The Berkshire Humane Society’s annual dog walk
PITTSFIELD, Mass. - The Berkshire Humane Society’s annual dog walk event is scheduled for Saturday September 19th at Burbank Park in Pittsfield. This popular family event brings dogs and their owners together for a day of fun, food and fund-raising for the homeless animals at the Berkshire Humane Society.This year, once again, begins with a pancake breakfast from 8:30am until 10am; adults are $6, kids under 9 years old are $4. Starbucks coffee will be available. Registration for the 1.5 mile dog walk begins at 10am with the walk along the picturesque shores of Onota Lake starting at 11am.
Other activities during the family friendly event include The “Blessing of the Animals” before the walk, and an “Alumni Parade”. K-9 Officers will be on hand to showcase their canine partners and to demonstrate various police dog skills. There will be demonstrations of Newfoundland water rescue, and agility dog handling are also scheduled during the event. Barbeque food will be for sale at the “K-9 Canteen”, raffles, and entertainment. A Doggie Costume Contest is scheduled along with other games for dogs and their owners; including a Treasure Hunt N’ sniff, Fastest Recall, and Water Retrieve.
Individuals and teams raising the most money will be among Woofstock’s special honorees. Those who raise a minimum of $2,500 will also receive an Alpha Society Award and have their name engraved on the Alpha Society plaque that is on display at BHS. Pledges for dogs and their owners making the trek, can be made on line by setting up a personal fundraising page at www.firstgiving.com/berkshirehumanesociety and e-mailing it to friends, strangers, or anyone else who might appreciate the option of making a quick and secure online donation. Pledge sheets are also available at the shelter at 214 Barker Road in Pittsfield or can be down loaded from the website: www.berkshirehumane.org. Please call Diane Briggs at 413-447-7878 ext. 31 for more information.
The Berkshire Humane Society has been helping animals and people since 1992; they offer free humane education visits and tours for area school children, a community pet-food bank for economically distressed pet owners, and works in cooperation with The Elizabeth Freeman Center to provide foster care assistance for the pets of women in crisis through PetSafe. BHS receives no public funding and relies on memberships and donations to continue to help animals and people.
The shelter is open Tuesday - Saturday 10am - 4pm, Thursday evenings 5-8pm, and Sundays 1-4pm. The shelter closes at noon on the last Wednesday of each month for staff meetings. The phone number is 413-447-7878 and website is www.berkshirehumane.org.
