E Edition for April 2016

Complimentary April 2016

animal lifeYour pet. Our purpose.

Tri-State Area Pet News

Inside:Pig in Kindergarten page 3

Preventing Lyme page 514th Humane Race page 7

Shelter Work Part 2 page 12

It was 1988 when I introduced the first Kinder-garten Puppy Training classes to the Berkshires.But never in my wildest dreams would I havethought after 28 years of teaching them, I wouldhave a Potbelly Pig as a student! Your eyes aren’tdeceiving you . . . yes, I said Potbelly Pig!Her name is Magnolia, who is 3 months old, andweighs 20 lbs. As adults, Potbellies can weigh upto 200 lbs., but she will most likely end up at 140lbs. She is owned by Cara Petricca, founder ofBluebird Farm Animal Sanctuary and Wildlife Re-habilitation in Cheshire, MA. Magnolia arrived atthe sanctuary because she was taken from hermother too soon, so it is paramount for her to learnbehavioral skills and manners from her owner. Justlike puppies, pigs can develop issues withoutproper socialization and training. I have to confess that although I am considered

an expert in puppy obedience and behavior, I’vehad to take a crash course on Potbelly Pigs. I’velearned they are a novelty and many people justcan’t wait to own one. The sad truth is once theybecome adults, they end up in rescues. Sort of like what happens to many pup-pies and kittens. They are very intelligent, affectionate, loyal animals, and definitely can be obe-dience trained. I’ll go even further and state they can become certified therapy an-imals. Basically, the same training methods that are used with puppies/dogs canbe used with them, although I may have to deviate my class curriculum a bit.They can do agility, rally obedience, and even have performed in freestyle danc-ing. Potbellies learn very quickly and will remember what they’ve learned foryears. Magnolia and Cara have already visited local schools together, educatingchildren about this breed of pig. Her goal is to become a certified therapy pig, andCara’s long range plan is to offer an educational program at Bluebird Farm. Thisprogram will utilize animals in a therapeutic way. She plans on having a full pro-gram for both children and adults. On her first day of class Magnolia was happily greeted and accepted by her 5classmates. Each puppy came up to her nose to nose, and you could tell by theircurious expressions that some of them thought she was a funny looking puppy.Magnolia took it all in stride as she strolled among them with a smile on her facewhile continuously wagging that cute, little curly tail. At one point Magnolia’sharness became detached from her body. The class was warned by Cara that onceshe was picked up in order to put it back on her, we would hear a squeaking fit.She wasn’t kidding, as Magnolia went into a full blown loud temper tantrum!Not one puppy seemed to be bothered by her actions & the class went on as nor-mal. I am convinced this puppy class may be the smartest, and most socializedin years!You may be thinking to yourself that it would be cool to own a Potbelly pig, andyou may even want to go out and get one. My advice is to think long and hardbeforehand. They need stimulation, entertainment, and have mood changes. Theypout when scolded, and won’t have anything to do with you. There needs to bestrict rules in the household as they will become unruly. Unruly to the point ofeating your furniture and as another local owner reported, her Potbelly even triedto eat her refrigerator! Most people have them as indoor pets, but they need out-side time. They need to root in the soil (dig with their nose), to receive importantnutrients from grazing on grass or rooting. It is a must they obtain sunlight whichproduces vitamin D. Don’t even think about having a nice manicured lawn be-cause they will eat all your shrubs, bushes, and grass. Ideally they should havean outside pen, as I routinely recommend to my canine students. But because oftheir tenacity, it seems Potbelly Pig owners find themselves continuously tryingto reinforce outside enclosures. It seems no pen is too strong for these little pig-gies! Additionally, you will need to research your town by-laws and zoning re-

strictions as they are classified as a farm animal inMassachusetts.It is a big responsibility to become a dog or cat

owner, but the Potbelly Pig will incur extra specialVeterinary care and dollars. They too, need regu-lar Veterinary check-ups, but additionally requiretheir hoofs to be trimmed. They need to bewormed twice a year, and the males need to havetheir tusks trimmed. If you think you can be a responsible Potbelly Pigowner, and have the proper environment, I wouldsuggest going to a rescue to obtain one. The res-cues are overwhelmed by these animals, and asstated above once the novelty wears off, that’swhere they end up.I am delighted to have Magnolia in my KPT class,and I am looking forward to her graduating fromthe next two levels of obedience with her class-mates. I am convinced she will become a great ad-dition to the therapy world and help many childrenand adults!Her progress will be documented on Canine Con-

nection’s face book page, and in future articles in Animal Life.After all these years of teaching dog obedience classes, perhaps I will now haveto change my profession? Stay tuned!Gloria McClayGloria is the owner/operator of Canine Connection, Cheshire, MA. She has beena member of the Great Barrington Kennel Club since 1981, and serves on theFriends of Eleanor Sonsini Board of Directors.

A Pig Goes To

Kindergarten

Animal Lifer April 2016 animallifeonline.com 3

Donations for Magnolia can be sent toBluebird Animal Sanctuary, Cara Petricca, 631 Outlook Ave., Cheshire, MA 01225

Or to: gofundme.com6q9qyqz8

Recall Exercise

SocialSkill Exercise

RewardExercise

4 Animal Lifer April 2016 animallifeonline.com

Publisher/Owner Kim Arre-Gerber, [email protected] Writers

Iris Bass Karen Karlberg Carol LewYoanna Y. Maitre Krista Wroldson Miller Mary Koncel

Rebecca Stanard The Canine Critic Leea Foran. The Canine MindCirculation, John Depaoli

Cover photo by Kim Arre-Gerber

For advertising rates or information call 413-459-5894Mailing Address: 9 County Court, Pittsfield, MA 01201

www.animallifeonline.comA Paw Print Division of Animal Laughter Studio®. All original content copyright® 2015 Animal Life. Original content

contained herin can not be reproduced without written permission of the publisher.

animal lifeYour pet. Our purpose.

Hi Everyone,My brother and his wife recently rescued a shelter dog in California. Asthey have no children, they dote on this sweet mutt, snapping photos of himin costume and sending out instagrams of "Stormy" doing assorted cutethings. Stormy accompanied them on a road trip which turned disastrous,when they were T-Boned by a negligent driver. It was a very bad accident,but luckily, they had received a doggie seat belt as a gift and had Stormy safelystrapped in.

