animal lifeYour pet. Our purpose.

Complimentary August 2015

Tri-State Area Pet News

Inside:Good Citizen page 3

Kingsley’s Chroniclespage 5

Horse Stories page 10 -11

Events Calendar page 19

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TThere are times when our work at theshelter makes us want to go home,crawl into bed, pull the covers over ourheads and hibernate while waiting forour mommies to come and make usfeel better. Don’t get us wrong, mostdays are filled with many wonderfulpeople milling about. There are indi-viduals and all sorts of families com-ing to visit the animals in our care.There are businesses representativesand kind-hearted souls dropping offdonations and bags of food off to us.We are visited by young children whoproudly bring in the money they col-lected from their birthday party or theirday’s work selling lemonade to raisemoney for the animals. But, every oncein a while there are the days where adark cloud descends ever so quicklyover our happy little shelter. Those arethe days that we just want to cry. Whywould we feel this way in a shelterfilled with all these loving, wonderfulanimals to work with? Well, most of thetime, we don’t, but on occasion, we do.It happens so quickly. For example, acitizen arrives with a dog. She says thispetrified little pit-mix who is coweringbehind her with his tail between hislegs is a stray. The poor thing is clearlypetrified of people, so we set him up ina quiet kennel and proceed to takesome information from the person. Thecitizen fills out a form indicating thatshe found the dog on the streets ofPittsfield. She says she would like toadopt him if “no one claims him.” Loand behold, like so many others, thedog has no collar, no tags and no mi-crochip. To us, none of this is a sur-prise. Petrified and clearly hungry, this

young male is unneutered and suffer-ing from a long untreated skin condition. We post his picture and in-formation on Facebook to see if any ofour supporters recognize this lost pup.Almost immediately, the shares start.Fortunately, our Facebook communitynever lets us down. Whenever a dog islost and looking for his home, ourFacebook fans quickly come to the rescue, getting the word out across thecounty in record time. In short order, another woman con-

tacted us. It seems that not only is thispup not a stray, but he is also not a localdog. The woman is his former ownerand has called us after seeing her for-mer dog posted as stray on Facebook.She tells us that she recently rehomedhim twenty miles from here with our“good citizen.”We are furious. Not only were we liedto about the ownership status of the an-imal, but we were also not given any ofhis medical or social history. Unfortu-nately, stray dogs are always at a bit ofa disadvantage at a shelter. When theycome in, we know nothing about them.We don’t know their name, their actualage, their medical history, their fears,their fortes, what they like and don’tlike. When a dog is surrenderedthrough the proper procedure, all ofthese questions are asked. This allowsus to do our jobs better. It enables us tomatch these animals up with the bestpossible home for them when we areconsidering applications. While we stilltemperament test all of our dogs, ob-serve them and work with them whilethey are in our care, no test or sheltersituation can possibly replicate actual

life in a home. For that information, weneed honest owners telling us the truthwhen they surrender their pet.We understand that circumstances

often arise when people have to give upan animal. We really do. Divorce hap-pens, jobs are lost, living situationschange. When lives are thrown into tur-moil, it is often very hard on the entirefamily, and the pets do not escape thisfate. And when that does happen, wewant to help. That is why we are here.What we cannot understand how any-one can abandon their pet. It breaks ourhearts every time an owner unceremo-niously abandons their pet with ab-solutely no concern as to what that

animal’s future may bring. Our savinggrace is knowing that once they arewith us, they are safe. We know thatthey will be fed, cared for, given ap-propriate medical care and found a for-ever home. And for those of you whomight be concerned; no, our “good cit-izen” will not be getting this, or anyother dog from Sonsini.

