Animal Life E-Edition Feb

animal lifeYour pet. Our purpose.

Inside:Love a Bull Month at BHS page 3What is Fido Really Eating page 7Walkers in the Woods page 6Rescue Me page 13

Complimentary February 2015

Tri-State Area Pet News

Animal Lifer February 2015 animallifeonline.com 3

Berkshire Humane Society (BHS) isonce again hosting Love-A-BullMonth throughout February to not onlyspotlight our pit bull dogs at the shel-ter but also to promote responsibleownership of these unique dogs. Despite a long and celebrated historyof being devoted companions, more re-cently pit bulls dogs have become thecenter of much controversy and tar-geted for breed specific legislation thatwould ban or restrict their ownership incities across the country. As the dogof choice for drug dealers and dogfightersremember Michael Vickstheyve earned the unjust reputation ofbeing dangerous and unpredictable, areputation thats been promulgatedthrough the media. According to John Perreault, Execu-tive Director of BHS, Love-A-Bullmonth was created specifically to chal-lenge those negative myths and mis-conceptions surrounding pit bulldogs. A number of the dogs cominginto the shelter are pit bulls or pit bullmixes. They would do great in the rightfamilies, but theyre so often over-looked because of the prejudice.

To encourage their adoption, BHS isoffering a $50 adoption fee for any pitbull dog during February as well as acomplementary Manners 1 class, a$140 value, at BHSs Family DogSchool. As always, the adoption fee in-cludes spaying or neutering, age-appro-priate vaccinations, micro-chipping,deworming, and a lifetime of free advice. To celebrate Valentines Day on Sat-urday, February 14th, were also plan-ning an afternoon of Love-A-Bullevents that feature some of our specialalumni. From 1:30PM-2:00PM, AmyMack will be offering a tricks demon-stration in the classroom with Ollie,BHSs official Pit Bull Ambassador.Afterwards, from 2:00PM-3:00PM,Ollie will be joined by Nyx, BHSs jun-ior Pit Bull Ambassador, for a KissingBoothhands only!in the lobby. Re-freshments and coloring activities willalso be available. Amy is an adoption counselor and in-structor at Family Dog School with aspecial interest in tricks training and ca-nine fitness. In August 2013, sheadopted Ollie, a one-year-old AKC reg-istered Staffordshire Bull Terrier, from

BHS when his previous owners relin-quished him because he developed al-lergies. Since then, hes excelled inevery imaginable wayfirst receivinghis Canine Good Citizen title and thenbecoming certified as a therapy dog. Early on, Amy also found that Olliehad an aptitude for tricks. After master-ing basic ones, such as Sit-up Prettyand Bang, Youre Dead, hes movedon to more complicated ones to add tohis repertoire. In large part, Ollies in-terest in tricks motivated Amy to be-come a tricks instructor, and she iscurrently seeking to become a CertifiedTrick Dog Instructor. Hes just so in-telligent and extremely courageous,Amy explains. Learning tricks comesnaturally to him. His newest accom-plishment is not just weaving betweenher legs while shes walking forwardand backwards but also jumping overher bent knee between each steplike adeer! Hes such a clown, she says.He makes me laugh. Accompanying Ollie at the KissingBooth for her debut appearance will beNyx. Last month, Roberta Townsend,BHSs Kennel Supervisor, adopted the

eight-week-old pit bull puppy when sheproved to be too energetic for her for-mer owners senior dog. We werentreally looking, but we had a hole to fill.And we fell in love! says Roberta, ex-plaining that she and her husband Phillost Missy, a beloved Lab mix, in Sep-tember. Nyx is adorable, and we likethe breed. Nyx joins the Townsend familys threeother dogs, all adopted and represent-ing a range of ages and variety of mixbreeds. Their first pittie was anAmerican Bulldog/Pit Bull mix whomthey acquired even though they wereconfirmed Lab lovers. Nyx will soonbegin her formal education with puppykindergarten and basic manners classes,then perhaps agility or whatever elseshe might like to do. For now, shesenjoying weekend hikesa favorite ac-tivity for Roberta , her husband, andtheir other dogs.For those looking to become new andresponsible owners of pit bull dogs,Amy and Roberta offer some advice.Before adding any dogpit bull or not,Amy suggests, Take a serious look atwhether you can give them the exercisethey need. If you dont give dogsenough mental and physical exercise,theyre going to find ways to expel thatenergy in destructive wayschewing onfurniture or inappropriate jumping, forexample. Roberta adds, This type ofdog can be good with any other dog.You just have to be patient and consis-tent and put in the time and effort.

To see some of BHSs Love-A-Bulldogs who are looking for their foreverhomes, stop by the shelter. And tolearn about tricks training and otherclasses offered at Family Dog School,visit our website at www.BerkshireHu-mane.org.

Mary A. Koncel is the Community Outreach Coordinator at Berkshire Humane Society.

