Berkshire Humane: 100 Cats for the Holidays

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PITTSFIELD, Mass. — Residents of Berkshire County can get their cat spayed or neutered for a $50 registration fee, which includes surgery and a rabies vaccination, through a grant awarded to Berkshire Humane Society from Massachusetts Animal Coalition's license plate program. 
 
This is the 9th year the shelter has received an award to support 100 Cats for the Holidays, a low-cost spay and neuter initiative. 
 
Registration is on a first-come-first-served basis. For requirements and registration, call Berkshire Humane Society at 413-447-7878, Ext. 124. 
 
Berkshire Humane Society will schedule appointments for December and January. Owners will drop off their cats and kittens in the morning on a date and at a place designated by Berkshire Humane Society. Shelter staff and volunteers will transport the cats to participating veterinarians and will return them for owner pick-up in the afternoon. 
 
All cats must be in secure carriers with proper identification including the name of the pet and the owner. 
 
100 Cats for the Holidays is the shelter's largest and most successful low-cost spay/neuter effort for kittens and cats in the Berkshires and surrounding areas. 
 
"This year we saw the fallout of the difficulty of scheduling veterinary appointments during the pandemic," said John Perreault, Executive Director for Berkshire Humane Society. "The shelter was overflowing with mother cats and unplanned litters. We're grateful for our partnership with the Massachusetts Animal Coalition so we can work with local vets to provide an affordable service to cat lovers. Spaying and neutering your pet benefits their health and wellbeing, prevents accidental litters and strays and helps control overpopulation and disease. This program is a valuable part of our mission at Berkshire Humane Society." 
 
This year's participating veterinary facilities include: Greylock Animal Hospital, North County Veterinary Hospital, Pittsfield Veterinary Hospital, South Street Veterinary Hospital, Lenox Cat Hospital, Valley Veterinary Services and Bilmar Veterinary Services. 
 
To help support low-cost spaying and neutering throughout Massachusetts, buy an "I'm Animal Friendly" license plate. The tax-deductible plates are available at local Registries of Motor Vehicles or at www.petplate.org.  

Tags: Berkshire Humane Society,   

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Two Men Found Guilty of Marijuana Trafficking

PITTSFIELD, Mass. — On Monday, May 6, Yebin Mai, 32 of Staten Island, NY and Dem Wu, age 52 of Staten Island, NY, were found guilty by jury of their peers in Berkshire Superior Court.
 
Yebin Mai was found guilty of two charges: Marijuana Trafficking in 100 pounds or more but less than 2,000 pounds and Witness Intimidation. Dem Wu was found guilty of Marijuana Trafficking in 100 pounds or more but less than 2,000 pounds.
 
According to a report, on July 30, 2020, State Police responded to a request for assistance from the Eversource Electric Company. The emergency dispatcher stated that two Eversource linemen were attempting to fix an electrical problem when they had a confrontation with individuals at 72 Jackson Road, Savoy. The residence belonged to Bin Huang after he purchased it in 2017 for $200,000 cash.
 
When state troopers arrived, the linemen stated that they responded to a report from a resident at 72 Jackson Road, Savoy claiming that power was fluctuating. When the linemen arrived at the house, they observed severely damaged wires and insulators leading from the roadside poles to the residence. When the Eversource linemen approached the house a man came out to meet them. The man, later identified as Yebin Mai, spoke limited English; therefore, communication between the Eversource linemen and resident became difficult. The linemen tried to explain that they would need to turn the power off to conduct a safety check of the electric meter and surrounding electrical connections. Mai became agitated. He handed the linemen an envelope filled with money later determined to be $600. The linemen attempted to return the envelope multiple times, but Mai would not take it. The linemen decided to leave the property. They called the police and waited for them to arrive, stated a report.
 
A trooper and Eversource supervisor arrived on the road at the end of 72 Jackson Road's driveway. A short time later, Mai drove down the driveway and attempted to leave in a pick-up truck with New York plates. There were two other passengers in the truck, including Dem Wu.
 
The trooper instructed Mai to stop and turn off the truck which he obeyed. All the individuals returned to the residence so the linemen could complete their inspection.
 
In a police report, the following items were observed at and around the house:
  • 4 separate electrical meters in poorly constructed boxes on the side of the house
  • Some melted wires and metal around the meter boxes (believed to be due to an excessive amount of energy being drawn through the wires)
  • Evidence of a small fire around one of the meter boxes
  • A smell of fresh grown marijuana (which grew once power was cut to the house and fans in the residence stopped running)
  • The sound of multiple fans inside the residence with no visible air ventilation system on the outside of the house
  • Windows with curtains drawn and boarded shut
  • A backyard covered in debris from a renovation, green planning pots, and large florescent light fixtures
  • Ring door cameras
  • A small path in the woods that ended in a pile of used potting soil and roots and stalks of freshly harvested marijuana plants

Additionally, Eversource reported that the monthly electric bill for 72 Jackson Road was approximately $10,000 per month, much higher than the average homeowner's bill.

The individuals on the property were questioned and ultimately allowed to leave. On July 31, 2020, Massachusetts State Police, including the State Police Detective Unit assigned to the District Attorney's Office, and a member of the DEA arrived at 72 Jackson Road to execute a search warrant. 
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