Thankfully, everyone survived, but it really got me thinking.How many times have I piled my labs into the suv and not belted them in?This month, perhaps the best gift idea for your dog should be a safety seat beltor harness.There are many different types of safety devices,from simple belts that strap into the regular carseat belt to all types of harnesses, to seat bucketsthat strap into the car. Some have much bettersafety reviews than others. With a minimalamount of research, you should be able to decidewhich type would best suit your dog's situation.Subaru, which is known for being very dogfriendly, recommends the Sleepypod CLICKITUTILITY harness for their cars. This harnesshas won several awards including Top Performerof the Year for 2013, Dog Fancy's Editors Choiceaward and the Pet Business Industry Award. At least eight states have passed restraint lawsalready, and other's are considering them. Keepin mind you could be charged in some states with a distracted driver offenseif pulled over with an animal on your lap or obstructing your view. Look-ing away for a few seconds nearly doubles your chance of getting into an ac-cident.Kurgo's Fit Smart Harness got excellent customer reviews and these can bepurchased locally at BensDotter's Pets in Great Barrington. Scruffy Mutt'sin Dalton also carries the type of belt that fastens into the regular seat belt.And please remember, warmer weather is coming- Cars are like ovens. Yourdog doesn't need to go to the grocery store with you. Get her list and shopfor her!

marketplaceby Tobie Petkus

“Pet”kus

Love Classic Cars & Dogs?

Animal Laughter Studio Kim Arre-Gerber, Artist 413-459-5894

See my gallery of paintings onwww.Fineartamerica.com

and commission your unique portrait!

®

W


What exactly is Lyme disease and howdo you get it? What does it mean if mydog tests positive for Lyme? Lyme dis-ease is a relatively common illness inthe Berkshires and it can affect both an-imals and people. Although muchabout Lyme disease yet remains un-known, we are constantly learningmore. It is important to keep up todate on the latest information on howto prevent this disease in animals. Byprotecting our animals, we are also pro-tecting ourselves. Borrelia burgdorferi is the scientific

name for the Lyme bacteria. The in-fection is spread through the bite of adeer tick. Dogs can develop Lyme dis-ease after being fed on by a deer tickthat is carrying the Lyme bacteria.About 10% of dogs that are exposed tothe Lyme bacteria will contract the dis-ease. The remaining 90% of dogs willtest positive, but the immune systemhandles the infection, and so the dogwill not become ill. Signs of Lyme disease in dogs are dif-ferent from those in people. Dogs donot develop a skin rash (“bulls-eyerash”) as can be seen in people. Symp-toms take longer to develop in dogs--2-5 months after a bite from an infectedtick. The most common signs of Lymedisease in dogs are fever, lethargy, andjoint pain. This form of the disease canusually be taken care of by a course ofantibiotics such as Doxycycline orAmoxicillin. Rarely, dogs can developa potentially fatal kidney problem afteracquiring Lyme disease. Because ofthe rare chance of serious kidney dis-ease, dogs that test positive for Lymeinfection should be monitored via peri-odic urine and/or blood testing.

HOW CAN WE PREVENT LYMEDISEASE IN OUR DOGS ?

Use tick preventives. It is important toprevent ticks because they spread Lymedisease as well as other diseases, suchas Anaplasma, Ehrlichia, Rocky Moun-tain spotted fever, and more. Ticks thatare carried into the house by pets alsopose risk of infection to people. Awide variety of safe and effective tickpreventive products are available today,such as collars, topical liquids, and oralmedications. Flea and tick collars arenot all created equally. Some of thenewer collars are very safe, long last-

ing and effective. The long lastingcollars may work for you ifyou have trouble remem-bering to apply a prod-uct monthly or give apill regularly. Topi-cal products areusually appliedonce per month andcan also be verysafe and effective.Some of the topicalrepel a variety of in-sects as well as kill ticksand fleas. There are alsolong lasting oral medications.These are a good option for people thatdo not want any product on their ani-mals or if the animal has a skin sensi-tivity issue. Please talk with yourveterinarian about the many options fortick prevention and what would workbest for your pet. Check your dog for ticks. Checkinganimals for ticks every day can preventthe spread of disease. The sooner thetick is removed the better. It takes sev-eral hours of tick attachment to trans-mit infection. Ticks are large enoughto be seen with the naked eye. Theycan range in size from the size of theperiod at the end of this sentence to thesize of a large raisin. Do a visual in-spection while parting the hair down tothe skin. Check also by feeling all overthe animal for any bumps on the skin.If you find a bump, look carefully inbright lighting. Ticks are round hard-bodied insects that have legs. Becomefamiliar with what they look like. Petstores and vet hospitals often sell inex-pensive tick pulling tools that are usefulfor easy and complete removal of thetick. If you do not have anything spe-cial to pull the tick, you can also usetweezers. Try to grasp the tick rightdown near the skin where it is attached.It is not dangerous to the dog if thehead of the tick is not removed com-pletely. Just clean the area with soapand water. Call your vet for advice ifthe area develops a local irritation or in-fection. Once the tick is removed itshould be killed by placing it in rubbingalcohol. Don’t crush it in your fingers,because it may be carrying infection. Vaccinate your dog against Lyme

disease. Vaccinate your dog before itbecomes infected. Lyme vaccines canbe started during puppyhood. After the

initial two vaccine series, dogs willneed annual booster vaccines

to remain protected. Thetechnology of this typeof vaccine continuesto improve makingthem even more ef-fective. Ask yourveterinarian aboutthe best vaccinationprotocol for yourdog. Lyme disease has be-

come very prevalent inthe Berkshires and is seen

in both humans and animals.Fortunately, we now have many toolsavailable to us through veterinary med-icine that can help prevent this disease.There is now a wide variety of tick pre-ventives and the vaccine technologycontinues to improve. Since our ani-mals go where we go, by protectingthem, we are also protecting ourselves.

Please talk with your veterinarian aboutwhat system will work best for preven-tion of illness in your animals.

Dr. Michelle Looney,Pittsfield Veterinary Hospital

Preventing Lyme Disease in Dogs

A wide variety of safe and effective tickpreventive productsare available today,

such as collars, topicalliquids, and

oral medications.

“

“

training

Susan & George Clark, ABCDT • [email protected] • www.foryourpetshealth.com

PLAYYARDTraining Services

The

For appointment and/orUpcoming Class Schedule

call

518-325-9807

TaizéShepherd

KennelSince 1972

Specializing in the behavior and transitionproblems of shelter and rescue dogs.

Training & Certification for Therapy Dogs International®

Home of:• Select AKC Champions • 2000 Canadian Grand Victrix • United States Top Ten Police K-9 Unit Service Dogs

• AKC Obedience, Agility and Herding titleholders • NADAC &Schutzhund titleholders • Therapy Dogs and Canine Good Citizens • GSDCA Performance Award of Merit Recipients

Charlene MarchandNorth Chatham, NY • 518-766-3804

Charlene Marchand is a syndicated columnist for training, behavior, and health issues. She isactively involved in canine rescue and sheltering, and is the co-creator and trainer for ColumbiaCounty Sheriff’s highly acclaimed “A New Leash On Life” Cell Dog Program.

Positive Reinforcement Dog Training All Breed - All Ages

Private K9 Training & Behavior ProblemsObedience, Behavior Consultation, Aggression,

Fear, Phobias & more!