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Anyone who answers phone calls atAnimal DREAMS can tell youthat generally, people arent happywhen feral cats decide to live in theiryard. But the feral cats of BerkshireCounty have caught a lucky break thistime; Berkshire Humane Society haswelcomed Animal DREAMS to use itsproperty as a home base to conduct itsTrap, Neuter Return mission.As a leader in Berkshire County ani-mal welfare for many decades, Berk-shire Humane Society knows that catoverpopulation is a big issue and is ded-icated to working on it. Solving the catoverpopulation is at the very core ofAnimal Dreams mission, so findingways to collaborate seemed to be agood strategic move by both organiza-tions. Behind the lower parking lot at Berk-shire Humane Society there is now a16 x 20 shed, which will be used to

house feral cats while they await theirvet appointments. Animal DREAMSwas fortunate enough to have BerkshireMoney Management, their most gener-ous benefactor, donate the shed. In thecoming months, the inside of the build-ing will be completed with finishedwalls and floors, electricity, heat, airconditioning, and all of the infrastruc-ture needed to care for feral cats. And,just across the parking lot, in the mainbuilding, space has been made availablefor Animal Dreams to conduct officework. Now, funds that were previouslyspent renting an Animal DREAMS fa-cility can be used toward fixing cats.But there are more ways this partner-ship helps cats. Many granting organi-zations favor giving funds to groupswho collaborate on projects. Last year,BHS Executive Director John Perraultand Animal DREAMS President StaceyCarver jointly applied for a mentoring

grant through Merrimac River FelineSociety Mentor Program, to fix 125 catson the west side of Pittsfield. AnimalDREAMS did the majority of the work,but Berkshire Humane Society playeda key role. The goal of 125 cats wasreached, and now the two organizationsare applying for a much larger PetSmartCharities grant that would go far to re-duce cat overpopulation in Pittsfield.We think the odds are good that wellbe awarded the grant, says Carver.Without this partnership, we know wewould not be considered for funding.

Now, regular meetings take place, in-cluding Perrault, Carver, BHS staff, andAnimal DREAMS volunteers. Brain-storming, and the pooling-together ofexpertise and efforts have already re-sulted in more cats getting fixed. Wehave a common goal, says Carver.And we know were going to make abig impact.

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6 Animal Lifer February 2015 animallifeonline.com

They are everywhere and yetnowhere to be seenmost of thetime that is. I am talking about theWalkers in the Woods. This categoryof wildlife runs the gamut in size: fromdomestic cats and dogs, to foxes,skunks, bobcats, coyotes, deer, all theway up to the majestic moose. Thismonth, I am writing about what Ifondly call Professional Dogs, betterknown as the Eastern Coyote. To start with, the tracks of the EasternCoyotes are oval in shape with the frontnails close together and they slant to-ward each other. A litmus test to deter-mine if the print is actually a coyote isto draw an X through the center ofthe front paw pads. Once you eliminatedomestic dog prints from the tracks inthe snow you can start your adventureof tracking coyotes. Adomestic dog print tendsto spread out more andslant outward from eachother, their prints are alsosloppy and all-over-the-place in the snow; mainlybecause domestic dogsare out to have fun. Theyare better fed so domesticdogs do not need to con-serve their energy forhunting and survival.Just this past month, Iwitnessed a coyote navi-gate across the frozenwetlands in my backyard.He deftly traversed thesnowy beaver lodge andscraggly sedges to reachthe safety of the woodedarea that borders thefringes. I had no chance to photographthe coyote because this all happenedwithin seconds. I did watch the crea-ture as it move across the unyieldingpond surface, retaining the route to mymemory so I could find the area later.Within an hour, I was successful infinding the fresh tracks in the snow.They tracks made for great photos withthe windswept snow and cattails in thebackground.

I know they were the coyote tracksbecause they happened to be a directregister imprint; a classic trademark of

coyotes. When a single coyote is trot-ting, he leaves a straight trail with thehind foot directly registering on top ofthe fronts print.I think this isone of thecoolest thingsabout Profes-sional Dogs.In the deep

snow, one coyote will usually take thelead with the others following pre-cisely in its tracks. So precise is theimprint that it will look like there is onlyone coyote. Coyotes tend to be solitary creaturesexcept during mating season and feed-ing frenzies. They are able to surviveon anything from grass and grasshop-pers to mice and deer. This varied dietcauses coyote scat, a.k.a poop, to con-tain a plethora of information; expectto see hair and fur mixed with seeds in

the scat. Winter food sources for a coy-ote are mainly hares, deer carrion andsmall rodents that leave pieces of bone

in the scat. Scat is an excellent way ofidentifying a species. Last winter, my neighbor told me of a

deer kill that Imay be inter-ested in look-ing at. Was Iever! Thedeer had prob-ably beenkilled by alarge bobcatand the car-cass was

dragged andleft stretched over thetop of a large wood pile.There were coyotetracks everywhere! Thecoyotes stopped to eaton blankets of evergreenbranches and then left ascent marking, thatsurine, next to the foodremains. I had a field

day investigating the scat that was allaround the area. I examined the piles soclosely that I could even identify which

part of the deer was eaten. It took onlya couple of days for the deer carrion tobe literally stripped to the bonesThe size and availability of their foodsource is directly related to the socialsystem of the coyotes in particularareas. If there is a plentiful amount offood in the area, then the females willhave larger litters. Coyotes have a verysmall window during which they canmate, usually in January and February.This is so the pups have the best chanceof surviving when born in the spring. There is an undeserved prejudiceagainst coyotes mainly from urban leg-ends of humans being attacked them.The facts is, a 1994 study showed thatonly 20-30 humans were bitten by coy-otes as opposed to 4.7 million humansbitten by dogs. Coyotes are a beautiful,intelligent and vital part of our wilder-ness. We should learn more about thesecreatures by following their tracks andbehaviors out and about in the woodsand less time worrying about them at-tacking us as we walk in the woods.Until next time, watch for animal signswherever you may roam.