Krista A. Wroldson MillerSonsini Animal Shelter

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KKingsley is on the adventure of a life-time. In the last few weeks, this bigand gregarious two-year-old Bull Mas-tiff mix has been visiting all types ofbusinesses in Berkshire County insearch of what every shelter dog wantsand deserves – a loving, forever home. One year ago in July, Kingsley came toBerkshire Humane Society (BHS) as anunclaimed stray. Although his exuber-ance and intelligence have made him astaff favorite, finding the right adopterfor him has been challenging as is oftenthe case with other shelter dogs who arebig and exuberant and intelligent.According to Claudia Sala and JessicaLascoe, canine adoption counselors atBHS and creators of Kingsley’s Chron-icles, a few people have stopped by theshelter to meet or inquire about Kings-ley, but the fit was not quite right. Sothey decided to try something new –hence Kingsley’s Chronicles. “We realized we needed to do some-thing proactive,” says Jessica. “If peo-ple aren’t coming to Kingsley, he’llcome to them.”So Kingsley has hit the road! From

August 1st to September 12th, he hasand will continue to visit local busi-nesses on Saturdays, noon-2:00pm, andWednesdays, for two hours between4:00pm and 8:00pm. So far, Kingsleyhas hung out and made lots of newfriends at Sarah's Cheesecake in Pitts-field, aBerkshire Mountain Bakery inHousatonic, and Bartlett’s Orchard inRichmond.But here’s the fun part! Where Kings-ley will be next is a surprise. Threedays before his visit, we’ll be postingone clue a day on our Facebook pageabout the next location. The first fivepeople to identify that location will re-ceive a small prize from that businessand be entered into a raffle to win a$500 cash prize. On the morning ofKingsley’s visit, we’ll announce wherehe’ll be on our Facebook page and wel-come you to stop by and meet him. Tohelp spread the word about Kingsley,Claudia and Jessica have made busi-

ness cards for him and leave“Kingsley was here” fliers ateach location he visits. Besides increasing the visibil-

ity of Kingsley, Kingsley’sChronicles is an excellent wayto promote local businesses aswell as interest in adoptionthroughout Berkshire County.“We’re also working to developrelationships with new busi-nesses that we haven’t necessar-ily worked with before,” saysClaudia. “Our message is ‘ShopLocally, Adopt Locally!’” Sofar, participating businesseshave been very enthusiastic. Sarah's Cheesecake was one ofthe first to sign on. As KatrinaSayers, who works at hermother’s bakery, explains, “Wewanted to give Kingsley achance to get out and meet newpeople,” adding that his visits are greatfor businesses because he attracts cus-tomers. Katrina is also a volunteer dog walkerat BHS and has known Kingsley sincehe came to the shelter. Without ques-tion, she’s a big fan of his. “He’s veryloving and caring and always a sweetdog,” she says. So what type of home is Kingsley

looking for? Both Claudia and Jessicaagree that he’s best suited for an activeindividual or adult-only family who hasno other pets and who is experiencedwith dogs. A rural setting would benice too – and the chance to go for carrides. Lots of time for cuddling wouldalso be important even though Kings-ley is embarrassed to admit this! Tokeep him physically and mentally chal-lenged, he would benefit from moretraining, including fun classes such asnose work and agility.From all reports, Kingsley has been hisusual charming self, and there havebeen some inquiries about adoptinghim. Once Kingsley has found his new for-ever home, Claudia and Jessica are

planning on continuing Kingsley’sChronicles by bringing other harder-to-place shelter dogs into the communityand showing off their wonderful per-sonalities.If you’d like to follow Kingsley’s ad-venture and his search for a new home,be sure to visit BHS’s Facebook pageat facebook.com/BerkshireHumane andfind the event. To help support Kings-ley’s Chronicles, you can purchase tick-ets – $5 each – for the $500 GrandPrize Raffle when you meet him. The

winner will be drawn at Woofstock2015 on Sunday, September 13th atOnota Lake.To find out more about Kingsley andour other dogs at BHS, please visit theshelter or see them at BerkshireHu-mane.org. A BHS canine adoptioncounselor would be more than happy tohelp you meet your match!

Mary A. Koncel is the CommunityOutreach Coordinator at Berkshire Humane Society.

