Académique Documents
Professionnel Documents
Culture Documents
Inside:
page 12
April 2015
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The Rumors
I was the quintessential bachelor, living the high life, running the streets of
Pittsfield, chasing rabbits, dumpster diving, and playing dodge car... Sure
it could get lonely sometimes, and there were those pesky fleas, but I was
free! Until I wasn't. Normally, I make it a point never to talk to strangers,
but this guy had Pupperoni. Yes, I was duped by the Animal Control officer. Into his truck I went, headed to the dreaded doggie -jail. I had heard
rumors about this place. We all had. Word on the street was if you get sent
there, you don't come back.
"This is it" says Mike, the ACO. "Don't look so
glum, chum. It will all work out. Think of it as
summer camp, " he laughs. As we walk through
the gate, a formidable guard barks a warning to
keep my distance. I happily oblige. "Mike,
Mike, Mike," I said, and slammed on my
brakes. "Don't make me go in there," I pleaded.
I got rabbits to chase and dates to get to. I simply
can't stay here.
Once inside, a pretty, dark-haired, female human
asks me if I am lost. She waves a wand over me
and tells the other humans, "No tags, no collar,
no microchip." She sets me up in a private room
with a cool cave and warm bedding inside. "Are
you hungry Jethro?" she asks. "Am I hungry? I
shout, Do dogs poop on the golf course? Yeah
I'm hungry!" She sets down a large bowl of deliciousness and I dive in. But then I think, "What
if they are trying to drug me?"
"Oh Jethro, don't believe the rumors, you are
safe here with us." She brings a rope that smells
fabulous and a stuffed toy that squeaks like a
chipmunk. Welcome to Sonsini, the pack
leader says.
I nodded off. All of that time wandering the
streets just trying to survive can make a dog
tired. Real tired. Dog tired. Seven days passed
and the lady announced, "You are officially ours
Jethro. We will find you a wonderful home, but
first, you will have to visit our friend Dr.
Reynolds over at Pittsfield Vet and get
neutered."
So much for summer camp, I thought.
Once I recovered from surgery, a volunteer
human approached my condo and said Hey
Jethro, would you like to go for a walk? In another life, before my time wandering the streets, I knew the warmth of a
home, the caress of a hand, and the satisfaction of a full belly. I had known
the joy of a walk with my human. I had learned basic commands. For reasons I will never understand, my people just left me one day and never came
back. So, I have to be honest, she had me at the word walk." We come upon
a group of dogs walking their humans in a pack. "I love pack walks, I shout
and quickly join in.
After my pack walk, I was ushered into the office for puzzle time. These
puzzles have treats hidden inside of them! Being the sophisticated guy I
am, I figured them out pretty quickly. With the puzzles complete, there is
plenty of time to take a nap. I curl up at the pack leader's feet. She gently
strokes my fur and I am out.
I awoke with a start. The red-haired girl was laughing at me. "Jethro, you
silly dog you snored so loud, you woke yourself up! She has a leash and
she clipped it to my collar. We play the "sit, down, stay, come, heel game.
This is taught with chicken. I'll do anything for chicken. The red haired
girl told me that manners are important and that I will
need them in my new home. She brought me outside
to a fenced in area. There is a small house, some toys,
water, and room to run. She unclipped the leash and
told me to go play. She picked up a tennis ball and
asked if I wanted it. Did I ever! The girl threw it and
I tore after it. I grabbed the ball and ran it back to her.
Every time I did so, she threw it again! I love this
game. After this, I am able to play with the other
dogs. A young female Staffordshire mix is in the kennel next to me. We run back and forth. I like her. Nice
ears and a great tail. Think shes part lab. I always
liked labs.
After spending some time with my new girlfriend,
another human at the shelter came over to the gate
with a leash. Come Jethro, she said. "Time for
agility." She took me through the tunnel and over the
jumps, and through the poles and then I got more
chicken.
We walked to a matted area outside the main fence.