Karen Karlberg resides in Becket MAwith her menagerie of rescued barn-yard & domestic animals and her husband Mark. She is actively involvedin conservation efforts as a citizen scientist, is an accomplished artisanand amateur nature photographer. Kattailphoto.com

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Every dog, just like every human, isunique and has different needs de-pending on its breed, size, age, condi-tion, and activity level. A 7 year old 90lb Labrador retriever will have differ-ent needs than a 2 year old 20 lb lapdog. The best place to start is by as-sessing your dogs individual needs. Once you have done this, you must de-cide whether or not the food you cur-rently use is having a positive effect onyour animal. If not, it is time to start

shopping around for a new food. Thiscan be a daunting process. Do not belured by the pictures of juicy steak andfresh veggies on the bag. Turn that bagover and start checking ingredients.Pay close attention to the first few in-gredients. Since dogs are historicallycarnivores, (descended from wolves)their diet should include a high per-centage of meat based protein becausemeat based protein is easily digested bydogs. You may be a vegan, but I guar-antee you that your dog is not! Theword meat however could mean justabout anything. I wont elaborate here,

but trust me when I say anything. Solook for a named meat like chicken,lamb, beef, salmon, and venisonetcetera. Meat by- products are simplyleftover slaughterhouse waste, not fitfor human consumption. Yuck. And ifyou cant identify or pronounce someof the ingredients- well, that isnt goodeither. What exactly is menadionesodium bisulfate anyway? Of course,we are only covering dry dog food inthis article. There are nearly as many

choices in canned food and thetrend now is moving towardsfresh food which can also befound in the pet stores.If your dog exhibits symptomslike runny eyes or nose, ear orskin infections, or itching, often-times it can be traced to an aller-gen in his current food. Grainslike corn, wheat and soy are in-expensive fillers but are alsocommon allergens. Actually, it isundetected contaminants, suchas mite droppings and moldfound in these grains that pro-voke allergic symptoms. Grossbut true. Many of the more pop-ular dog food companies nowhave grain free alternativeswhich could resolve these symp-toms. They carry a higher pricetag but the money you will savein veterinary visits and medica-tions should make it worthwhile. There is a lot of controversyover whether or not corn is nu-

tritionally beneficial. Corn is not easilydigestible to a dog unless it is ground (highly processed) into cornmeal. Corn-meal has an extremely high glycemicindex of 69. The glycemic index is ameasure of the tendency of a food toraise blood sugar. In comparison,chicken has a glycemic index of 0. (TheTruth About Corn in Dog Food, DogFood Advisor) Corn is added in becauseit is an inexpensive carbohydrate. Now,I am no veterinarian, but I get that cornequals sugar and sugar produces in-flammation which can potentially be

destructive within the body. I know thenegative effects sugar has on me, so Iam reluctant to feed my dog somethingthat could have similar effects on him.It is important that the food you buy

is fresh! Dry dog food can go rancid ifpast the Best By date. I must admitthat before I came to work for Sonsini,I never gave a lot of thought to the dateon my dogs food. I assure you that I amchecking every bag now, both here andat the shelter. So, doing your research prior to goinginto the pet store is vitally important. Ifdoing your own research isnt yourthing, why not check out a website ore-zine that has done the research foryou? I find the Whole Dog Journal,Dog Food Advisor, and Dog Food In-

sider to be in depth, well researched andthorough. Some of these sites even have5 star rating systems which take theguess work out of it. There are so manygood 5 star foods out there at just aboutany price point you like, it seems sillyto go with anything under 5 stars.

Hope this helps. Happy shopping!

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So youve chosen the perfect dog,completed the adoption application,finally been approved, completed yourbank-breaking shopping excursion, as-sembled the dog crate, fluffed the dog-gie bed, set out the matching bowls andare off to pick up your newest familymember. At the shelter, you completethe necessary paperwork, fit your dogsnew collar, snap on the leash and headfor home. Your pal is well past thepuppy stage, reportedly housebrokenand walks beautifully on a leash.Now, the real secret is to try to startthis relationship off right, without mak-ing some of the most common mistakesthat unknowing owners make with theirnew best friends. When you first arrivehome, dont take off the leash. Youneed to set some boundaries. Establishthe furniture for the people and the dogbed for the dog. Use the leash to leadthe dog off the couch or chair if his ex-ploring should lead him there. Rewardhim for going to his own bed. Remem-ber that your words can be rewardenough. As part of establishing bound-aries, your dog should have his ownarea, including a crate. This may comeas a shock, but dogs actually (when in-troduced properly) love crates! Theyare actually quite natural to them. Acrate can be useful to ensure that yourdogs housetraining remains in place(VERY important) or that he remainssafe and secure when he has to be leftalone for short periods of time. Givingyour dog his own space and not givinghim free roam of the house without su-pervision allows you to establish therules with him in your sight. One area that you are bound to occa-sionally err is when trying NOT to fall

for those big baby browns that won youover at the shelter. You know the ones.Those big, sad, brown eyes.Yes. Thatis it. Hit the brakes and do not make themistake of trying to buy your wayinto your dogs heart. He needs exer-cise, affection, guidance, boundaries,food, water and veterinary care. Treatsand toys are not needs, and you mayunwittingly create a terrorist. Seriously.

