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Morty is one of 10 dogs whose adoption fees will be waived next week. The Berkshire Humane Society is participating in the statewide event to help 'long-termers' find forever homes.
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Clockwise from left, Harvey, Luna and Cookie are tired of hanging out at the Humane Society and would love a real home.

Berkshire Humane Society Holding Fee Waived Event Next Week

By Breanna SteeleiBerkshires Staff
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PITTSFIELD, Mass. — The Berkshire Humane Society is having a fee-waived adoption event for dogs one year and older.

This event is called "Big Dog Energy" and is happening in many shelters across Massachusetts. It runs from April 22 through April 27.

"There is still just an influx of adult dogs who are sitting in shelters," said Berkshire Humane Society's Executive Director John Perreault.

Last year, the Berkshire Humane Society participated in a week of fee-waived adoptions for the Mass-Saves promotion, also because of an influx of adult dogs staying in the shelter.

Perrault said it's still the case, unfortunately.

"They're not moving all across the state so we're right now really trying to promote all the great dogs that all the shelters have around the state," he said.

Perrault said there could be many reasons some dogs are not getting adopted right away.

"Some people have blamed it on people getting rid of their dogs coming out of COVID, some people believe it's the economy, you know, that it costs so much to take care of a dog and the cost of everything is going up," he said. "By hopefully fee waiving the adoption fee that may trigger some people to realize that you know, if that's a barrier or a hurdle and we can eliminate that to put a good dog in a good home, then it's certainly worth it." 

Perrault said he is hoping this event is successful as some past ones haven't been.

"The fee-waived adoptions around the state have been very very successful. The first one we did I think we placed five dogs who were over 600 days of care when they were here, I cant remember the exact amount, and it was awesome because they were long-termers," he said. "Since then we've done about five or six of these along with everybody else and many other shelters around the state are finding huge success and we're not, I think we've gone through one or two where we may not have placed any during that fee waived week.

"So, we're hoping this one's going to be a successful one."

The shelter currently has 10 dogs available whose fees will be waived next week


Tags: adoption,   Berkshire Humane Society,   dogs,   

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Pittsfield Committee Recommends Scanlon for City Audit

By Brittany PolitoiBerkshires Staff

PITTSFIELD, Mass.— After the bid for a new auditing company came back over 30 percent higher, Pittsfield will stick with Scanlon and Associates. 

On Tuesday, the Auditing Services Evaluation Committee voted to advance Scanlon to the City Council for an independent audit.  CliftonLarsonAllen also responded to the bid, but came in costing $120,000 more. 

"I have to go with saving money for the city. I mean, the discrepancy is too much of a difference," committee member Karen Kalinowsky said. 

"The city could have use for that difference over the next three years." 

This process was prompted by Rule 40 of the council rules and the City Charter, where in any year the City Council votes to hold a procurement process for an independent certified public accountant or firm to audit Pittsfield's books and accounts, the city must, through its Finance Committee with the assistance of the purchasing department, solicit requests for proposals or invitations for bids before June 1. 

The council in March recommended that the purchasing agent draft a request for proposals and put it out to bid. 

Ward 1 Councilor Kenneth Warren, who has been vocally in favor of the independent audit for years, said the city doesn't have to follow a bidding process for the professional service, "We are doing this so the public knows that we're being professional, and a looking for other options, looking at what the best options are, and comparing them based on what they can offer and what the cost is." 

Board member Kathy Amuso said both CLA and Scanlon have equitable reviews with high recommendations.  Especially considering the budget crisis Pittsfield is in, she moved to recommend Scanlon to the full council. 

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