The Right End of the Leash

Jesse Salas, Certified Dog Trainer & Instructor413-212-8585

[email protected]

LEEA FORAN, CPDT-KA,CDBC, CTTP-2

413-445-8843www.trainingforanimals.com

I believe that training should bring a smile to your face & a wag to your tail. I will never useforce or intimidation to train your dog. Positive reinforcement and up-to-date scientifically

based behavior modification programs bring positive results and lasting change. –Leea

BEHAVIOR CONSULTATIONS & PRIVATE TRAININGGROUP CLASSES & WORKSHOPS

Learn with a Dedicated Professional

Certified Professional Dog Trainer Certified Dog Behavior Consultant

Certified Tellington TTouch Practitioner IIAKC Canine Good Citizen Evaluator

Amer Red Cross Pet First Aid Instructor

With 36 Years of Teaching Experience

Training for Real Life Needs

myth & truth about dog behaviorthe canine mind!My dog is about a year and a half old and all of a sudden he is acting aggressiveto visitors and people on the street, he bit someone the other day. We took him toclasses as a puppy and he did fine with everyone and the other dogs. We need somehelp—fast. Is it best to go back to the trainer who taught our classes since sheknows us?Maybe, but you need to know a little more about your trainer. There are entirely dif-ferent skill sets, experiences and certifications for someone to be a dog trainer/in-structor than to be a behavior consultant or specialize in behavior problems. All welltrained obedience instructors learn about basic problems like house training, jump-ing, barking, etc. so they can help their students with simple issues and address class-room questions. A behavior consultant or behaviorist, which you would need foryour situation, has gone through rigorous training and is qualified to safely addressaggression issues and other complex behavior problems. An ethical trainer will tellyou up front if they are qualified to handle your behavior problems. Some, but notall trainers wear both hats--obedience instructor and certified behavior consultant. Ifyour teacher has experience and is certified in both areas then by all means contacther since you have the advantage of her knowing you and your dog from classes. Butif her primary expertise is as an obedience instructor, then look for someone morequalified to handle these complex issues. Now, how do you know who to choose?There are varying educational requirements and qualifications, here are 3 examples:A veterinary behaviorist is a DVM who has specialized in behavior issues, like anMD might be a psychiatrist. A CAAB (Certified Applied Animal Behaviorist) is aPhD equivalent level of certification. A CDBC (Certified Dog Behavior Consultant)through the International Association of Animal Behavior Consultants IAABC, hashad to undergo testing and peer review, in 7 areas of proficiency to qualify. Theseare 3 different levels of skill base, any of which could help you. Lesser “certifications,”especially from on-line learning centers may not provide the experience you need. Leea Foran, CDBC, CPTA-KA is a Certified Professional Dog Trainer and Behavior consultant and owner of Foranimals, LLC in Lenox, MA. For more information: www.trainingforanimals.com or 413-445-8843

Call 518-781-0362 or visit www.petpartnersberkshires.orgA 501(c) (3) Non Profit Organization

Provides. . . • Food for needy dogs & cats• Reduced rate spay/neuter• Assistance with basic veterinary care costs

IIt couldn’t be more perfect! Saturday, May 14th is the date of the 14th Annual Hu-mane Race in Williamstown, MA. As in past years, the 5K Fun Run and “DogJog” or 1 Mile Walk will benefit the work and mission of Berkshire Humane So-ciety (BHS). According to John Perreault, Executive Director of BHS, “The Humane Race hasbecome such an important event for the welfare of all our shelter animals. Todate, we have raised over $140,000. That means more animals receiving the carethey need, more animals being spayed and neutered, and more animals findingthe homes they deserve.” Besides fundraising for the homeless animals at BHS, the Humane Race is a

great way to spend a fun morning with your favorite dogs and dog-loving people.Of course, runners and walkers without dogs are welcomed too. While runnerstake one route, walkers take another through Williamstown and Williams College.The race is not a timed event, so you can enjoy a leisurely pace or work on yourown personal best. Start time is 10AM, with Check-in and Race Day Registrationbeginning at 8AM at 16 Water St.Once again, Christa Abel, Owner of Bark N’ Cat in North Adams, is the Chair-person of this popular North County event. “It’s extremely important to me tosupport Berkshire Humane Society,” she says. “They are a vital and unique re-source in this county because they operate at all levels to prevent homeless pets.They provide educational programming to children, they work with a variety ofcommunity agencies, and they get as many grants as they can for low-cost spay-ing and neutering programs. Their focus on prevention is as important as provid-ing shelter for homeless pets.” On-line registration for the Humane Race is available now at Humanerace.org.Or you can pick up a form at Greylock Animal Hospital, Bark N’ Cat, or BHS, andeither mail in your registration or drop it off at Bark N’ Cat. Registration is $20for adults and $15 for children 12 years old or under. Registration the morning ofthe race is an additional $5.00. Of course, dogs are free. The first 150 runners andwalkers to register will receive a race T-shirt. All dogs will receive a commemo-rative bandana. Want to raise additional money for BHS and be eligible to win some specialprizes? Then you can collect pledges online at Humanerace.org or pick up apledge form along with your registration form. (Visit the Humane Race websiteto learn about those prizes.) And, if you want to support friends or family mem-bers who are participating in the Humane Race, you can make a donation on theirpersonal fundraising page at Humanerace.org.

Finish line festivities at the Spring St. parking lot include music, refreshments,games, canine contests, and the awarding of pledge prizes. And, as Christa ex-plains, “Because the race usually wraps up around noon, there’ll be plenty of timeto spend the rest of the day visiting the fantastic shops and restaurants in beauti-ful Williamstown.”In 2002, Alex and Brian Cabral created the Humane Race and continued to runit for many years. So far, this year’s Title Sponsors are Greylock Animal Hospi-tal and Donovan & O’Connor, and its Platinum Sponsors are Orthopaedic Asso-ciates of Northern Berkshire, Gallivan Corporation, West Oil Company, TheBerkshire Eagle, and Bella Baby.BHS, Christa, her friends from Bark N’ Cat, and the other organizers send ourappreciation to the Selectboard of Williamstown and Williams College for theirongoing support of this important fundraiser for the animals.

For more information about the Humane Race, visit Humanerace.org or call 413-664-7777.

Since 1992, BHS has been providing refuge for homeless animals, free humaneeducation programs for the community, low-cost spaying and neutering options,and foster care for pets whose families are in crisis. An open-admission shelter,BHS receives no state or federal funding and relies on donations, fundraising, andmemberships to continue our important work of helping pets and their people.