You must maintain control over the re-sources - at all times. Imagine that yourdog is a five year old child. You simplycannot leave him alone with a bag fullof Halloween candy, and just assumethat he knows when enough isenough.In addition to setting boundaries, it isalso very important to establish a rou-tine. Even though it can take weeks or

even months for your dog to settle in,you should develop an exercise routinefrom the very beginning. Exercise isvery important for your dogs training,mental and physical stimulation. Re-member too, a tired dog is, more oftenthan not, a good dog. If either exerciseor the Berkshire winter leaves a horri-ble taste in your mouth, brief jauntswith longer times on a treadmill canmake up for the abbreviated exercisetimes.Part of your routine should also in-clude proper socialization. Too manydogs are not properly socialized andthis is abundantly clear when they ar-rive at the shelter. At Sonsini, we be-lieve, all dogs should attend classes.And yes, I do mean all dogs; whetherowned by me, a shelter staff person, theaverage citizen, or a trainer. Obedienceclasses can help with socialization andcan also help owners identify problemsbefore they become insurmountable. Inaddition, classes can give owners addi-tional resources in the event of prob-lems down the road.Lastly, try to remember to allow yourdog some space. While most adoptersstruggle to contain their overwhelmingdesire to smother their new pup, pleasetry to remember that the entire situationis completely foreign to your dog andhe truly does need some space. Allowyour dog time to adjust and to settle in,just make sure that he follows the ruleswhile he does it. Giving your dog spaceteaches him that it is ok to wait and thatwe sometimes need space too.

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One area that you are bound to occasionally err is when trying NOT to fall for those big baby

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This past July I posted a blog about adog named Duke and how he spenthis last day with his family; this is astory for everyone who has loved andlost a best canine friend. As difficult asit is to say goodbye one last time, thisstory shows how one family did so withlove and dignity for a life well lived to-gether. (http://centerforcaninebehav-iorstudies.org/dukes-final-day) In October, a dear and devastated

friend suddenly and unexpectedly losther beautiful young, elegant, black stan-dard poodle named Cherrie to immune-mediated hemolytic anemia. Shortlythereafter, while walking heartbrokendown a NY City sidewalk and thinkingabout Cherrie, she saw a man with abeautiful standard poodle and shecouldnt resist stopping him to askabout his dog. The gentleman was noneother than internationally acclaimedconductor and composer Steven Mer-curio whose musical versatility encom-passes the symphonic and operaticworlds. They chatted for quite a whileduring which my friend learned aboutMaestro Mercurios symphony entitled:A Grateful Tail.

Mercurios four-movement, 42-minutesymphony is based on American play-wright Eugene ONeills heartfelt re-membrance Last Will and Testamentof Silverdene Emblem ONeill for hisfamily dog Blemie. Per the SubitoMusic Publishing company, Mercuriosaid he was inspired to create this sym-phonic tribute to dogs shortly after mybeloved 15-year-old poodle Lola suc-cumbed to old age and wrote the sym-phony for vocal soloist, chorus andorchestra. Subito describes eachmovement in A Grateful Tail as aglimpse of a dogs life from its youth-ful play to its final, peaceful rest, andas far as they know is the first sym-phony written about dogsAccording to Maestro Steven Mercu-rio, A sympathetic friend sent me acopy of Eugene ONeills letter inwhich he encourages dog owners not togrieve death but to rejoice in the happylife they shared. I knew immediatelythat I was going to set it to music and AGrateful Tail was born.

Watch and listen to Maestro Mercuriodiscuss his symphony here:http://vimeo.com/60607299

I have yet to find a DVD of the per-formance, but you can purchase themusic CD here: http://www.subitomu-sic.com/mercurios-grateful-tail On a happy note, Steven Mercurio putmy friend in touch with his poodlesbreeder and she now owns an ab-solutely beautiful young black standardnamed Tweety whom I have the won-derful pleasure of taking care of when-ever my friend and husband are awayfrom home and cant take Tweety.

Chris P. Janelli,Director, The Simon Foundation, Inc

Chris P. Janelli is a Director of TheSimon Foundation, Inc., one of Con-necticut's largest no kill animal rescueand adoption shelters; and the Execu-tive Director of the Foundations Cen-ter for Canine Behavior Studies(CCBS) whose mission is To maintainthe behavioral wellness of dogs andstrengthen the human-companion ani-mal bond to ensure that dogs remain intheir owners home as trusted and val-ued companions for life. The CentersChief Scientific Officer is Tufts Univer-sity professor Dr. Nicholas H. Dodman,BVMS, DVA, one of the worlds preem-inent animal behaviorists who foundedthe Tufts Animal Behavior Clinic.Chris, who resides in the NW Corner ofCT, is a member of the Dog Writers As-sociation of America and invites dogowners and lovers to register for freemembership at CCBS and to participatein Dr. Dodmans important behaviorstudies. Visit: www.drdodman.org

