Berkshire humane society, inc. Is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit, open-admission animal support organization with a twofold mission: (1) to ensure the compassionate care, treatment, and whenever possible, placement of homeless animals through the shelter operation, and (2) to promote and improve the welfare of all animals through community education and outreach.

Animal Protection & Welfare , Animals

Berkshire humane society (bhs) is a private, non-profit 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 $100,000 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, agility, tricks, and nose work. Annually, family dog school assists more than 360 people, helping to keep dogs in their home. 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 animal dreams, an 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 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 red cross, the brien center, 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 has served 46 clients, which equals 2,143 days of animal care. More than 2,000 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 1,000 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 numerous humane education programs. Camp humane is bhs's signature education program, offering 6 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 2017, bhs's humane hero program served 210 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. Catwalk boutique is an important revenue source for berkshire humane society. The successful resale shop in great barrington, which specializes in women's clothing and accessories, opened in 2014. The shop, which is run almost exclusively by volunteers and sub