The 14th Annual Humane Race

Besides fundraising for the homeless animals at BHS, the Humane Race is a great way to spend a fun morning with your favorite dogs

and dog-loving people

“ “

May 14th


pet sitting & day care

HappyDog

Boarding • Day Care • TrainingWe cover Great Barrington, Alford, Egremont,

Hillsdale, Chatham & more

413-528-0877Nora Hayes, MSW, Owner & Trainer

email: [email protected] • www.hayeshappydog.com

Best Little Kennel in the Berkshires!(in MA & NY)

Kennel & Day Care

Walk In The ParkLynn Pfeiler

Dog Walking/Pet Sitting Services

413-446-0684Insured & Bonded [email protected] www.walkinthepark.vpweb.com

DDD

D

DD

DDD D

DD

DDD

ReliablePet SittingCompany

Serving Berkshire County Since 1997

PET SITTING in YOUR HOME

Maryann Hyatt-OwnerINSURED • BONDED

413.443.0443 or 413.329.5127413.229.8486

PO Box 232, Pittsfield, MA 01202

NEW EMAIL: [email protected]

Gina’sK-9 Bed & Breakfast

518-329-4675 D 349 Farm Rd., Copake, New York

CANINE PLAYCARE MONDAY – FRIDAYCall to set up your dog’s interview

Canine lodging 365 days/year

Salon services for canine and feline Monday-Saturday

Serving area pets since 1995

92 Cook Road, Sheffield, MAwww.bowmeowregency.com

(413) 229-0035

II grew up in Berkshire County. I attended Mt. GreylockHigh School right up the road from where I currently liveand operate The Greylock Canine Club. Things have re-ally come full circle in my life since starting and runningthis business. It is so great to be a part of such a won-derful community. Before I purchased the property withmy husband I was working as a director of a doggie day-care in Southern Vermont. We were expecting our firstchild and knew that the home would be a great place tostart our family. I went on maternity leave and we closedon the property several days later.In an effort to care for my son and still fuel my passionfor doggie daycare, I decided to open The Greylock Ca-nine Club. It started out with two or three dogs per day.Enjoying the beautiful summer days and keeping a closeeye on my son. Fast forward almost two years later andmy son is a beautiful healthy and rambunctious toddlerwho attends daycare, and my business has become anamazing place where we care for 20 dogs per day. Itsomething I never could have dreamed of. It truly is astory about following your passions, caring for the onesyou love, and having as much fun with life as you can. As the owner of the eighteen-acre puppy paradise, Iknew that my doggie daycare had to be all about fun forthe dogs who attend. I have developed a daily schedulefor the dogs that attend the daycare program. It providesplenty of time for active play, passive play, rest, and one-on-one time. We are highly selective in the dogs wechoose for our program here. This ensures that we canhave the best time in a safe environment.When it comes time to incorporate a themed party intothe daily schedule I really let my imagination run wild!My staff loves helping come up with fun ideas. We

utilize pinterest and regular human daycare activities forthe themed parties and then figure out how to convertthem into dog friendly parties. I wanted to have fun with it. I love celebrating holidays.It’s a time for reflection, making special memories, andsimply being present in the moment. Since I am theowner I wanted to incorporate my love for holidays intomy business. I wanted to make the holiday times specialwith the dogs. So I decided to start these parties at TheGreylock Canine Club. They can feel our excitement andthey know something is up! When it comes time to takea cute themed photo, make an art project, or enjoy apuppy themed treat, the excitement becomes contagious!Who doesn’t want to party at work every once in a while.

Here at The Greylock Canine Club we like to party!When you think of doggie daycare do you think ofthemed parties, doggie deserts, paw print art, and cos-tume contests? If you don’t, then you’ve never experi-enced a season at The Club! We are always having funand making the best out of every holiday event.If you follow The Greylock Canine Club on Facebook,than you’ve surely seen pictures of dogs romping withfriends or basking in the sun. You have probably alsoseen dogs dressed up for theme photos, having fun withagility, or playing in kiddie pools on beautiful summerdays. During any major holiday you are more than likelyto also see dogs having a Halloween costume party, anugly sweater party, a luau party, puppy parfaits, and thelist goes on and on! The Greylock Canine Club truly is ahaven for dogs. The pup parents absolutely love seeingthe activities that their dogs participate in. They lovesharing the photos of their dogs on Facebook with sillycaptions related to the hype of the holiday.

We Like to

Party. . .We are always having fun and making the

best out of every holiday event.“ “

RUN-BARK-PLAY!Berkshire Countys Premier

Dog Enrichment center!



Ithis side of purradise

Iris BassA Spectrum of SextupletsIn my last column, I mentioned how amother cat may produce variously col-ored offspring. Lo! on my very nextvisit to Purradise, on March 23, I foundjust such a family in residence at theshelter: a beautifully patterned newmom and her six kittens!Three-year-old Jezebell is a “dilute”calico: instead of the more usual brightorange and black, she boasts a chain ofpeach and gray patches along her whitefur, right up through her forehead. Notwo of her children—three boys andthree girls—look alike, though every-one’s genes relate to Mom’s tricolors.All blue-eyed in babyhood, they willlikely inherit her yellow-green eyes aswell.When I first entered the Sunshine Spawhere the family was snugly enclaved,I found two bicolor kittens—the deli-cate and shy gray-and-white runt of thelitter and her sturdier black-and-whitebrother finishing a quick snack at theirmother’s tummy. Meanwhile, the other two boys,

sprawled on separate fleeces severalfeet above floor level, had inheritedJezebell’s red gene: one mostly whitewith bright orange patches, the otherbuff (pale ginger) with white paws. Itwas literally striking how the latter(who I immediately dubbed “the engi-neer”) aimed perfectly to hit at oneblow the bell I dangled before them,whereas his sibling was not yet as wellcoordinated, taking swings enthusiasti-cally yet connecting at random. Inter-estingly, the more adept of the twocourteously held back to let his brotherget in a few dings before reaching forthe bell again himself. Later on, when anumber of the kittens (as many as fourat one point) had moved on to a circularball-in-a-track toy on the floor, our lit-tle engineer understood how it worked,while the others were still figuring itout. It was then that one of the girls, analmost perfect carbon copy of Mom,noticed the floral print on my skirt.Mesmerized by its pattern, she climbedright on top of not only the toy but her

ball-engaged siblings, just to get acloser look!Their dynamics as a group demon-

strated how, besides being of differentcolors and even sizes, they were at dif-ferent stages of development, thoughexactly the same age. Some were alsomarkedly more outgoing or timid thanothers. Staffer Ashlee (who stepped inbriefly to cuddle several, one at a time,to help socialize them to human touch)confirmed to me that the buff youngsterwas way ahead of the rest, in terms ofsmarts and coordination. As the re-maining calico girl snoozed, obliviousto the others, nearly everyone else gath-ered for a while to play (and teethe on)a long fabric cylinder—playing peek-a-boo through its multiple openings, bat-ting at a toy mouse that lay inside,leaping on top of it, and sometimeswrestling one on one within it (only tobreak apart and play again companion-ably moments later)—variations on asilent flute! Free of her nursing duties, Jezebell

was still very much on alert as theirmother, periodically padding throughthe room to check everyone was ac-counted for, yet without interrupting herchildren’s antics, not even to disciplineany of them during rougher play. Fortheir part, well fed and secure, not a onefelt the need to run back to Mama dur-ing the hour I was there. When I left,one was intrepidly circling the porchalong its low, three-wall inner win-dowsill, already taking an interest in thegreater world outside.

This series follows the special human-feline bond at Purradise, the BerkshireHumane Society Cat Adoption Centerat 301 Stockbridge Road, Great Bar-rington, MA 01230 (413-717-4244),berkshirehumane.org. Open Wed., Fri.,& Sat. 10–4 p.m.; Thurs. 10 a.m.–6p.m.; and Sun. noon–4 p.m.