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Although the cat is on the mat is awell-known expression, the cat ison the lap runs a close second for op-timal feline seating. Which location apotential adoptee prefers need not be amake-or-break issue. Perhaps for you, life is not completewithout a living lap warmer. Or maybe,though you enjoy the company of a pet,the pitter-patter of little feet on yourown person may hold little appeal.Likewise, some kitties may hug or lickyou at first sight, whereas others mayresist being picked up and sit resolutelyat a distance (greater time and trust maymake a difference, of course). And thenthere are cats who love to sit near butnever on you. How to find the rightmatch?At Purradise, profile cardson thecondos or, for those in the SunshineSpa, just beside its doorcontain vitalinformation about each animal. Be sureto check the cards if having a lapcator notmatters to you.There are several ways to sample

physical interaction on the premises.One is to ask to spend some one-on-onein the Nook with a specific kitty. Orstop into the Sunshine Spa, where usu-ally several of the residents are loung-ing or playing at one time. Both roomshave seating for visitors, as well asmultitier cat trees and kitty beds thatpermit the sunbathers to snuggle atwhatever altitude they prefer, fromwithin stroking distance to even delib-erately out of reach. Start by watching each other and let-ting the cat smell your hands, beforeyou move on to touching. AllowingKitty to be your guide is more consid-erate than grabbing someone that hasnot yet shown interest in being pettedor picked upimagine were a giant tosuddenly mash you in its hand or raiseyou several times your height from thegroundyou wouldnt like that, either!If you dont like to be sat on or walkedacross, obviously a super-affectionatecat may not be the best choice for you.But if you welcome that kind of atten-

tion and a Purradise pussy offers it, gofor it! Even if you choose not to adopt,you will have made one kitty veryhappy! When I visited the Sunshine Spa onJanuary 29, all-black George, en-sconced on a cat tree, blissfully ac-cepted a rubdown but declined tobudge, preferring to snooze. Pastel tor-tie Debbie, on the other hand, excitedlydivided her time between my lap andfabric surfaces in the room almost as if,thrilled by the abundance of soft spots,she couldnt select just one. This leads me to an important point:Whether or not you are a lap personor your cat a lap cat, be sure to pro-vide your pet with several snuggly sur-faces it can call its own. Cats areespecially fond of fitting to their ownsize: a small plush or fleece dog bed, afolded blanket or throw (avoid itemswith fringe, which could be eaten), or abath rug are good choices, machinewashable and available in colors toblend in with your decor. If you havethe room and extra cash, a carpeted cattree with alcoves and platforms will bean immediate and lastingattraction...but even just a cardboardcarton lined with a towel may be allKitty wants as a personal bunk.In multicat households, cats may pileon together or prefer to sit apart, alter-nating who get which surface or stak-ing out their own turf, according to asystem of their own. My five sheltercats run the gamut: my two big boys areinseparable and not only sleep inter-twined but sometimes even cram to-gether onto my lap; the girls are moreindependent; two take turns on me, thethird would rather sit nearby, and allthree alternately occupy a variety of catbeds and fleecy surfaces placed delib-erately at various heights. Will theyever snuggle up together? Only timewill tell; the current system works foreveryone...and gives me plenty of com-panionship, too

Iris Bass, coauthor of the Cat LoversDaily Companion, shares her Lee homewith five shelter cats.

this side of purradiseIris Bass

Snuggling Up

Debbieholding on to something soft or being softlyheld are just as good! Photos 2015 by Sheila Heflin.

If you find sheddedfur or kneadedclothes/skin/hose ahindrance to enjoy-ing lap time to-gether, a simplesolution is to add aliner, something assimple as a fabricplacemat or smallafghan, to protectyou. Cats can easilylearn to wait untilyou give the go-ahead to hop ontothe designatcloth...and mayeven come runningwhen they see youset up their favoritechair!

This series follows the special human-feline bondat Purradise, the Berkshire Humane Society CatAdoption Center at 301 Stockbridge Road, GreatBarrington, MA 01230 (413-717-4244). OpenWed., Fri., & Sat. 104 p.m.; Thurs. 10 a.m.6p.m.; and Sun. noon4 p.m. www.berkshirehu-mane.org.

pet supplies

Quality American Made Pet food and Treats

Frozen Raw Diets

Stylish Accessories

Unique Toys and GiftsEveryday Essentials

67 State Road, Great Barrington, MA 01230 413-528-5550Mon.-Fri. 10am to 6pm Sat. 10am to 4pm Sun. 11am to 4pm

WWW.PAWSHBUDDIES.COM

Catering to the needs of the well loved pet.K Super premium foods and treats

K Quality Toys K Bedding and Clothing

K Bravo, Abady Raw Diets & Natures VarietyWe love your pets.

Mon. - Fri. 9-5:30pm, Sat. 9-5pm333 Main Street, Lakeville, CT

860-435-8833

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Khjaf_akbmklYjgmf\l`][gjf]j$Yj]qgm\j]Y\af_ha[caf_mhYddl`Yloafl]j%dgf_\g_oYkl]afqgmjqYj\7D]lmk[d]Yfalmh^gjqgmO]g^^]jGf]%Lae];d]Yf%Mhk$O]]cdqEgfl`dq&

KYlak^Y[lagf_mYjYfl]]\& No Contracts To Sign Free Estimates Dependable, Thorough & Friendly Affordable Rates

Year-Round Service Residential & Commercial We Pick It Up & Take It Away We Sanitize Our Equipment

6KDPURFN'RJ:DVWH5HPRYDO1050 South St., Pittsfield, MA 413-443-9700 www.shamrockdogwasteremoval.com

Berkshire Countys #1 Dog Waste Removal Service

Custom Veterinary Medications

help is here for pets & vets!

call for more information, or visit compounding at

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Your dog resists swallowing pills, your cat spits out her medication and your hamster is not a happy patientWe can help! Our pharmacists can compound yourpets medications into tasty snacks or other easy to administer forms (creams, gels,protective coatings) and in dosages adjusted to the size and type of animal.

