Animal DREAMS, BHS Receive Grant for Feline Low-Cost Spay/Neuter Program

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PITTSFIELD, Mass. — Thanks to the support of a $32,000 grant from PetSmart Charities, Animal DREAMS and Berkshire Humane Society will be hosting “Pittsfield Cat Fix,” a new low-cost spay/neuter initiative for cats in Pittsfield.  

The goal for “Pittsfield Cat Fix” is to spay/neuter 500 cats in the next year.

Providing low-cost spaying/neutering for the cats in Berkshire County is a priority for both AD and BHS.  Recently, the two organizations collaborated to complete another spay/neuter campaign for 125 indoor and free-roaming cats on the west side of Pittsfield, which was funded by a grant from the Merrimack River Feline Society Mentor Program. “Pittsfield Cat Fix” is the next step in their efforts to significantly reduce cat overpopulation in Pittsfield.

Of the 500 cats, the grant requires that the majority of them be owned free-roaming cats or stray/feral cats, with the remaining being owned indoor-only cats.

Pittsfield has been targeted for this program because of the large number of unspayed/unneutered cats in the city as well as the many calls that AD and BHS have received from Pittsfield residents inquiring about low-cost spaying/neutering programs.

Residents of Pittsfield who own indoor cats and who are interested in participating in “Pittsfield Cat Fix” should call AD at 413-997-2287 to complete the registration form and schedule a surgery appointment. The fee is $30 and includes a rabies shot.  Registration is on a first come, first served basis.  

AD will also work with caretakers of known cat colonies as well as other Pittsfield residents to identify stray/feral, or free roaming, cats who are in need of spaying/neutering. Once they are identified, AD volunteers will begin scheduling Trap-Neuter-Return (TNR) projects throughout the city. AD will bring the cats to its feral cat facility at BHS where they will be cared for until they can be returned to their colonies.   


Research has shown that TNR is the only effective way to manage feral cats. TNR involves humanely trapping the cats, taking them to a veterinarian to be spayed/neutered and vaccinated, and then returning them to their colony — their outdoor home.   By ending the cats’ breeding cycles, TNR allows the cats to live out their natural lives while at the same time causing the colonies to slowing decline.   

“This project is very important to the city of Pittsfield and to the Community Cats of Pittsfield,” said Stacey Carver, president of AD’s Board of Directors.  “One female cat can have 10 or more kittens in one year and one male can impregnate multiple females, multiple times a year.  By spay/neutering 500 cats in this year-long project, we’ll be taking a huge step in putting an end to the community cat overpopulation in our city. We’re grateful to PetSmart Charities for this grant.”  

Earlier this year AD, an all-volunteer, nonprofit organization that advocates and cares for stray/feral  Cats in Berkshire County, moved from its office on North Street in Pittsfield to BHS.  In addition to providing space for its administrative and cat recovery operations, BHS can take any of AD’s adoptable  kittens and cats into its shelter for rehoming.  
 
Given that both organizations share the same goal of helping the cats of Berkshire County, John Perreault, executive director of BHS, explained that the ongoing collaboration with AD “makes good sense.”

“By working together, we not only use our collective experience and skills but also save money – which means spaying and neutering  more cats in Pittsfield," he said. "Both boards of directors should be commended on coming together for the benefit of animals. Berkshire Humane Society looks forward to continuing our relationship with Animal DREAMS.”

AD and BHS encourage all cat owners to spay/neuter their kittens and cats. According to recent statistics, more than 3 million felines are surrendered to animal shelters nationwide, with almost half being   euthanized for lack of space and other reasons. Spaying/neutering not only reduces that number but also helps keep cats healthier and prevent behavior problems.

In the past, AD and BHS have held several low-cost spaying/neutering initiatives for indoor and outdoor cats. However, “Pittsfield Cat Fix” is the most ambitious project of this type that AD and BHS have undertaken. For more information about “Pittsfield Cat Fix,” call AD at 413-997-2287 or visit its Facebook page at www.facebook.com/BerkshireAnimalDreams.

 


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North Adams Regional Reopens With Ribbon-Cutting Celebration

By Tammy DanielsiBerkshires Staff

BHS President and CEO Darlene Rodowicz welcomes the gathering to the celebration of the hospital's reopening 10 years to the day it closed. 
NORTH ADAMS, Mass. — The joyful celebration on Thursday at North Adams Regional Hospital was a far cry from the scene 10 years ago when protests and tears marked the facility's closing
 
Hospital officials, local leaders, medical staff, residents and elected officials gathered under a tent on the campus to mark the efforts over the past decade to restore NARH and cut the ribbon officially reopening the 136-year-old medical center. 
 
"This hospital under previous ownership closed its doors. It was a day that was full of tears, anger and fear in the Northern Berkshire community about where and how residents would be able to receive what should be a fundamental right for everyone — access to health care," said Darlene Rodowicz, president and CEO of Berkshire Health Systems. 
 
"Today the historic opportunity to enhance the health and wellness of Northern Berkshire community is here. And we've been waiting for this moment for 10 years. It is the key to keeping in line with our strategic plan which is to increase access and support coordinated county wide system of care." 
 
Berkshire Medical Center in Pittsfield, under the BHS umbrella, purchased the campus and affiliated systems when Northern Berkshire Healthcare declared bankruptcy and closed on March 28, 2014. NBH had been beset by falling admissions, reductions in Medicare and Medicaid payments, and investments that had gone sour leaving it more than $30 million in debt. 
 
BMC was able to reopen the ER as an emergency satellite facility and slowly restored and enhanced medical services including outpatient surgery, imaging, dialysis, pharmacy and physician services. 
 
But it would take a slight tweak in the U.S. Health and Human Services' regulations — thank to U.S. Rep. Richie Neal — to bring back inpatient beds and resurrect North Adams Regional Hospital 
 
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