Iris Bass, coauthor of the Cat Lover’sDaily Companion, shares her Lee homewith five shelter cats.

Photos © 2016 by Sheila Heflin.

Mother and son, watching the birds

Snack time

Ooh . . . is that lady wearing calico?


One of my favorite things to do is to go for a ride in the car. Another one is to getnew toys and bones. There is an amazing place that is a short car ride away wherethey have sooo many wonderful things for my friends and I. A trip to this specialplace involves lots of window watching and wind in my fur. And when Mama andI get there, I can hardly contain my excitement! Chez Pet in the Lenox Commons,Lenox, Ma. is a favorite place for all of my friends. Inside the door there is a wholeworld of wonderful products for animals of all breeds, colors, sizes, and shapes.They have speciality food for those of us with food sensitivities, including the grain-freekind that I eat! They also have all natural products for my itchy, sensitive skin andears. Mom feels good knowing that the products are good for me and contain noth-ing harmful for my skin, and I feel better after getting a nice bath that soothes myskin! Along one wall they have a large selection of beds, all different sizes and shapesso that everyone can find their perfect napping spot! They also have many sweaters,jackets, and raincoats to keep us warm, dry and cozy. Leashes, collars and harnessesin all styles and colors guarantee that everyone stays safe while outdoors. Some evenglow in the dark!!! This is a great idea if you go outside at night. But my favoriteplace in the whole store is the wall of bones and treats!!! They have sooo many dif-ferent sizes, shapes, flavors, and brands. They sell products that are all natural andmade in the USA, which is very important to my Mama. Today she bought me abacon flavored bone, which I am laying with now, even as I write this story! Thereis also a large selection of toys for dogs and cats of all ages. They have one of myfavorite squeakie toys, a stuffed Lambchop! Mama won’t let me take that one homethough because I already have 3!!! Another amazing thing about Chez Pet is theworker who hangs out on the counter. His name is Mikey and he is a cat!!! Can youbelieve it????? How lucky is he to be able to work in such an awesome place!! Hehas his own blanket and toys and greets everyone with a smile (except the dogs likeme who try to jump up on the counter)! Then he gives us a little swipe and hiss. ButI love him anyway!!! Mama left me home today when she visited Chez Pet, I thinkbecause sometimes I cannot behave myself in there. I get so excited to see all of theamazing things, smell all of the wonderful food and treats, and sniff everyone andeverything! But she never forgets me when she goes. Today I got the bacon bone thatI mentioned before (excuse me while I stop and take a lick), and next time I’m keep-ing my paws crossed that she brings me back the huge Lambie that I have my heartset on!! Hint hint Mama!!

I highly recommend taking a trip to Chez Pet!I give it 4 paws up!!!

TheCanine Critic

Rebecca Stanard

Treats, Toys, and Fun!!

Mya Stanard

Custom Veterinary Medications

help is here for pets & vets!

call for more information, or visit ‘compounding’ at

if only my pills

tasted like bacon

or liver

or cheese!

Your dog resists swallowing pills, your cat spits out her medication and your hamster is not a happy patient…We can help! Our pharmacists can compound yourpet’s medications into tasty snacks or other easy to administer forms (creams, gels,protective coatings) and in dosages adjusted to the size and type of animal.

From house pets to horses, we can provide unique solutions for a wide variety of ailments and most veterinary medical specialties. We use the highest standards,purest chemicals and the latest technology.

www.LvipRx.com

also discover our all-naturalpet products!

5 Walker Street • Lenox, MA • 413.637.4700888.796.1222 • open mon-fri 9-6 • sat 9-5

Delivery to your home or office!independent / local / family owned & operated

Saturday, April 9th • 1-3pm.Nail Trimming $7.00

Monday - Friday 10 am - 5:30 pm, Saturday 10 am - 4 pmOPEN Sundays 11 am - 3 pm

Lenox Commons • 55 Pittsfield Road, Lenox, MA413-637-0800 www.chezpet.com

c c

• Premium USA brands offoods and treats

• Toys • Essentials • Gifts• Natural and Organic Products

• Lots of Fun Stuff!

Danielle Hammell –Shelter Manager at Purradise Feline Adoption Center for four years

Everyone always asks “How can you do that job!” My response is “I don’t knowwhy it took me so long to realize my true passion in life – animal sheltering.”

Making the decision to work at Berkshire Hu-mane Society was the best decision I have evermade. There is not a day that goes by that makesme question if I have taken the right path in life. There are a ton of misconceptions that revolvearound working or volunteering at a shelter.While it’s super fun to snuggle all the pups, it canalso be emotional and difficult at times to workwith animals in need. I admit that I face some re-ally tough days, not just physically but especiallyemotionally. Most of the staff go home fatiguedand carrying the weight of the world on theirshoulders.

But through all of this, I am also reminded of the beautiful work that people cando when they come together. While seeing cruelty and neglect is painful, it’s alsothe medicine that keeps me going. A shelter is like a well-oiled machine. On anygiven day, you can walk through a shelter and see everyone tending to their du-ties – walking the dogs, cleaning their cages, doing laundry, feeding and med-icating the animals. Every day I get to save an innocent animal’s life. Every dayI am reminded that I get to help animals overcome pain, stress, fear, and neglectand facilitate in finding a perfect home that will love them forever. It makes itall worthwhile when I see the smile on a family’s face as they leave the shelterwith their new pet.

Terry Bissaillon – Volunteer Coordinator at Berkshire Humane Society for eight years

What could be better than meeting people wholove animals? When someone comes to theshelter wanting to help homeless animals in theirfree time, I always give them a tour so they cansee what volunteers do throughout the day andhow much they impact the lives of our“charges.”Two questions that I hear fairly often are “Don’tyou want to take all the animals home?” and“Isn’t it depressing to work here?” I answer“No” to both questions. It’s not like I haven’tadopted from Berkshire Humane. I have threecats and a dog. They’re my family. How can Isay “No” to another one? Easy – we adopt about1,000 animals each year. During their stay, we make them comfortable and safe,teach them good manners, and keep them healthy. Then they’re off to their newhomes. It feels wonderful knowing I’ve changed the life of an animal – not de-pressing at all!The hardest part of my job is telling someone that there isn’t an opening duringthe time they can give. Our volunteers are like unpaid staff. We have schedulesto ensure volunteers help staff with the animals throughout the day, and the ani-mals come to rely on this structure too. Some people wait months for another vol-unteer to give up a spot, and some spots have been filled by the same person forover ten years. That’s dedication!

So many of us who are employed at animal shelters are frequently asked byfriends, family members and curious others, “How can you do that work?”

In this second part of “On Shelter Work – Some Thoughts from the Staff atBHS,” here are a few more responses from both our behind-the-scenes andfront-line staff.