The girl who held my leash said Track Jethro and
pointed to the matted area. I sniffed until I find and
grab the treat. No sense in leaving that here. Finders
keepers. I sniffed the ground and followed the scent
of the dark haired woman. I find another treat. I continue tracking the dark haired woman. The trail turns
sharply around a bend. I found her; and her handful
of chicken treats. She gave me the whole handful and
told me what a good dog I am. She keeps saying that
and I am starting to believe her.
I return to my outdoor run for some much needed
down time. I grab some cold water and head up on
top of the dog house to catch some rays. I relax while
watching all the humans come and go through the
grounds.
Another human comes by and takes me for another
walk through the surrounding grounds. The sun is setting. I have been
walked, played with, talked to, snuggled, petted and worked with all day
long. I feel loved. I think back to the rumors. Now I understand why dogs
never came back to the streets once they came here. This place may not be
my home, but it is the best summer camp a dog could ever dream of.
Krista A. Wroldson Miller
Sonsini Animal Shelter
Animal Life
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animal life
Your pet. Our purpose.
Call 518-781-0362
or
visit www.petpartnersberkshires.org
A 501(c) (3) Non Profit Organization
413.442.2115 office
413.448.6067 fax 413.770.1796 direct
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(413) 229-9900
560 South Main St.
Sheffield, MA 01257
Iris Bass
Karen Karlberg
Carol Lew
Yoanna Y. Maitre
Tobie Petkus
Mary Koncel
Circulation, John Depaoli
Advertising Sales, Karen Karlberg
Consultant, Lisa Betkoski
Cover photo by Martha Pope, SHAGGYDOG PHOTOGRAPHY
www.animallifeonline.com
Its been 20 years since Berkshire Humane Society (BHS) held our first dog
walk. Now known as Woofstock, this
annual family-friendly event raises important funds for the homeless animals
in Berkshire County. So to keep it fresh
and fun for the dogs and their people,
were making a few changes.
First, we have a new date and a new
location. This years walk will be held
on Sunday, June 28th at the redesigned
Pittsfield Common, which we think
will make a perfect 1.5 mile walk
around downtown Pittsfield.
Second, were offering new games and
challenges for the teams and individuals who raise the most funds to help the
shelters animals and its many education and outreach programs.
Third, weve named Steve Caporizzo,
News 10 Chief Meteorologist and
Founder of Pet Connection, as the Honorary Chair of Woofstock 2015. Ill be
there for Berkshire Humane because
they have done such amazing work to
help pets in need for so many years, he
explains, I want to support their amazing efforts. Ive known John [Perreault] for over 20 years, and Berkshire
Humane Society has been part of the
Pet Connection Family for over 20
years.
Before moving to Albany, NY, Steve
lived in East Otis, MA. The Berkshires
are in my blood, he says, adding, I
love the area and people!
BHSs goal for this years Woofstock
is to raise $30,000, and we cant do it
without your support. Pledge forms
will be available at BHS in Pittsfield,
Purradise Feline Adoption & Retail
Center in Great Barrington, and your
local veterinary office, or they can be
downloaded by visiting berkshirehumane.org. Ask friends, neighbors, and
family members to sponsor you. You
can also set up your own fundraising
page at http://berkshirehumane.donorpages.com/Woofstock2015/. For ideas
on how to start your fundraising for the
shelter animals, visit our website
BerkshireHumane.org.
Woofstock 2015 is a pleasant stroll
and not a multi-mile walk, so BHS suggests that pledges be based on the entire course. We appreciate any amount,
and you can participate with or without
a dog. We also invite feline lovers to
join us! You can raise money in honor
Animal Life
Animal Life
Karen Karlberg
Ahhhh Facebook
E
Animal Life
Scenario # 2.
You are rushing to work and your 4
month old male kitten runs out the
door on you. You look for him for
weeks only to find out that he is a she
and she comes home pregnant. She is
also loaded with fleas and has worms.
That woman told you the kitten was a
male. Now you have a vet bill, medications and a bunch of unwanted kittens. You find yourself saying, "Why
didn't I just bite the bullet and purchase
a healthy, neutered kitten from the
shelter?" You post the kittens on Facebook asking for a small, "rehoming
fee" to defray the cost of all of this.