From house pets to horses, we can provide unique solutions for a wide variety of ailments and most veterinary medical specialties. We use the highest standards,purest chemicals and the latest technology.

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also discover our all-naturalpet products!

5 Walker Street Lenox, MA 413.637.4700888.796.1222 open mon-fri 9-6 sat 9-5

Delivery to your home or office!independent / local / family owned & operated

Saturday, February 28th 1-3pm.Nail Trimming $7.00

Monday - Friday 10 am - 5:30 pm, Saturday 10 am - 4 pmOPEN Most Sundays 11 am - 3 pm

Lenox Commons 55 Pittsfield Road, Lenox, MA413-637-0800 www.chezpet.com

Your NeighborhoodPet Supply Store Featuring:

Premium USAbrands offoods and treats

Toys Essentials Gifts Natural and Organic Products

Lots of Fun Stuff!

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Northeast Pyr Rescue is a small group of like-minded and large hearted peoplewho fell in love with the Great Pyrenees breed. The majesty and intensity you feelwhen you look in the eyes of these dogs leaves a mark on you. Our volunteerscover Connecticut, Massachusetts, Maine, New York, New Hampshire, Rhode Is-

land, Vermont and northern New Jersey andnorthern Pennsylvania.In 2003 the founders of NEPR saw a need tohelp the breed find new homes when the un-fortunate happens to them. Most dogs in res-cue are there not because of something theydid but rather the result of the human world.Dogs in rescue are there because of lack of re-search on the familys part. They saw a cutepuppy but did not educate themselves on thedog needs and traits. Pyrs Bark, dig, roam andguard their families. Yes, many make wonder-ful therapy dogs, nannies or companions. Butthey are also independent and will do thingsbecause they want do them for you to not be-cause you want them to.They are often there because of a change in

the familys financial situation. Because of the economy families have to moveand it is not always possible to find another place to live with such a large dog.Rescue starts with a request to surrender and a volunteer is requested to go meetthe dog. This helps us to determine if we will have a suitable foster home and if thedog is able to be rehomed. This is a tough job and often heart breaking.Volunteers then step up to help transport the dogs to a loving foster home that fitstheir needs. Volunteers are organized and take time for their busy lives to take thePyr on a journey to a foster home. We do not have a kennel and rely on the won-derful foster families who volunteer. Foster homes are the bridge to a Pyr gettingto their forever home. Often the Pyrs need to be socialized, house trained, leashtrained and this is where they get that education. Some need to be loved and learngood touch or be nursed back to health because of neglect.Nothing brings a smile like a family being united with a pyr who is in need of aforever home. It also brings some sadness as they take a small piece of us withthem. But without that we cannot open our homes to another Pyr in need. To re-connect we hold a Pyrapalooza gathering in September each year. All Pyrs andfamilies are welcome. We also do educational events to help promote our breed andto let people know we are out here.If you would like to help please feel free to check us out at www.nepyresq.org.

Sponsored by:

rescue me

Northeast Pyr Rescue

Maggie who was dumped in a junkyard inRhode Island. She came in with heart worms.She survived the two month treatment and is liv-ing in New York. She visits the nursing homewhere her mom works and is the hit of the day.

95 Summer Street, Lee, MA 01238413-243-0253www.fittercritters.org

Jody Chiquoine CCRT, MSN, FNP

Swimming Programs for Your Canine!

On Sunday, February 15th,2:00PM-4:00PM, Dr. RandyFrost will be discussing the psychol-ogy of animal hoarding at BerkshireHumane Societys (BHS) Coffee HourSpeaking Series. Dr. Frost is a profes-sor of psychology at Smith Collegeand has done extensive research andwriting on this topic. Copies of hisbook, Stuff: Compulsive Hoarding andthe Meaning of Things, co-authoredwith Gail Steketee, will also be on sale. Animal hoarding occurs in communi-ties across the country and poses mul-tiple challenges for animal welfare,law enforcement, social service, andmental health professionals. Althoughhoarded animals often live and die infilthy surroundings, without food,water, or veterinary care, their ownersbelieve they are saving them. Unfor-tunately, research on animal hoarding,including onset, prevention, and inter-vention, is limited.

The Coffee Hour Speaking Series isheld at BHS, 214 Barker Road, inPittsfield. Please note that Dr. Frostspresentation will be held in our Fam-ily Dog Schools training center off thelower parking lot. Delicious desserts,as always! Reservations arent neces-sary, but to save a seat and be eligiblefor a raffle at the end of the afternoon,please call 413-447-7878, ext. 28, orgo to BerkshireHumane.org/coffee-hour-registration/. All events in theCoffee Hour Speaking Series are freeand supported by the Chervenak-Nun-nalle Foundation, Inc.

