIZATION DEDICATED TO PROMOTING THE HUMANE TREATMENT AND CARE OF STRAY OR FERAL CATS IN BERKSHIRE COUNTY AND SURROUNDING TOWNS.ANOTHER VALUABLE PROGRAM SERVING BOTH PEOPLE AND ANIMALS IS BHS'S SAFEPET PROGRAM, WHICH IS DESIGNED TO ASSIST VICTIMS OF DOMESTICVIOLENCE 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 RED CROSS, THE BRIEN CENTER, ELDER SERVICES OF BERKSHIRE COUNTY AND ELDER PROTECTIVE SERVICES IN BERKSHIRE COUNTY, AND BERKSHIRE MEDICAL CENTER. PETS ENTERED INTO THIS FREE,30-DAY PROGRAM ARE FOSTERED BY BHS VOLUNTEERS 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.BECAUSE BHS BELIEVES IN FOSTERING COMPASSION IN HUMANS, THE SHELTER OFFERS MANY HUMANE EDUCATION PROGRAMS. CAMP HUMANE IS BHS'S SIGNATURE EDUCATION PROGRAM, OFFERING 5 ONE-WEEK SESSIONS OF SUMMER CAMP FOR KIDS IN 3RD THROUGH 6TH GRADES. KIDS LEARN ABOUT RESPONSIBLE PET OWNERSHIP,LOCAL ECOLOGY, AND COMMUNITY ENGAGEMENT. IN 2021, BHS'S HUMANE HERO PROGRAM SERVED 48 KIDS WHO LOVE ANIMALS. THESE YOUNG VOLUNTEERS LEARNED ABOUT FACTORY FARMING, DOG TRAINING, LOCAL ECOLOGY, AND ENRICHMENT. THEY ALSO ASSISTED WITH CHORES AROUND THE SHELTER SUCH AS FOLDING LAUNDRY, SWEEPING FLOORS, CLEANING WINDOWS, AND BAGGING DOG FOOD FOR THE PET FOOD BANK. THE DEFENDERS IS BHS'S TEEN VOLUNTEER PROGRAM WHERE KIDS VISIT THE SHELTER EACH WEEK TO HELP WITH CHORES AND CAT CARE. THEY ALSO ENGAGE IN MORE THAN 250 HOURS OF COMMUNITY SERVICE. THE KEY PROGRAM IS A LONG-TERM FOSTER CARE PROGRAM FOR CHILDREN IN MASSACHUSETTS. THIS PROGRAM PARTNERS WITH BHS, SENDING 3 FOSTER KIDS TO THE SHELTER EACH WEEK TO HELP CLEAN, FEED, AND SOCIALIZE CATS.BERKSHIRE HUMANE SOCIETY'S HUMANE EDUCATION PROGRAMS TOUCH MORE THAN 2,100 CHILDREN AND ADULTS OVER THE COURSE OF EACH YEAR THROUGH IN-SHELTER PROGRAMS, SCHOOL TOURS, AND SCHOOL VISITS. BY EDUCATING FUTURE GENERATIONS, BHS FOSTERS COMPASSION AND INSPIRES ADVOCACY. OUR EDUCATION PROGRAMS WERE PAUSED BECAUSE OF COVID. CATWALK BOUTIQUES ARE IMPORTANT REVENUE SOURCES FOR BERKSHIRE HUMANESOCIETY. THE SUCCESSFUL RESALE SHOPS IN GREAT BARRINGTON AND LENOX, WHICH SPECIALIZE IN WOMEN'S CLOTHING AND ACCESSORIES, OPENED IN 2014 AND 2019, RESPECTIVELY.FOR MORE INFORMATION, PLEASE VISIT BERKSHIREHUMANE.ORG

SEE SCHEDULE OSINCE ITS INCEPTION IN 1992, BHS HAS SHELTERED MORE THAN 56,000 HOMELESS ANIMALS. EACH YEAR, THE SHELTER ACCEPTS MORE THAN 1,200ANIMALS 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 PRIORITIZE 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 NOWHERE ELSE TO GO. THERE IS NO CHARGE FOR SURRENDERING AN ANIMAL. 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 USE THE ASPCA'S "MEET YOUR MATCH", A SCIENCE-BASED APPROACH TO EVALUATING DOGS' PERSONALITIES AND BEHAVIOR TO DETERMINE A "CANINALITY," WHICH IS THEN USED TO PAIR HUMAN LIFESTYLES AND EXPECTATIONS. 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 AMOUNT OF TIME THAT AN ADOPTABLE ANIMAL STAYS AT THE SHELTER. IN 2021, 804 ANIMALS WERE ADOPTED. ON AVERAGE, DOGS WAIT 10.7 DAYS TO BE ADOPTED. SMALL ANIMALS WAIT 33.3 DAYS AND CATS WAIT 33.8 DAYS. IN 2021, THE COST OF CARE DURING AN AVERAGE STAY WAS MORE THAN $750 PER ANIMAL. FOR MORE INFORMATION, PLEASE VISIT BERKSHIREHUMANE.ORG