Berkshire Humane Society Celebrates Renovation of Purradise
GREAT BARRINGTON, Mass. — Nestled in South County, Purradise has long been a sanctuary for felines, a facility to help them find their forever home or a comfortable place to stay as their families are away.
Families and visitors had smiles from ear to ear as they celebrated Berkshire Humane Society's reopening of its newly renovated feline boarding and cat adoption facility.
What better way to launch the facilities' reopening than by demonstrating the society's resources to make the nonprofit an essential part of the community?
Visitors to the open house on Saturday could find pamphlets with information under canopies decked out with the Humane Society's logo in the parking lot.
Additionally, the society offered a free rabies and microchip clinic for dogs and cats, a tour of the renovated center, and a pet adoption event that had a 15 percent discount on fees.
Since 1992, Berkshire Humane Society has been taking in all companion animals, no matter their health, breed, or age, with a focus on compassionate care. Purradise opened in 2010.
During the celebration, a family adopted their first cat, Katie. The Adams-El Guablis had looked for a feline to join their family before settling on Katie.
They heard about the opening of the boarding and adopting facility when they went to Berkshire Humane Society's main building, located at 214 Barker Road in Pittsfield.
"[Berkshire Humane Society] feels very caring. They're trying to match us with a kitty that works for our family, and I feel like we're not rushed to think about it, which is great," Shaina Adams-El Guabli said.
"I personally like that. The process is very streamlined and really efficient … I think it's a great place because you get to meet staff, volunteers, [and] see how people are caring about animals," Brahim El Guabli added.
"And I think beyond just adopting an animal, you get to really meet caring, empathetic people. That's really important."
Purradise offers visibility for the nonprofit, given its location in South County. Some people from South County may not be able to make it to Pittsfield or may not know anything about the Berkshire Humane Society, said Laura Bykowski, board president.
After a $75,000 renovation, Purradise is back open, giving cats a home away from home as their loved ones are away.
"When we start getting full, especially in the fall, this place is a savior … we can bring them here, and people can realize that this is a great place to come to adopt as well. It's a little different. We have people who visit both places before they make up their minds," said John Perreault, Berkshire Humane Society's executive director.
Additionally, if cats are not doing well at the larger main facility, they can be transferred to Purradise until they are adopted, which is a more "homey" atmosphere, he said.
"Not everybody has the luxury of having someone who's capable of caring for their cats or cats in their home, and this allows them to bring them here. We have professional people that are working here who do a tremendous job caring for the cats," Perreault said.
"So, they can go away on vacation, business trip, maybe it's a small stint in the hospital, whatever the situation may be — they can come here, leave their kitties, and we take care of them while they're doing whatever they do. Then obviously, when they come back, they get their kitties back and back into their home."
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Berkshire Humane Society worked with several local businesses for "purrfecting" its renovation, including Alexandra Eidenschenk Designs, Anthony R. Pontier Construction, BHRE Services, Sisco Tech, and many more.
The nonprofit has a sign showcasing the businesses that helped renovate the facility.
Bykowski, highlighted the work and donations provided by Alexandra Eidenschenk.
"We partnered with her, and she's been fabulous. She donated a lot of labor and materials. She the new cabinets and countertop for the kitchen, and the floor. She donated a new roof, which was never really part of the original scope," she said.
"But as we started to break down walls and see what was behind things, we're like, ‘oh, this project is a little bit bigger than we thought.'"
The biggest impetus for the renovation was the conversion of the glass dome, which transforming the solarium into a comfortable space for cats, Bykowski said.
"It leaked. It was a nightmare to keep cool in the summer. It was difficult to stay warm in the winter. So, we took off the solarium and built two separate rooms for cats when they come out of their kennels, whether they're boarders or whether they're adoptions," she said.
"So, there's two spaces with plenty of sunlight, deep window sills so the cats can perch on the windows. And then we've got this great storage space in the middle."
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The renovation also included redesigning the space to create additional storage space, upgrading its heating and air conditioning systems, and replacing its windows to make the space more energy efficient, Perreault said.
"I think the uniqueness of this place is it's homey. It's like you're in someone's house, and at one point, it was somebody's house many, many years ago. And so we've tried to keep that whole feeling," he said.
The unique thing about Purradise is that it is the only facility that solely takes cats; there are also only three to four places that board cats in the area, said Jane Burt, feline adoption counselor and boarding specialist.
Purradise not only allows the nonprofit to board cats, but fees support Berkshire Humane Society's education programs, community engagement, and support resources for animals within the community. The Catwalk Boutiques, thrift shops run by volunteers, also help support the facility.
Helping pets find their forever home is just one of the many aspects of the nonprofit that help improve the welfare of animals.
Through education, training, clinics, boarding, the pet food bank, and other resources, the nonprofit also helps families keep their pets in their home. Purradise is one of these many resources.
"It's great because of all the programs the Humane Society has to offer. It helps the community a lot, impacting a lot of different facets of the community all at once, such as dog training, clinic, boarding, education, and more," Burt said.
One of the society's goals is to demonstrate the resources that it provides throughout the lifetime of a pet, Perreault and Bykowski said.
The Berkshire Humane Society handles 1,500 animals a year, and its ultimate goal is to help people considering surrender a way to keep their pets.
"[The pets] were in good homes. So, if someone's having a problem, what can we do to help keep that animal at home," Perreault said.
Tags: Berkshire Humane Society, cats, open house,