Mary A. KoncelCommunity Outreach Coordinator

The long and short of it is the transformations I see in the dogs and the great adoptions I witness are the best rewards!“ “Part 2

On Shelter Work

Some Thoughts fromthe Staff at BHS


Roberta Townsend –Supervisor of Kennel Services at Berkshire Humane Society for eleven years

This is not an easy job. Shelter work is not playing with animals all day long like many people may expect. Working at anopen-admission shelter you see everything! There are surrenders of elderly dogs, puppies, crazy adolescent dogs who are outof control, aggressive, dirty, matted, flea infested, skin and bones, morbidly obese, and extremely shy as well as some pure-breds and designer dogs formerly called “mutts.” There are good days and not so good days. Sometimes we have to find some-thing humorous to keep us from crying. We take care of them all through teamwork. We have staff members, vets, groomers, volunteers, and eventually potentialadopters – all working to bring out the best in every dog. What keeps me going is the marvelous transformations that I see inthe dogs. Some of the shy and timid dogs blossom and gain confidence to form strong bonds. Some of the skinny and mat-ted dogs gain weight, get groomed and have a flourishing coat and personality to match. Some of the ones with behavior is-sues make huge strides and do much better. Seeing the dogs go home and have another lease on life is truly amazing.

TTNR (Trap Neuter Return) is a suc-cessful way to humanely keep feral catpopulations from getting out of hand,and it’s the primary mission of AnimalDREAMS. It’s not too difficult to trapcats when someone is consistentlyfeeding and caring for them; These catstend to stick to a predictable feedingschedule, and with the help of the care-taker we almost always catch the catswe’re hoping for. For cats with no known caretaker,

TNR can be more difficult. This wasthe case with a cat in a northwestneighborhood of Pittsfield, an area veryfamiliar to Animal DREAMS volunteerDiane Goodrich. In the summer of2015, Diane offered to canvas the areaseeking information about feral catsthat could benefit from our spay/neutergrant from Petsmart® Charities. Shelocated one caretaker, and AnimalDREAMS partnered with her to fix theferal cats she was feeding. Throughoutthe neighborhood, Diane was hearingrumors about a white and orange catthat must have had a stomping groundcovering several blocks. She evenfound a person who had fed the cat atone time before it moved on. Later, theneighborhood hairdresser said she sawthe cat passing through and it lookedpregnant; some time after that, she did-n’t look pregnant anymore. One leadled Diane to a canoe on the side of ahouse, where someone had momentar-ily spotted a kitten. Diane saw thecanoe and tried to get word to the ten-ants of the apartment building aboutour TNR program but did not success-fully make a connection with anyoneliving there. She posted flyers aroundthe area, which she discovered were re-moved soon after they were posted. Itwas a mystery we though we wouldnever solve.In March, we received a phone call

from Gail, a caretaker in this neighbor-hood, who regarding four 7 months oldcats. She had been feeding them forquite some time, and she was worriedabout them reproducing. I wondered ifthey might be the kittens we had beenlooking for. We made a plan to trap andfix them, and then I told her about theorange and white kitten, and Diane’s

attempt to find the feline family.“That’s my canoe!”, Gail said. “In thefall, I watched the mother cat move thekittens from one place to another, andshe would bring them to the canoe atour house to drink water that collectsunder it.” Gail had started feeding themwhen the mother disappeared, and theyhad been living primarily in her yardever since. We recently fixed thosecats. Three were female, so we feelconfident that we averted a significantincrease in the cat population of thatneighborhood. What happened to themother cat? She may have met her de-mise, or still be somewhere in that area.We can’t know for sure, but we’re stillon the lookout.

Carol LewTNR CoordinatorAnimal DREAMS

The Business of Trapping Feral Cats

grooming

D ALL ORGANIC-NATURAL DOG & CAT FOOD C

D ASK ABOUT OUR DELIVERY SERVICE C

DLEASHES, CO

LLAR

S, BO

WLS C

DTOYS, CAR

DS, UNIQU

E GIFT

S C

59 Main Street Lee, MA

413-243-1220www.Meowandgrowl.com

NAIL TRIMMINGcall for date & times

$7 per cat or dog

Dog Wash Stations!SELF SERVE

Poochini’slocated at Copake Lake,

Craryville, NY518-325-4150 518-821-3959

Top Dog StylingBubbles & Brush

DemattingTransportationdog walking

a La Carte itemsspecial services

Accepting most major credit cardsFully Insured

Member of PSI and ASPCADawn Gardina, [email protected]

poochinipetsalon.wix.com/home

Barking BeautiesSalon for Dogs & Cats

Staci A. Barrett, Owner18 Years of Experience • Gift Certificates Always Available

165 Water Street, Lee, MA • 413-243-2626

Pamper Shop

Nibble10 Depot Street,

Dalton, MA 01226(413) 300-0052www.scruffymutts.com

Three were female, so we feel confident thatwe averted a significantincrease in the cat population of that neighborhood.

““

simple, direct and personal banking

1-800-843-4100 • www.leebank.com

MEMBER FDIC • MEMBER DIF • EQUAL HOUSING LENDER


april & may happenings

may 14th14th Annual

Humane Race5K Fun Run and 1 Mile WalkRegistration at 8am, Race 10am

16 Water St., Williamstown, MAHumanerace.org

14thNew Leash on Life

Obedience ClassesTrainer: Donna Gleason, CPDT, CDBC, MA

Cost: $180 for 6 weeks$100 for Little Guild recently adopted285 Sharon-Goshen Turnpike,

West Cornwall, CT www.littleguild.org

21-22Hudson River Air Dogs

Affiliate Club of Ultimate Air Dogs

Spring into Ultimate AirDock Diving Event

1091 County Rt. 10, Hudson, NYwww.hudsonriverairdogs.com

1-30th

Back in Black EventBlack Pets taking center stage. Black petsone year and older will have their adoption

fee waived.285 Sharon-Goshen Turnpike,

West Cornwall, CT 860-672-6346 • www.littleguild.org

10th 11th

14th 17th 18th 28thPaint & Sip Fundraiser forSonsini Animal

ShelterDog Under the Blanket, 16x20 Canvas

$35 per personTo reserve seats call 413-205-8346 or

go to berkshirepaintandsip.comPolish Falcons Club32 Bel Air Ave., Pittsfield

1-30th

214 Barker Road, Pittsfield413-447-7878

www.berkshirehumane.org

Kitten Baby ShowerA Donation drive for

our furry new arrivals.

Coffee Hour Speaking SeriesLiving with Coyotes

John Maguranis - The Coyote Project

214 Barker Road, Pittsfield413-447-7878

www.berkshirehumane.org

Whiskey, Wine& Whiskers

featuring: Pickey Bastards7:00pm

Methuselah Bar & LoungePittsfield

Lasagna Dinner4:30pm to 8pm

Tickets sold at the doorCrissey Farm, Great Barrington

Benefit for Purradise

Spring Tune-UpSunday 11:30am to 1:00pm

Class fee is $25, Call For Pre-Registration413-243-0253

in the classroom.214 Barker Road, Pittsfield

Smooth MovesChange your range

Revitalize

Celebrating Animalsin Poetry

7:00pm214 Barker Road, Pittsfield

413-447-7878www.berkshirehumane.org


HCONNECTICUTAnimal

Life

A Message from Little Guild of St. Francis

Do You Have the Ultimate Dog?