BHSs Coffee Hour Speaking Series

The Psychology of

Animal Hoarding

in the tri-state areaAdoptions

JULIE and PETEY have been advertised for a long time . Their need to findgood homes is now DESPERATE. They are both dalmatian-pit mixes wholove people, all people ! They do not get along with other animals. Recentlytheir foster parents conditions have changed, making it no longer possiblefor them to remain in their current foster homes. PLEASE contact Harriet ofDalmatian Adoption Inc. ASAP at 917-670-3892 or [email protected] if you can helpthese two dogs by fostering or adopting them. They can be transferred toyour home if your application. references and home visit are approved,Thank you for considering helping these two affectionate dal-pit dogs.

For questions and an application

DESPERATE PLEAfor Julie & Petey

Harriet Koss 917-670-3892 email: [email protected]

Please Help!

Julie

Petey

Peanut

Please call Berkshire Humane Society

413-447-7878

Each weekwill be sponsoring aIf that dog's adopted during that week,

Haddad Subaru will pay $50 towards the adoption fee!

R o c c oTHIS WEEKS DOG IS: I came to the shelter when my owner could not care for me. I woulddo best in a quiet rural home setting. I get vocal when I see dogs andpeople passing by. I would prefer a home with teens to adults. I enjoygoing for walks and hikes. I enjoy taking rides in the car. I have beenreliably house trained. I am a work in progress for walking on a looseleash. It's hard when there is so much to see and so curious! I havelearned to retrieve, drop a toy and sit for another toy. I would like tolearn more and I am willing to work for treats! How can you resistme? I am a handsome chunk of chocolate!

214 Barker Rd., Pittsfield, MA 314-447-7878

Open Mon. - Fri. 7am 7pm, & Sat. 8am 1pm

413-551-7251 450 Pittsfield Rd., Lenox www.lenoxcathospital.com

Part of the package of becoming a pet parent is assuming the responsibility of

your new family pet in a positive and loving way. As its guardian you must

see that your pet goes to a veterinarian on a regular basis as well as when an illness

or accident demands such a visit.

Dr. Sally Umlauf


Friendsof Eleanor Sonsini Animal Shelter

Meet Martini, a sweet di-lute tortie who's lookingfor a new forever home!She's shy at first but onceshe comes out of hershell is a love bug! Shehas lived with cats, dogsand would do well withchildren. She loves toplay with toys.

MartiniIsabella a beautiful 2 and ahalf year old princess. Sheenjoys attention from peo-ple but will let you knowwhen she's had enough- atrue diva =). She's not afan of other cats and dogsare unknown. She wouldprobably do best in ahome with children 10+..

Isabella

Animal Laughter StudioPittsfield

www.fineartamerica.com

My name is Tucker ILOVE people, all I want inlife is a good belly rub andto hang out you. I am 1years old and all that entails! I like to have anenergy outlet and havebecome very good at run-ning on the treadmill, otherwise

Tucker

ADOPTION HOURSWednesday-Friday 12-6pm Saturday & Sunday 12-5pm

Closed Monday & TuesdayCall 413-448-9800

or email [email protected]

West Housatonic StreetPittsfield

413-443-3909

Sponsored by:Sponsored by: Sponsored by:

Merrill RoadPittsfield

[email protected]

Barking BeautiesSalon for Dogs & Cats

Staci A. Barrett, Owner10+Years of Experience Gift Certificates Always Available

165 Water Street, Lee, MA 413-243-2626

Do You Have the Ultimate Dog? Full service dog grooming-all breeds Walk-In nail trims Self Serve Bathing Station: All tools provided,

just bring yourself and your dog! Frequent Fido Cards-Get your sixth wash FREE Boutique filled with unique dog items for dogs

and the people who love them! High Quality Raw (Oma's Pride & Nature's Variety)

and dry (Blue Buffalo & Nature's Variety) foods. Special Orders Available Upon Request

Chris & Jennifer Tompkins, Owners/GroomersAmanda Hohman-Manager

Open Tue-Fri 8am-5pm,Sat-8am-3pmCLOSED SUNDAYS

(860)435-83539 Academy Street, Salisbury, CT 06068

grooming

D ALL ORGANIC-NATURAL DOG & CAT FOOD C

D ASK ABOUT OUR DELIVERY SERVICE C

DLEASHES, COLLARS, BOW

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DTOYS, CAR

DS, UNIQU

E GIFTS C

59 Main Street Lee, MA

413-243-1220www.Meowandgrowl.com

NAIL TRIMMINGcall for date & times

$7 per cat or dog

Dog Wash Stations!SELF SERVE

Neglected Poop Pollutes!Call Mr. B at 413-442-0367

visit us at www.spotandfido.com email: [email protected]

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Spot & FidoPet Waste Removal


pet sitting &day care

Walk In The ParkDog Walking/Pet Sitting Services In +e Berkshires

Member Pet Sitters InternationalAmerican Red Cross Pet First Aid CertiedMember Berkshire Chamber of Commerce

Certied Professional Pet SitterInsured & Bonded Lynn Pfeiler @ 413-655-8721 References [email protected] 413-446-0684

Licensed, Bonded & InsuredCertified Professional Pet Sitter

Certified Pet Tech Instructor #1497Accredited by the Better Business Bureau

[email protected] D www.BerkshirePetPals.com

Professional Services With A Personal TouchServing Central & Southern Berkshire County, MA

D Pet Sitting D Pet TaxiD Dog Walking D Pet SuppliesD Private Boarding DPrivate Daycare

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The Berkshire County Pet Sitters Network (BCPSN) is a group ofindependently owned pet sitting businesses and individuals whoprovide professional pet sitting services to residents of BerkshireCounty. We provide professional and educational support for pet sittersand serve as a valuable resource for pet owners and animal lovers. Weparticipate in local community events and hold fundraisers for localpet-related charities. We are an all-volunteer, membership-basednon-profit organization. Our members are committed to providing exceptional professional pet sitting services, community outreachand promoting responsible pet ownership in our community.


