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Companion Corner: Beauty at Berkshire Humane Society

By Breanna SteeleiBerkshires Staff
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PITTSFIELD, Mass. — There's a sweet dog waiting for their new home at Berkshire Humane Society.

iBerkshire's Companion Corner is a weekly series spotlighting an animal in our local shelters that is ready to find a home.

Beauty is a 5-year-old bulldog mix and has been at the shelter for about a month after she didn't get along with other animals in the home.

Canine caregiver and adoption counselor Simone Olivieri told us about Beauty: "Just very sweet, cuddly, but also very energetic, very playful, just a great companion, great, great little buddy."

Beauty is very energetic and loves to go outside and play. She loves to go on walks and is very obedient, is house trained, and she knows some commands.

"She loves to play tug, so she gets very excited. She loves to play fetch. She loves to go on walks, be out in the snow, and then she just food, of course," said Olivieri. "She loves snacks, loves working for food. And she also just really enjoys touch, companionship, petting, love. She just wants to be right here with you once all of her physical needs are met."

Beauty must be the only animal in the house as she has a prey drive for cats and does not like to live with other dogs. But Beauty is good to greet other dogs when she is on the leash. She also must go home with older kids.

"She doesn't want to share her humans with other dogs in the house or her belongings. She wants all the attention so no other dogs in the home. And for kids, if there's kids in the home, we're saying teenagers and up. Couple reasons, first of all, she can be a little bit nervous and shy and skittish with a lot of quick movements, young kids kind of move differently than adults, and that can make her cautious and a little scared," she said.  "And also, when she starts to play with her tug toys, she can get a little grabby with those teeth."

Beauty is perfectly healthy but may need some attention for her sensitive skin.

"She's got some sensitive skin, so she has some thinning hair on her back here, so she might need some extra vet visits for some skincare, medicated baths, fish oil, some supplements to kind of keep her coat nice and shiny and healthy and thick," Olivieri said. 

Beauty can be nervous around people at first and has shown some nervousness to men. But with patience she can warm right up to you.

"We have noticed with some people, like I said, with kids, but sometimes with men or strangers, she can be a little bit nervous at first," she said. "So she is a little cautious and careful around she might shy away from people she doesn't really know, so but it really does not take very long to earn her trust. You just have to be patient."

You can visit Beauty at the Berkshire Humane Society and read more about her on the website.

The Berkshire Humane Society is open Tuesday through Sunday. The adoption center is open 10 a.m. to 6 p.m. Tuesday and Thursday, 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. Wednesday, Friday, and Saturday, and 1 to 4 p.m. Sunday.


Tags: Berkshire Humane Society,   dogs,   

If you would like to contribute information on this article, contact us at info@iberkshires.com.

Dalton Fire District Seeks State OK for Permanent Chief

By Sabrina DammsiBerkshires Staff
DALTON, Mass. — The Fire District is considering interim Fire Chief Christopher Francis Cachat for the permanent chief position, pending required state approval.
 
Cachat has been serving as chief since January 2025, with the duties being split between himself, Administrative Deputy Chief Charlotte Crane, and Capt. Dennis Tinker. 
 
However, one challenge to making his appointment permanent is that Cachat is older than 65, the mandatory retirement age for firefighters in Massachusetts.
 
In 1987, the state eliminated the maximum age and mandatory retirement requirements for most public employees, but firefighters were exempt from this ruling. 
 
The law requires the personnel administrator to study whether a firefighter can serve past the mandatory retirement age, considering job risks, physical demands, and the costs of injuries for older personnel.
 
Towns and cities can seek a home-rule petition from the state Legislature and governor to allow an individual to continue serving in a position past the age of 65, and the Fire District is in the process of doing just that. 
 
State Rep. Leigh Davis filed a home-rule bill last March on the district's behalf to allow Cachat, who has been with the department for four decades, to continue serving until age 70, provided he remains physically and mentally capable of fulfilling the role’s duties. 
 
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