Hi, I am Cheddar. I know I amquite handsome, but you need toknow that I am more than a prettyface. I am a bit of a complicatedguy, with many layers and facets. Iam quite smart, and house trainedin one week. I come when I amcalled most of the time, and can bebribed with "cookies". But I startedlife in a terrible situation, and be-cause of that, I am painfully shyand very, very sensitive. I am fear-ful of new things and situations, butif allowed the time, with patience,learn quickly that I don't have to beafraid. I know it sounds wimpy, butI need to be treated very, very gen-tly and patiently. I am a bit of aclown, and I have to be honest: I like to steal shoes and things to chew on, so it'ssmart to load up on good doggie toys to keep me busy and out of trouble; justsayin! My foster Mom says she can't take her eyes off me.I love going in the car, and will snuggle my foster sister and be quiet and behavedin the car for hours without complaining while we run errands. I don't really likebeing left alone so this works out well for all of us :-)

I love, love, love other dogs, allsizes shapes and colors, absolutely nopreferences at all. I need to be withanother dog or two to snuggle andfeel close to. Cats worry me so I haveto bark at them to let them know I amwatching them closely, but honestly,if they look at me, I run. Sneaky ani-mals, cats. Children terrify me, prob-ably because I have never beenaround them. I probably should go toa house that doesn't have small chil-dren to be on the safe side.All in all, I am an amazingly sweet,

sweet boy who just needs to feel safe and secure. I have so much love to give,and snuggling is actually my strongest talent.I hope I can find a forever home soon, so I can settle in and get on with my job ofgrowing up feeling loved and cared for, and loving my people with all my heart.

Cheddar

Our Mission StatementThe mission of The Little Guild of St.Francis is to save unwanted, abused andneglected cats and dogs, provide medical care and enrichment to make themmore adoptable and, through our pet adoption center, match them with homeswhere they can thrive.

A Little HistoryThe Little Guild of Saint Francis for the Welfare of Animals, Inc., the only no-kill shelter in Northwest Connecticut, was founded in 1960 by Muriel AlvordWard and Eleanora Kleinschmidt. The current 3,000-square-foot facility accommodates 20 dogs and 40 cats comfortably at any time. 2015 was a yearof transformation for the Guild.

The Board of the Friends of Eleanor Sonsini Animal Shelter is pleased toannounce the recent promotion of Danielle Lapointe to Manager of our facility. Danielle has been with the shelter for many years, since beginningher career volunteering as a child with her mother. Danielle’s experience,knowledge and animal sense is immeasurable. We are honored that she hasaccepted this position and will be guiding our staff at Sonsini. In addition,Danielle’s capable assistant, Emily Chasse, has also accepted a promotionto Assistant Manager. Both women are incredibly devoted to our animalsand have shown amazing teamwork and dedication throughout their tenureat our organization. We are honored to have them and look forward to continuing to work with these amazing women.

animal lifes’

brags& If you have something to WAG about, please send me an email: [email protected] subject: Wags and Brags. I will try and

get it in the next issue. Please keep word count to under 300.wagsPromotion Announcement

HADDADSUBARU

Open Mon-Thu 8am-8pm; Fri-Sat 8am-6pm652 East Street, Pittsfield, MA

(413) 997-7272 www.haddadsubaru.com

Haddad Subaru . . .

Love SPRING Event


CONSTRUCTIONThis month there is construction occurring behind the shelter. The city is installing solar panels on their property. We would like to caution visitors that there are large construction vehicles entering and exiting the shelter. This project should wrap up mid-June, but until then,we ask that all visitors use caution entering the facility

in the tri-state area

AdoptionsClarice

Please call Eleanor Sonsini Animal Shelter

413-448-9800

K i j aTHIS WEEK’S DOG IS: Hello, I am the small but mighty Kija. I came up from the Atlantashelter in the hopes of finding my forever home. I seem to behouse trained. I may need a little patience and confidenceboosting. I sometimes get overwhelmed when new people tryto hook me up on leash and I may submissive urinate. I am assweet as I am cute. Just take a look at me, I am all ears! I amready to try and listen and make you proud to be mine. Whatdo you say?

214 Barker Rd., Pittsfield, MA • 314-447-7878

Dog of the Month!Each week HADDAD SUBARU will be sponsoring a “Dog of the Month”.

If that dog is adopted during that week, Haddad Subaru will pay $50towards the adoption fee!

D D

D

36 Pittsfield RoadLenox, MA

[email protected]

Capone is a very handsome boy who is lookingfor an adult only home. He loves going on hikesand playing ball. He is a gentleman on the leashand walks nicely. At this time we are looking fora home with no other animals. It may be possiblewith training and slow introduction for him to livewith another dog in the future.

Capone

Sponsored by:

At theEleanor Sonsini Animal Shelter

36 Pittsfield RoadLenox, MA

[email protected]

I came up from a southern shelter to find my newhome.I would appreciate a home where someone ishome most of the time or can break up the day. I amlearning to walk well on the easy-walk body harness.I panic in the crate, so I need more space to feel com-fortable. I am working on becoming less protective ofmy food bowl, so an adult household would be best. Iwould make the best companion for someone that appreciates lots of canine company.

Cooper

Sponsored by:

At theBerkshire Humane Society

I came to shelter when my family could no longer care for meas to what was happening in their lives. I am sometimes nervous with new people, especially men. I would feel morecomfortable without any cats. I am house trained. I like to playwith balls and rope toys. I am a bit sound sensitive, suddenloud noises make me jump. I would do best with an older teento adult household. Please call or stop by the shelter if youthink I could be a good match.

Bomber

Sponsored by:

At theBerkshire Humane Society

Locations throughout Berkshire County

Merrill Road,Pittsfield

[email protected]

Zeus is new here and not quite ready for adop-tion but we are taking applications. He is a 9month old Shepard mix who will need an activefamily with a lot of time for him. He is good withother dogs and great with kids but is very jumpyand needs to work on his manners. Because heis so young he lacks basic obedience skills andwill need a lot of training but he is eager to learn.

Zeus

Sponsored by:

At theEleanor Sonsini Animal Shelter

289 Dalton AvenuePittsfield, MA 01201

413-443-4949www.allenheights.com

Elizabeth TullettDVM

Certified in Veterinary Acupuncture

Hours: Mon-Fri 8-5, Sat. 8-12

Washington State Road, Washington, MA 01223 • www.hilltownsvetclinic.com

Dr. Sharon Lynch, VeterinarianFred Davis III, CVT

Comprehensive Veterinary ServicesLow Cost • Individual Attention

Caring & Compassionate

veterinarians

Treating cattle, horses, goats, sheep, llamasand alpacas at your farm or home

Bilmar Small Animal Hospital• Full Service Hospital• Drop Off Service• Housecalls

Looking for housecalls? Call Dr. Blanchard for details

413-528-1180 • Fax 413-528-1763776 Main St., Great Barrington, MAHours: 8:30-5 Mon.-Fri, 8:30-Noon Sat.