Kingsley’s Chronicles:A Great Dog’s Searchfor a Great Home

Animal Lifer August 2015 animallifeonline.com 5

AAfter a morning of rain and wind forcedus to postpone Woofstock 2015 in June,Berkshire Humane Society (BHS) isexcited to announce that our annual dogwalk has been rescheduled! On Sun-day, September 13th, join us at the Con-troy Pavilion on Onota Lake for a dayof “Doggone” fundraising and fun forthe entire family. “This was the first time in 20 years thatwe had to cancel Woofstock,” says JohnPerreault, Executive Director of BHS.“But we’re looking forward to return-ing to the lake next month, and weknow it will be a fantastic event.” Woofstock 2015 kicks off with the

ever popular pancake breakfast at8:00am – only $6.00 per person. Reg-istration for the walk begins at 10amwith an 11am start time for the walk.Max, a BHS alum who is now a mem-ber of the K9 unit with the VermontState Police, will be our Grand Mar-shal. Yay Max! Pick up your pledge form at your localvets’ office, pet supply stores, BHS, orPurradise. You can also download yourform at BerkshireHumane.org. Thenask your family, friends, and neighborsto sponsor you for walking the day ofthe event. Start your own fundraisingpage and share it. If you’ve alreadyturned in your pledges, you can stillcollect more. That money will beadded to your total. Remember – raise $500 or more in

pledges and you’ll be invited to a lunch-eon hosted by Steve CaporizzoWTEN’s Chief meteorologist andfounder of Pet Connection. There'll bemany other great prizes for top fundraisers. You don’t even need a dog toparticipate.

Although Woofstock is a dog walk, allthe animals and programs at BHS ben-efit from it – from providing formulafor orphaned kittens and dental care tosenior cats to offering free humane ed-ucation to local schools and organiza-tions, temporary foster care for animalswhose owners are in crisis, and a com-munity pet food pantry.Throughout the day, look for a full

schedule of demonstrations, raffles, andgames for dogs and kids. Once again,Marki’s French Fries and Fried Doughwill be providing snacks as well as abounce house for kids. So far, our list of vendors includes

Animal DREAMS, Bark N’ Cat, Benson’s Pet Center, German ShepherdRescue of New England, the BerkshireDisaster Animal Response Team, andFitter Critters. Canine Good Citizentesting will also be available for a fee. BHS thanks the following local busi-nesses for their generous support ofWoofstock 2015: Benson's Pet Center,Berkshire Eagle, Pittsfield VeterinaryHospital, Performance Automotive ofPittsfield, Onyx Specialty Papers, Inc.,Pretty Paws, Animal Life, DettingerLumber, West Oil Company, Inc., BilmarSmall Animal Clinic, BlackJacks BootCamp Dog Day Care, Foranimals, LLC- Leea Foran, Kamp Ketchum, QualityPrinting Co., Smith Bros-McAndrewsInsurance, and Reliable Pet Sitting Co.

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IIf you have ever visited Sonsini you know that we arelucky enough to have 15 outdoor kennels that ourdogs can run around and play in when the weatherpermits. Unfortunately, this winter took a terrible tollon the chain link; essentially destroying it. Todd Stortiof New England Fence is a dog lover and came to ourrescue donating the labor to repair all of the kennels.The project was labor intensive and Todd and his boysworked in the blazing sun so that the dogs could usetheir outdoor pools and lie out in the shade. Both theanimals and staff appreciate all of the hard work NewEngland Fence put in here. John Massery and Jeff Blazick of Elite Crete SystemsEast worked with St. Pierre Resurfacing to redo ourold porous concrete floors with an awesome impervi-ous epoxy coating. The new coating makes it so mucheasier to keep clean and tidy. Looking at the floorsnow, it is hard to believe that we lived with that oldconcrete for so many years. We are forever grateful toJohn, Jeff and Mike St. Pierre for donating the manyhours this took. East Coast Refinishing and Berkshire Custom Coatingworked on our indoor kennel doors to make them lookshiny and new. We are grateful for their generosity as well. Bruce Kruczkowski and the fellas from the Berkshire

