Pittsfield Announces Disability Awareness Walk

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PITTSFIELD, Mass. — The City of Pittsfield, in partnership with the Commission on Disabilities and a local community advocate, Brian Fitzpatrick, announces a community downtown walk to raise awareness of disabilities.
 
This downtown walk is scheduled for Thursday, July 10 at 3:00 p.m. starting at City Hall, located at 70 Allen Street in Pittsfield. The walk will travel from City Hall, through Dunham Mall and head towards St. Joseph's Church with a return to City Hall. This walk is expected to take one hour.
 
"I am thankful for opportunities to join members of the Commission on Disabilities, the Mayor and other community members to identify areas of that present challenges and areas that we want to replicate because they provide safe and secure passage for all modes of transportation," said Brian Fitzpatrick, assistant planner and coordinator of this awareness walk. 
 
"It is important for the city to understand the challenges of people with disabilities and find ways to make their travels within our downtown easier," said Catherine Carchedi, chair of the city's Commission on Disabilities.
 
This walk takes place following a proclamation issued by Mayor Peter Marchetti recognizing the 35th Anniversary of the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) that was signed on July 26, 1990.
 
The proclamation will be presented at the Commission on Disaibilities meeting that is scheduled for July 10 at 2:00 p.m. at City Hall in Room 203.
 
"The ADA is a critical piece of legislation that has expanded opportunities for people with disabilities by reducing barriers, changing perceptions and increasing opportunities for full participation and inclusion in community life," said Mayor Peter Marchetti. "I look forward to being a part of this awareness walk and discovering ways Pittsfield may make improvements within our downtown to accommodate all needs."
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ADOPTED! Companion Corner: Cali and Kyzer at Berkshire Humane Society

By Breanna SteeleiBerkshires Staff

Great news, Kyzer and Cali found a home for Christmas already! Still looking for a new friend for the holidays? There are plenty of dogs and cats and small animals at Berkshire Humane who would love to go home with you.

PITTSFIELD, Mass. — There's a bonded dog pair awaiting a new family at the Berkshire Humane Society.

Kyzer and Cali are both poodles. Kyzer is the male and is 7 years old, a quite a bit bigger than his sister Cali, who is a miniature of Kyzer and 8 years old.

Canine adoption counselor Rhonda Cyr introduced us to the two.

"They came from a household that couldn't hold on to them, and it sounds like they may have been abandoned by their previous owner with somebody else, and so they came to us looking for a new home," she said.

The two love to be around you and snuggle. But both are very happy dogs.

"Kyzer is 7 years old, and his personality is that he kind of wants to be in everything. He's very loving, very snuggly, as you can tell. And Callie here, she's 8 years old, and she is kind of like the life of the party," said Cyr. "She wants to tell you everything about her day, and she's a little bit of a little ham."

The two are considered seniors and really like soft treats as Cali just had a few teeth removed and Kyzer has a tooth procedure coming up.

"Currently, they really like soft treats, because they are both on the senior side of things. So they have had some dental work, so they are really in need of something softer. They are not big chewers at this age, really, their main focus right now is just really socializing and cuddling," Cyr said.

The two would love a quiet home with someone who wants to snuggle. They shouldn't go to a home with bigger dogs but if you have a dog, you can bring them in for a visitation with the poodles to see if they will get along. Cats will be fine and the preference is for older and more responsible children so that the pups don't get hurt, as they are senior citizens.

"The perfect home for them would be a quiet home that's not too active. Like I said, they're very social, so they could handle some visitors," she said. "They're very friendly, but I don't think that they would really enjoy any other dogs in the home."

Poodles need to be regularly groomed, and the prospective adopter will have to keep an eye on their health. Kyzer has a heart murmur that needs to be monitored. This doesn't mean he is in bad health, as he could live a perfectly normal life, but he will need to be checked by a veterinary specialist routinely.

"Ideally, he would go to a home that could provide further health care with a specialist in cardiac care. And you know, he could very well live out the rest of his life comfortably and happy," Cyr said. "We just don't have all that information at the moment, but I think that you know the way he's going right now. He's got a good spirit, and he seems to be pretty happy."

The shelter is hoping the to get them a home for the holidays.

"We would love to get them a home in time for the holidays. They've been here since the eighth of November, and they're really, really looking as much as the staff loves them here, we're really looking to get them into a home and somewhere nice and cozy so they can spend the rest of their life together," she said.

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