Call for appointment

Dr. Claire BlanchardDr. Donald GulickDr. Hanan CaineDr. Emily Newman

VCA All Caring Animal HospitalConventional & Holistic Veterinary Medicine

& Acupuncture440 Stockbridge Road, Great Barrington, MA

413-528-8020www.vcaallcaring.com

Open 7 Daysa week

House Calls on

Tuesday!Meet Petey


animal life go-to directoryboardingBowMeow RegencyA Daycare, Boarding & Grooming Facility for Dogs.92 Cook Road, Sheffield, MA 01257Honor S. Blume 413-229-0035www.bowmeowregency.com

Gina’s K-9 Bed & BreakfastQuality care pet sitting in my safe, comfortable home349 Farm Road, Copake, NY 12516Gina 518-329-4675Happy Dog Kennel & Day CareBoarding • Day Care • TrainingCovering, Alford, North Egremont, HillsdaleOld Chatham, Chatham and more!Nora Hayes 413-528-0877The PlayyardDay Care • Boarding • Training88 County Rt. 21, Hillsdale, NYwww.theplayyard.comSusan & George Clark 518-325-9807

groomingScruffy MuttsPamper • Shop • Barkery10 Depot Street, Dalton, MA413-300-0052www.scruffymutts.com

pet storesBensDotter’s PetQuality Foods & Supplies, Raw Diet Specialists. 940 Main Street, Great Barrington, MAwww.BENSDOTTERS.com413-528-4940Chez PetPremium foods and treats. A neighborhood pet supply store with everything you need fora healthy pet. Special orders welcome.Lenox Commons, 55 Pittsfield Rd., Lenox, MA413-637-0800 • www.chezpet.comMeow GrowlAll organic-Natural Dog & Cat FoodSelf Serve Dog Wash Stations!59 Main St., Lee, MA • www.Meowandgrowl.com413-243-1220

volunteerDARTBerkshire Disaster Animal Response Team Reducing risk for pets during disasters and more!Corrine McKeown, Director • www.WMDART.com

rescues & sheltersBerkshire Humane SocietyOpen Tues.- Sat. 10am to 4pm, Thurs Eve. 5 - 8pmSun. Afternoon 1 - 4pm • Closed Mondays413-447-7878 • www.berkshirehumane.org214 Barker Road, Pittsfield, MA

Bluebird Farm Animal Sanctuary413-446-3345

Dalmatian RescueHarriet Koss(917) [email protected]

Eleanor Sonsini Animal ShelterOpen Tues.-Fri. 12 to 6pm, Sat. & Sun. 12 - 5pmClosed Mondays413-448-9800 • www.sonsinianimalshelter.org63 Downing Parkway, Pittsfield, MA

Little Guild of St. Francis285 Sharon Goshen Turnpike, W. Cornwall, CT860-672-6346www.littleguild.org

NE Basset Hound Rescue, Inc.Dawna Hartman, Intake Coordinator, [email protected], www.nebhr.org(508) 243-3622 MA

NE Pyreness Rescue(toll free) 877-528-0637www.nepyresq.org

PurradiseOpen Wed. & Fri. 10am - 4pm, Thurs. 10am - 6pm, Sunday 12 - 4pm301 Stockbridge Road, Great Barrington, MA413-717-4244 • www.berkshirehumane.org

veterinarian servicesAllen Heights Veterinary HospitalDog and Cat GroomingAmanda Bevens, 289 Dalton Ave., Pittsfield, MA413-443-4949Berkshire Ambulatory Veterinary ServicesYoanna Y. Maitre, DVMMobile practice providing quality medical and surgical care for horses and farm animals. Vaccination, strategic deworming,Coggins & health certificates, custom dentistry (hand & Power-float), castrations, dehorning, & more. Serving MA & NYby appointment.www.berkshirelargeanimal.com413-637-2223

North County Veterinary HospitalDr. John C. Reynolds, Dr. Laura A. Eiszler & Dr. Lindsay M. Cermak, DVM’s838 Curran Memorial Hwy, North Adams, MA413-664-4570

veterinarian servicesPittsfield Veterinary Hospital24 Hour Emergency care, animal chiropractic, acupuncture and dental care.John C. Reynolds, DVM, Madeleine Hoog-Crellin, DVMMichelle P. Looney, DVM, Bridget E. Pope, DVMCarmen A. Swinson, DVM, , Lindsay M. Cermak, DVMHours: Daily Mon-Fri. 8am to 8pm,.Sat. & Sun 10am-5pmwww.pittsfieldvet.com413-499-1580

pet timesA listing of upcoming events inthe Tri-state area

APRIL 5TH, TUESDAY6:00am to 6:00pmLive 95.9 and WHOOPEE 100.1CAUSE for PAWSRADIO-A-THONbenefit Berkshire Humane Society

SAVE THE DATEJUNE 12TH, SUNDAY1st AnnualShamrock Pack Walk for Veteransbenefit Veteran Organizations in our area1.5 mile walk, Pittsfield.More information or to be a sponsor please callPaula, at Shamrock Dog Grooming413-443-9700

classifiedsLine listings available for pet related items for sale.20 words for $15.00 per month. Pre-pay is necessary.Please call for details or send your ad to: [email protected].

for saleLarge Dog Crate with plastic tray liner. Great for a large breed. Does not fold down, very strong. Asking $50.00Call: xxx-xxxx after 6pm.

D

D

D

D

D

D

D

SAMPLE

Animal Life, the Tri-State area pet newspaper, isseeking a highly-motivated, Part-time AdvertisingSales Representative. You'll maintain and developnew accounts/clients, focusing on new business development in Southern & Northern Berkshires andColumbia County. Excellent communication and organizational skills required.You're a friendly, creative, and professional team player with a laser-like attention to detail. Proficiency with ad layouts isa plus. Commission based, sell more make more. Interested?

Send your resume to [email protected] and tell us why.

Students and Seniors are encouraged to apply!

Calling All Job-Hunting Animal-Lovers

BENSDOTTER S PET 413-528-4940

940 MAIN STREET, GREAT BARRINGTON, MA 01230

CONVENIENT LOCATION - AMPLE PARKING

MONDAY-FRIDAY 10AM-6PM SATURDAY-SUNDAY 10AM-4PM

- ON ROUTE 7 JUST A MINUTE SOUTH OF GUIDO S -

Join us June 12th for our Pet Wellness Series event sponsored by Vital Essentials and featuring veterinary nutritionist Dr. Richard Patton. But between now and then, qualify your

April and May Vital Essentials purchases for our June 12th Customer Loyalty Draw that could bring you

$100 of free Vital Essentials product of your choosing. Stop by the store for further details!

E Edition for April 2016

Documents

Transcript of E Edition for April 2016