County House of Correction helped paint the interiorof the shelter. Ernie Weider of Weider Mechanical forhis sweat and tears help moving. Mc Donalds gener-ously sent over some food to sustain the men whilethey worked. Soldier on helped to paint the outdoordog houses. Lee Ann Massery brought her cooler andkept us all hydrated while we worked. Rick Miller atBerkshire Rooter even brought over his beautiful boatfor the staff to sleep in when we stayed outsideovernight with the dogs the nights when the new floorwas drying. That was an adventure! Classical Tents put up a large tent out back for shade.The Berkshire County Realtor Association has spon-sored an additional tent to cover some more of thekennels. Donna Boulanger of Berkshire Fabric andWallpaper gave her expert advice on a color schemeand helped make indoor kennel curtains so the dogscan take their naps. Central Radio donated a new dish-washer. Turner Auto and City Tire helped revive ourold Suburban. And we cannot forget to mention thehelp we get regularly from Pete Sondrini and his citymaintenance crew. They are always helpful and pa-tient. Our animals deserve the very best and with allof these renovations, they are living large.

Shelter gets a FaceliftIt took a village, but the Sonsini Animal Shelter looks like a whole new place,thanks to several amazing businesses in town who helped make the improve-ments to the facility. We will be holding an Open House to share all of thiswork with the public in early October.

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Thanks to all of you loyal supporters and dearfriends of Sonsini Animal Shelter for coming

through when it matters most.

E Brotherly Love

this side of purradiseIris Bass

Early December 1914 marked my firstacquaintance with siblings CowardlyLion and Tinman, then superchargedfuzz balls less than three months old.Regular readers of this column mightrecall my discussing them several timesbefore. Simply put, although everyshelter’s ideal is to find its animals a“forever home,” adoptions don’t al-ways work out. Such was the case,twice, with these two lovely boys.As tiny youngsters they were delight-

ful—friendly and hilarious. When wemet, Tinman, already the leader of thepair, immediately jumped onto my lap,plopped down, and began to purr. Theywere adopted soon afterward...but werethen returned, as having been too ener-getic for their new person. (Kittens def-initely require extra attention—alearning experience on both sides, asyou teach them acceptable boundariesof behavior and space, while learning,yourself, that these little strangers comewith their own personality that maytake some adjusting to!)

I next caught up with them atPurradise in March, when they were sixmonths old. I almost didn’t recognizethem, as they had already grown intotheir fur, so to speak—disclosing moreof their luxurious Maine Coon charac-teristics. Their high-octane level hadtoned down somewhat with maturity,though they were still certainly playful.At that time, a family of four was inter-

ested in them, seemingly the idealmatch. Alas, that didn’t work out, ei-ther, as now the energy in that home—which included two children and adog—proved overwhelming to theCATS! After a trial period of trying tomake it work, back they came toPurradise.

Fast-forward three more months,when in June, I observed their interact-ing within their duplex condo with awealth of toys. When Cowardly Lion(perfectly named, the more reserved ofthe two) had had enough and curled upto sleep, Tinman let him sleep yet ap-pealed vocally to several of us to DOsomething about it, indignant that hisbrother had withdrawn into the land ofdreams. (No, we didn’t wake up Cow-ardly Lion on his behalf, but I did spendsome time giving Tinman extra atten-tion, so he felt listened to.) That told mea lot: that despite their misfired adop-

tions and, if any-thing, renewed in-terdependence inthe face of havingbeen misunder-stood by humans,these boys hadlearned to look be-yond their own

tight feline relationship to our ownspecies for understanding, even empa-thy.