Do a little research on worms or the
importance of spaying and neutering
and I guarantee you will think twice
about taking that bargain kitty you saw
on Facebook. Better yet, get one from
a shelter that is already spayed or
neutered, up to date with vaccinations
and flea and worm free!
Tobie Petkus
Manager
Eleanor Sonsini Animal Shelter
Trap
Neuter
Return,
A Community
Solution
lieve that this neighbor might be caring for the cats. We posted a note on
that persons door explaining the concept of Trap, Neuter, Return and offering our help.
That person turned out to be the caretaker of seven feral cats; a tom (unneutered male cat) who came around
occasionally, a mother cat, and five
kittens that were about six months old.
The caretaker was happy for our assistance, and within a few weeks, all
of the cats were fixed and returned.
What might have happened if we
hadnt fixed these cats? Well as it
turned out, six of the seven felines
were female. Over the course of 2014,
it would be easy to predict that each
female could have had at least one litter, though two litters are not unheard
of. If each had delivered one litter of
five kittens, the neighborhood could
have been home to an additional 30
cats by the end of that summer. Now
that would be an even bigger problem
for the community!
Heres what did happen. After the
seven were returned, the tomcat dispersed or moved on to a new area. (This
sometimes happens with cats after
TNR.) Two of the four kittens disappeared over this past winter; the caretaker suspects that they fell prey to a
wild predator. One of the cats recently
sustained severe injuries (possibly hit
by a car) and was humanely euthanized
to end its suffering. So the colony now
has only three cats; Three cats that no
longer spray, fight or reproduce. Their
caretakers provide them food, water
and a place where they take shelter in
bad weather. They are living a good
life, and no longer causing stress in the
neighborhood.
Attrition by natural and man made
causes will happen in both fixed and
unfixed colonies, but fixed colonies
will eventually die off completely opposed to unfixed colonies that will keep
growing every season as they keep producing kittens.
TNR is a great solution to the community problem of cat overpopulation. If
you have un-owned, unfixed cats where
you live, we would be happy to talk
with you about it. 413-997-CATS
Carol Lew
TNR Coordinator
Animal DREAMS
training
LEEA FORAN, CPDT-KA, CDBC, CTTP-2
Learn with a
Dedicated Professional
413-445-8843
With 36 Years of
Teaching Experience
www.trainingforanimals.com
I believe that training should bring a smile to your face & a wag to your tail. I will never use
force or intimidation to train your dog. Positive reinforcement and up-to-date scientifically
based behavior modification programs bring positive results and lasting change. Leea
Day Care
Socialization
Agility
Conformation and
Obedience Classes
Canine Good Citizen Classes
and Testing
10 Lyman St., Pittsfield, MA 01201
413-443-9700
www.shamrockdoggrooming.com
Taiz
Shepherd
Kennel
Since 1972
Charlene Marchand
North Chatham, NY 518-766-3804
Charlene Marchand is a syndicated columnist for training, behavior, and health issues. She is
actively involved in canine rescue and sheltering, and is the co-creator and trainer for Columbia
County Sheriffs highly acclaimed A New Leash On Life Cell Dog Program.
HappyDog
The
PLAYYARD
Dog Sitting and Training Services
413-528-0877
a
n
i
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K-9 Bed & Breakfast
(413) 229-0035
518-329-4675
Poochinis
located at Copake Lake,
Craryville, NY
poochinipetsalon@gmail.com
poochinipetsalon.wix.com/home
518-325-4150 518-821-3959
Spring Cleaning
Got
MUD?