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veterinarian servicesNorth County Veterinary Hospital

Dr. John C. Reynolds, Dr. Laura A. Eiszler & Dr. Lindsay M. Cermak, DVMs

838 Curran Memorial Hwy, North Adams, MA413-664-4570

Pittsfield Veterinary Hospital24 Hour Emergency care, animal chiropractic and dental care.

John C. Reynolds, DVM, Laura A. Eiszler, DVM, Michelle P. Looney, DVM, Melinda M. Payson, DVM, Carmen A. Swinson, DVM, , Lindsay M. Cermak, DVM

Hours: Daily Mon-Fri. 8am to 8pm,.Sat. & Sun 10am-5pmwww.pittsfieldvet.com

413-499-1580

Allen Heights Veterinary HospitalDog and Cat Grooming

Amanda Bevens, 289 Dalton Ave., Pittsfield, MA413-443-4949

Berkshire AmbulatoryVeterinary Services

Treating cattle, horses, goats, sheep, llamasand alpacas at your farm or home

Yoanna Mairtre, DVMLicensed & Accredited in MA & NY

394 Under Mountain Rd., Lenox, MA 01240www.berkshirelargeanimal.com

[email protected] 413-637-2223

rescues &sheltersEleanor Sonsini Animal Shelter

Open Tues.-Fri. 12 to 6pm, Sat. & Sun. 12 - 5pmClosed Mondays

413-448-9800 www.sonsinianimalshelter.org63 Downing Parkway, Pittsfield, MA

Berkshire Humane SocietyOpen Tues.- Sat. 10am to 4pm, Thurs Eve. 5 - 8pm

Sun. Afternoon 1 - 4pm Closed Mondays413-447-7878 www.berkshirehumane.org

214 Barker Road, Pittsfield, MA

PurradiseOpen Wed. & Fri. 10am - 4pm, Thurs. 10am - 6pm,

Sunday 12 - 4pm301 Stockbridge Road, Great Barrington, MA413-717-4244 www.berkshirehumane.org

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Peppertree Rescue, Inc.PO Box 2396, Albany, NY 12220

(518) [email protected]

Dalmation RescueHarriet Koss

(917) [email protected]

NE Basset Hound Rescue, Inc.Dawna Hartman, Intake Coordinator, [email protected], www.nebhr.org

(508) 243-3622 MA

NE Pyreness Rescue(toll free) 877-528-0637

www.nepyresq.org

pet storesBensDotters Pet

Quality Foods & Supplies, Raw Diet Specialists. 940 Main Street, Great Barrington, MA

www.BENSDOTTERS.com413-528-4940

Meow GrowlAll organic-Natural Dog & Cat FoodSelf Serve Dog Wash Stations!

59 Main St., Lee, MA www.Meowandgrowl.com413-243-1220

Chez PetPremium foods and treats. A neighborhood pet supply store with everything you need for

a healthy pet. Special orders welcome.

Lenox Commons, 55 Pittsfield Rd., Lenox, MA413-637-0800 www.chezpet.com

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boardingGinas K-9 Bed & Breakfast

Quality care pet sitting in my safe, comfortable home 349 Farm Road, Copake, NY 12516

518-329-4675

Bow Meow RegencyA Boarding Facility for Dogs.

92 Cook Road, Sheffield, MA 01257Honor S. Blume 413-229-0035www.bowmeowregency.com

directory

(413)448-8240 Tues.-Sat. 9:30-5pmDirty Dogs

Done Dirt CheapBerkshire Countys only fully-loaded, self-serve dog wash

636 W. Housatonic St., Pittsfield(413) 448-8240

www.dunkingdoggies.com

Whimsical Pet Portraits

Kim Arre-Gerber, Artistgallery on www.Fineartamerica.com

(413) 445-2545

To place your line ad or

small display ad, please call

Kim at 413-459-5894for special rates

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DF1RQ3URW2UJDQL]DWLRQA 501(c)(3) Non Profit Organization

289 Dalton AvenuePittsfield, MA 01201

413-443-4949www.allenheights.com

Elizabeth TullettDVM

Certified in Veterinary Acupuncture

Hours: Mon-Fri 8-5, Sat. 8-12

Washington State Road, Washington, MA 01223 www.hilltownsvetclinic.com

Dr. Sharon Lynch, VeterinarianFred Davis III, CVT

Comprehensive Veterinary ServicesLow Cost Individual Attention

Caring & Compassionate

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Julie Shanahan, D.V.M.Laura Aylesworth, D.V.M.

veterinarians%(5.6+,5($0%8/$725

Documents

Animal Life E-Edition Feb