Now, as their first birthday ap-proaches, these big, beautiful guys arestill at Purradise. Although they are stillvery close, they appear to have madetheir own peace with Cowardly Lion’sgenerally being sedate and Tinman,more active. To give us all some qual-

ity time together, I sat down on the sun-room floor with them, and they cameright over to snuggle up, Tinmanagainst my feet, and Cowardly Lionleaned against my lap. There we en-joyed one another’s company quietlyfor a while, until Cowardly Lion de-cided to switch to a kitty bed for a seri-ous nap, while Tinman, wide awake,divided his time between my lap and anearby cat tree (including at the sametime, half of him on each location!). Hopefully, the expression “The third

time is the charm” will hold true forthese gorgeous siblings who, while theydon’t lack for loving care in their tem-porary home, deserve a permanent onewhere they will find reward—as dotheir counterparts in The Wizard ofOz—in the form of affection and ap-preciation for both their individualqualities and their mutual devotion anddedication as a team.

This series follows the special human-feline bond at Purradise, the BerkshireHumane Society Cat Adoption Centerat 301 Stockbridge Road, Great Bar-rington, MA 01230 (413-717-4244),berkshirehumane.org. Open Wed., Fri.,& Sat. 10–4 p.m.; Thurs. 10 a.m.–6p.m.; and Sun. noon–4 p.m.

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

Cowardly Lion (left) and Tinman (right).Photos © 2015 Sheila Heflin.

8 Animal Lifer August 2015 animallifeonline.com

LLOUISVILLE, Ky. (Friday, Novem-ber14, 2014) – Churchill Downs todayunveiled an original painting by notedMichigan artist Kimberly Kelly Santinias the Official Artwork for the 141strunning of the $2 Million KentuckyDerby Presented by Yum! Brands. Aspecial presentation was made at thetrack by Churchill Downs officials andJettStream Productions, which is in its15th year as the official licensee of the“Art of the Kentucky Derby” series.After participating in the unveiling,Santini was on hand to sign the newposters and prints for track guests in theChurchill Downs Store.Well-known for her dynamic equine

paintings and strong passion for thesport of horse racing, Santini uses a dra-matic assortment of brilliant pure pig-ments to create a vigorous depiction ofThoroughbreds charging down the backstretch and jockeying for position withthe iconic Twin Spires in the back-ground. In a departure from her normalblending of colors, Santini’s unadulter-ated use of regal reds, cobalt blues,bright yellows and other colors in theirpurest form, reflects the rugged muscu-larity of the horses and the intense emo-tion that embodies Thoroughbredracing and the Kentucky Derby.“As a passionate horse racing fan, Ihave always been enamored withpageantry, tradition and spectacle thatis the Kentucky Derby,” said Santini.“It is an immense honor to have beenselected to create this representation ofthe iconic race and a tribute to the manyteachers, mentors, family and friendswho have supported my passion for artand horse racing throughout my life.”

The posters will be imme-diately available for sale atthe Churchill Downs Storewhich is open on-trackthrough the end of the FallMeet, Nov. 30. To ring inthe New Year, a series ofadditional officially li-censed products includingornaments, prints, coffeemugs, mini puzzles, andmagnets will be availablefor sale at www.Kentucky-DerbyStore.com, as well asat The Finish Line Gift Shop at theKentucky Derby Museum and select re-tailers.Based in Lake Orion, Michigan, Kim-berly Kelly Santini specializes in paint-ing portraits of animals, pets, treasuredheirlooms and children. With degrees inart and art history, Santini teaches artworkshops and endeavors to paint daily,producing a steady flow of commis-sioned and non-commissioned animalportraits each week. She also produceda free art newsletter entitled “PaintingWith Soul.”Since 2001, a host of notable artists

have created the Official KentuckyDerby artwork including, Tony Bennett(2001); Gary Kelley (2002); Laura