Holly Ketchum
413-448-8466 Pittsfield, MA
PET SITTING
in YOUR HOME
Reliable
Pet Sitting
Company
Serving Berkshire County Since 1997
Maryann Hyatt-Owner
INSURED BONDED
413.443.0443 or 413.329.5127
413.229.8486
PO Box 232, Pittsfield, MA 01202
(860)435-8353
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hoof beat
What is Normal
Know the normal values for the temperature, pulse and respiration (TPR)
and ask your veterinarian to show you
how to measure each so you arent
fumbling during an emergency:
Temperature: 99.5-101 F
Pulse: 30-42 beats per minute
Respiration rate 12-20 breaths per minute
Have a Plan
Store your kit to keep out dirt and moisture, such as in a plastic food container.
Make sure that all barn personnel know
where the kit is. You may want to keep
a second kit in your horse trailer, and
carry a smaller one on the trail.
DONT PANIC
If you suspect a serious emergency, follow these basic steps to ensure prompt
treatment:
Presents
Dr. Yoanna Maitre DVM, Berkshire Ambulatory Veterinary Services
Topics covered will include large animal behavior and restraint, how to take vital
signs, contents of a first aid kit, bandaging, and common medical emergencies and
their treatment. Feel free to share, or contact us for more information. Support the
Animal Support Project.
12
Animal Life
Barking Beauties
Always
Available
10+Years of Experience Gift Certificates
Custom Veterinary
Medications
lls
if only my pi n
co
a
tasted like b
or cheese!
or liver
www.LvipRx.com
also discover
our all-natural
pet products!
Lenox, MA 413.637.4700
open mon-fri 9-6 sat 9-5
5 Walker Street
888.796.1222
NAIL TRIMMING
59 Main Street
Lee, MA
413-243-1220
www.Meowandgrowl.com
Your Neighborhood
Pet Supply Store Featuring:
Premium USAbrands of
foods and treats
Toys Essentials Gifts
Natural and Organic Products
Lots of Fun Stuff!
413-637-0800 www.chezpet.com
Taken to Heart
Iris Bass
who were considering adding them
to a home where the very active (and
fully healthy) twin longhairs could
bounce off the walls to their hearts
content.
Perhaps we should
banish the term happy
endings in favor of an
even more upbeat one.
Happy beginnings,
anyone?
D
D
D
D
14
Animal Life
Display of Non-domesticated
Animals for Entertainment
Animal Life
VRTYUZ
Downing Industrial Park
Pittsfield
413-448-9800
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1050 South St., Pittsfield, MA 413-443-9700 www.shamrockdogwasteremoval.com
16
Animal Life
rescue me
Jacks Galore
Jack Russell Terriers may be small in stature but they pack enormous power in both
body and intellect. Initially bred for hunting, to go
to ground to find small prey and badgers, they have
a strong will to kill vermin ingrained in their genes.
Because of this instinct, in most instances homes
with cats are not appropriate. Since they're so small
and absolutely adorable, many Jacks are bought by
inappropriate homes and end up in rescue (in 85%
of cases because of child-related issues). Extremely
intelligent and with low tolerance for things that
annoy them, these dogs need to be kept busy with
games they enjoy and that build their brainpower. If
bored or left alone for too long they invent their
own games, often ones their humans do not find
pleasing. Giving them new jobs like learning tricks
or performing at agility keeps them both healthy
and happy.
Jacks Galore is a small family-run, federally recognized 501(3), breed-specific operation that's
been rescuing Jack Russells for more than 10 years.
We rely solely on donations and adoption contributions to keep our mission to save jacks running. Every jack is different. Because
we're so small each one becomes a temporary family member and we get very familiar with their character, quirks, and particular needs before rehoming these energetic dynamos with appropriate families. Jacks come to us from all over: shelters
we've worked closely with for years; vets who have jacks dropped off to be euthanized or rehomed; families and individuals no longer able to keep their dogs because theyre moving, they have infants, the dog is too demanding of their time, or
they just realized after getting the dog that it's not the right breed for them. We get
applications from all over the US but mostly Massachusetts, and work on matching the dogs with the best suited applicant.
Jacks Galore has a small kennel facility where dogs live until going to their new
homes, but we also have fosters and rely heavily on the help of Jennifer Andrews
who owns and runs Camp Wagalot in Stockbridge. This great dog day care is an invaluable asset in working with our dogs, keeping them busy and active and giving
us a wonderful assessment of their character. This amazing group has even managed
to rehome some of our Jacks with their clients.
