Berkshire Humane Waives Dog Adoption Fees Through Sunday

01:23PM / Thursday, July 18, 2024Print Story | Email Story

Bonded sister and brother duo Teddy and Rosie are looking for a home to live out their golden years. Their adoption fees are waived until Sunday.

PITTSFIELD, Mass. — Berkshire Humane Society has waived adoption fees of dogs who are at least one year old from Monday through Sunday this week.

The promotion, called "Mass-Saves," is the first event of a statewide coalition led by MSPCA-Angell. Other shelters in the coalition funded by Best Friends Animal Society include Worcester Animal Rescue League, Boston Animal Control, Thomas J. O'Connor Animal Control and Adoption Center and Dakin Humane Society. The shelters will work together to improve and save lives of animals.

"Shelters throughout the country are experiencing an influx of dogs who are not being adopted right away, taxing the capacity of shelters to care for them," said John Perreault, executive director of Berkshire Humane Society. "We're no different. Due to the economy, we're receiving dogs with medical needs that need to be treated and dogs who need extra attention to address behavioral issues.

"We have many good dogs in the shelter, but it takes resources and time to find them a home. That's why I'm excited to join this statewide team of organizations to address this issue."

"The issues facing animal welfare right now are daunting, to say the least," said

Mike Keiley, vice president of animal protection at the Massachusetts Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals-Angell, said, "one of the most pervasive issues we're experiencing, and that's the dog population crisis." According to Keiley, a large and increasing number of homeless dogs need specialized help from behavior experts to adjust to shelter life long enough to find their adoptive homes.

"A lot of those dogs really struggle in shelters," Keily explained. "Given that recruiting qualified behavior personnel is just as hard as recruiting veterinary staff, most shelters aren't able to address this challenge alone, and, without that help, it may not be possible to rehome the animals."

As part of the coalition, MSPCA-Angell will establish a behavior outreach role to work directly with animals at other shelters while also helping coalition members learn effective remedies they can use on their own.

Berkshire Humane Society's participation in the coalition will focus on the areas of dog behavior, medical needs and adoptions.

"I'm looking forward to working with other leaders in the animal welfare field to see what great things we can accomplish together for the sake of animals," Perreault said.

Tags: Berkshire Humane Society, dogs,

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Pittsfield Housing Project Adds 37 Supportive Units and Collective Hope

By Brittany PolitoiBerkshires Staff
05:01PM / Monday, December 29, 2025

PITTSFIELD, Mass.— A new chapter in local efforts to combat housing insecurity officially began as community leaders and residents gathered at The First on to celebrate a major expansion of supportive housing in the city.

The ribbon was cut on Thursday Dec. 19, on nearly 40 supportive permanent housing units; nine at The First, located within the Zion Lutheran Church, and 28 on West Housatonic Street. The Housing Resource Center, funded by Pittsfield's American Rescue Plan Act dollars, hosted a celebration for a project that is named for its rarity: The First.

"What got us here today is the power of community working in partnership and with a shared purpose," Hearthway CEO Eileen Peltier said.

In addition to the 28 studio units at 111 West Housatonic Street and nine units in the rear of the church building, the Housing Resource Center will be open seven days a week with two lounges, a classroom, a laundry room, a bathroom, and lockers.

Erin Forbush, ServiceNet's director of shelter and housing, challenged attendees to transform the space in the basement of Zion Lutheran Church into a community center. It is planned to operate from 8:30 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. year-round.

"I get calls from folks that want to help out, and our shelters just aren't the right spaces to be able to do that. The First will be that space that we can all come together and work for the betterment of our community," Forbush said.

"…I am a true believer that things evolve, and things here will evolve with the people that are utilizing it."

Earlier that day, Executive Office of Housing and Livable Communities Secretary Ed Augustus joined Lieutenant Governor Kim Driscoll and her team in Housatonic to announce $33.5 million in federal Community Development Block Grant funding, $5.45 million to Berkshire County.

He said it was ambitious to take on these two projects at once, but it will move the needle. The EOHLC contributed more than $7.8 million in subsidies and $3.4 million in low-income housing tax credit equity for the West Housatonic Street build, and $1.6 million in ARPA funds for the First Street apartments.

"We're trying to get people out of shelter and off the streets, but we know there are a lot of people who are couch surfing, who are living in their cars, who are one paycheck away from being homeless themselves," Augustus said.

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