Smith (2003); Francis Liv-ingston (2004); BartForbes (2005); DennisZiemienski (2006 Ken-tucky Derby); Erica Nor-dena (2006) KentuckyOaks); Misha Lenn (2007);Trish Biddle (2008); JeffWilliams (2009); Linda LeKinff (2010); LesleyHumphrey (2011); RobertJoyner (2012), DerekGores (2013) and SusanEaston Burns (2014). Other

past “official” Kentucky Derby artistsinclude Leroy Neimann, Peter Max,Boguslaw Lustyk and Peter Williams.About Churchill DownsChurchill Downs, the world’s most

legendary racetrack, has conductedThoroughbred racing and presentedAmerica’s greatest race, the KentuckyDerby, continuously since 1875. Lo-cated in Louisville, the flagship race-track of Churchill Downs Incorporated(NASDAQ: CHDN), which offersyear-round simulcast wagering at thehistoric track. Churchill Downs willconduct the 141st running of the Ken-tucky Derby Presented by Yum! Brandson May 2, 2015. The track’s 26-dayFall Meet is scheduled for Oct. 26-

Nov. 30. Churchill Downs has hostedthe Breeders’ Cup World Championshipsa record eight times. Information aboutChurchill Downs can be found on theInternet at www.ChurchillDowns.com.About Artist Kimberly SantiniParing her subjects down to the bare

essentials: personality, attitude, andbold color, Kimberly Santini has beena painter most of her life and is repre-sented by numerous galleries throughthe U.S. She credits an annual sojournto Saratoga Race Track in New Yorkwith a group of female equine paintersas a pivotal influence on her horse rac-ing work, acquiring much of her visualinspiration used in her paintings duringthis gathering. Santini has a BFA inPainting, a BA in Art History, and hasworked for the J. Paul Getty Trust.

About JettStream ProductionsJettStream Productions is an art and graph-ics-based publisher, located in LouisvilleKentucky and has been the official licenseefor the official “Art of the Kentucky DerbySeries,” for 15 years. Founded by ownerClare Jett, the company has providedaward winning posters and products pri-marily for large scale sporting events suchas the Kentucky Derby. Other high profileclients include the Muhammad Ali Center,The Westminster Kennel Club, theLouisville Convention and Visitors Centerand most recently, the Breeders' Cup WorldChampionships.

For more information go to www.derbyartgifts.com

http://derbyartgifts.com/index_2.htmlto purchase gifts/prints

Churchill Downs Unveils 2015 Official Art of The Kentucky DerbyThe Commemorative Artwork by Noted Animal Artist Kimberly Kelly Santini

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10 Animal Lifer August 2015 animallifeonline.com

Hungry Horsesby Hannah Stanard

Hungry horses why so rude, wait your turnand you'll get food.Holler holler whinny neigh, you've had hay throughoutthe day.

Now I turn you out so you can run,all night long it's lots of fun,then morning comes which brings the day.Holler holler whinny neigh.Nicker®, by Kimberly Kelly Santini

Animal Lifer August 2015 animallifeonline.com 11

Dhoof beat

Yoanna Y. Maître, DVM, DABVP

During these hot, humid summer dayshorses may suffer from a skin conditioncalled seasonal recurrent dermatitis. Alsoreferred to as sweet itch, it is an allergy tothe saliva of the Culicoides midge orgnat. Allergies to other insects may alsobe involved and so it is often referred toas insect bite hypersensitivity (IBH).Affected horses develop an allergic re-action at the site of the bites, usuallyalong the base of the mane and tail head,around the ears and head, and along theback, center of the chest, and abdomen.Horses may be agitated and exhibit signsof restlessness such as tail switching andstomping at the ground. Itching can beintense sometimes leading to self-traumawhen the horse rolls or rubs up againstsolid objects, resulting in broken hairs,bald patches, and even bleeding and ooz-ing skin. The resulting round patches aresometimes confused with hives, ring-

worm or rain rot but are relatively easy todistinguish for a veterinarian. The best treatment for insect bite hyper-sensitivity is prevention of further insectbites. Turnout during dawn and duskhours when midges are most activeshould be avoided. Horses should bemoved away from stagnant water sources(bogs, puddles, old tires, etc.). Pasturesthat have access to a good breeze are pre-ferred, as midges are unable to feed in thewind currents.Placing fans in the stable creates air