We encourage people to research the breed of any dog before they adopt, and our
message is that by adopting either from a breed-specific rescue or a shelter (like our
wonderful local Berkshire Humane Society) you're saving a life and providing a forever family to an animal in need.
You can check us out on our website at www.jacksgalore.org.
Sponsored by:
413-443-3909
April 2015 animallifeonline.com
veterinarians
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cattle, horses, goats, sheep, llamas
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Elizabeth Tullett
DVM
Open 7 Days
a week
Fridays till
8pm.
413-443-4949
Bilmar Small
Animal
Hospital
www.allenheights.com
Dr.
Dr.
Dr.
Dr.
House Calls
on
Tuesday!
www.vcaallcaring.com
Hours:
Mon-Fri 8-5, Sat. 8-12
3OHDVDQW6W/HH0$
413-528-8020
Certified in
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Claire Blanchard
Donald Gulick
Hanan Caine
Emily Newman
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Adoptions
in the tri-state area
Spring is here!
And that means daffodils, tulips... and KITTENS! Spring is kitten season and we
are in need of foster homes to care for the adorable little fluffballs until they
are ready to go to their new homes. We provide food and veterinary care, you
provide love and socialization. If you are interested in fostering, please give us
a call at 413/448-9800.
Varric
Please call
At the
Izzy
Each week
will be sponsoring a
If that dog's adopted during that week,
Haddad Subaru will pay $50 towards the adoption fee!
THIS WEEKS DOG IS:
Pike
Sponsored by:
DESPERATE PLEA
Merrill Road,
Pittsfield
info@berkshiremm.com
for
Julie
Dr. Sally Umlauf
!
p
l
e
H
e
s
Plea
Petey
JULIE and PETEY have been advertised for a long time . Their need to find
good homes is now DESPERATE. They are both dalmatian-pit mixes who
love people, all people ! They do not get along with other animals. Recently
their foster parents conditions have changed, making it no longer possible
for them to remain in their current foster homes. PLEASE contact Harriet of
Dalmatian Adoption Inc. ASAP at 917-670-3892 or hckoss@aol.com if you can help
these two dogs by fostering or adopting them. They can be transferred to
your home if your application. references and home visit are approved,
Thank you for considering helping these two affectionate dal-pit dogs.
boarding
(508) 243-3622 MA
pet stores
BensDotters Pet
413-528-4940
413-447-7878 www.berkshirehumane.org
214 Barker Road, Pittsfield, MA
Dalmation Rescue
Harriet Koss
413-448-9800 www.sonsinianimalshelter.org
63 Downing Parkway, Pittsfield, MA
veterinarian services
413-443-4949
Berkshire Ambulatory
Veterinary Services
(917) 670-3892
hckoss@aol.com
413-637-2223
Meow Growl
www.berkshirelargeanimal.com
413-637-0800 www.chezpet.com
413-243-1220
Purradise
Chez Pet
NE Pyreness Rescue
pet times
BENSDOTTERS Pet
Pet Wellness Events for Pet Owners
Hounds Tooth Non-Anesthetic
Dental Cleaning Clinic
Call for Cost 413-528-4940
413-664-4570
Di
Done
413-499-1580
resources
Environmental Police
1-800-632-8075
Massachusetts SPCA
1-800-628-5808
Massachusetts Wildlife
413-684-1646
Berkshire
se
Serving th
Canidae, Taste
Source, Chick
Soul & Ma
Dirty Dogs
Done Dirt Cheap
(413) 448-8240
www.dunkingdoggies.com
BENSDOTTERS PET
940 MAIN STREET, GREAT BARRINGTON, MA 413-528-4940
* August 9, 2015 *
>' to Homeopathic Remedies for Pets
All events are s Pet.
With the exception of the Dental Clinic, all events are free of charge,
require no advance reservation, and run from 10am to about noon.
All event details are available on our website. Call for Dental Clinic reservations.