movement that makes it more difficult formidges to feed. Applying oils (citronella,tea tree, baby oil) to the coat especiallyunder the mane can also discourage thegnats from bitingFly masks and fly sheets can be used,

though a full body blanket that covers thebelly and neck must be used to be effec-tive. Permethrin and citronella based in-

sect repellents also have variable effica-cies. Permethrin based sprays with sun-screen may be longer lasting, but mostrepellents must be applied daily.Treatment of affected horses involves avariety of topical ointments, sprays, andshampoos. These may contain a combi-nation of corticosteroid (hydrocortisone,betamethasone, triamcinolone), anesthetics(pramoxine, lidocaine), antiseptics(chlorhexidine, benzoyl peroxide), emol-lients (aloe, colloidal oatmeal), and repel-lants (citronella oil). More severelyaffected horses are treated with short act-ing corticosteroid injections, taperingcourses of oral corticosteroids (dexam-ethasone or prednisolone), and anti-hista-mines. For deeper more generalized skininfections, antibiotics may be prescribed. Anecdotally the addition of fatty acids inthe form of flax seed has resulted in im-provement of symptoms, although con-

trolled studies have not supported theseclaims. Allergen specific immunother-apy has been attempted, but must bestarted prior to the onset of clinical signscontinued for at least a year. This can beexpensive and results have been mixed.In summary, horses with insect bite hyper-sensitivity can be managed with strategicturnout, environmental management, in-sect repellants, protective masks and blan-kets, and dietary supplementation. Onceclinical signs are noted, symptomatic top-ical and/or systemic anti-inflammatorytherapy is prescribed.

Dr. Yoanna Maître is the owner of Berk-shire Ambulatory Veterinary Services, amobile clinic that provides on-farm medicaland surgical care to horses and farm ani-mals in Berkshire County and neighboringareas of New York State.

Insect Bite Hypersensitivity/Sweet Itch

BBerkshire Humane Society (BHS) ishosting our 23rd annual horse show onSunday, August 23rd at OvermeadeFarm in Lenox, MA. From lead line to advanced junior andadult medal classes, the day will offerover 30 classes for riders of all agesand abilities. As the longest-standinghorse show in Berkshire County, itdraws riders from all over the countyand beyond. This show provides an excellent op-

portunity to offer a quality WesternNew England Professional Horseman’sAssociation (WNEPHA) recognizedcompetition for riders and spectators aswell as raise critically needed funds tosupport the mission and work of BHS.Moreover, besides offering a chancefor riders to earn points for WNEPHAyear-end awards, the show will hostWNEPHA specific classes that providepoints toward the association’s 2015 fi-nals show in the fall. Ann Jamieson of Kent, CT is the

judge for the day. In addition to beinga United State Equestrian Federation

certified judge in hunters, equitation,and jumpers, Ann is an amateur riderwho trains her own horses and showsher horse Fred Astaire in both hunterand dressage competitions. Ann hasjudged at the most prestigious shows inthe Northeast and is the author of fourbooks – a series called For the Love ofthe Horse. She is a staff writer forToday’s Equestrian. Riders will be competing for ribbonsand prizes. Ann will also give a"Judge's Award” to the rider whodemonstrates the highest quality ofhorsemanship and sportsmanshipthroughout the show day. Nikki Kel-logg has donated some special prizesfor this honor. “If you’ve never been to a horse showbefore, this is a great one to attend—orcompete in,” says John Perreault, Ex-ecutive Director of BHS. “We espe-cially appreciate that Sally and KenHart have been so welcoming to Berk-shire Humane Society over the past 23years and have once again graciouslyoffered their expertise and facilities for

this important fundraiser.” The show begins at 8:00AM. The

BHS merchandise table will be well-stocked, and food and beverages willbe available from our food booth. An all-volunteer effort, the show ismade possible through the wonderfulgenerosity of its sponsors. All pro-ceeds from the show stay in Berkshire

County to help support BHS’s pro-grams and services.

Overmeade Farm is located at 940 East Street in Lenox.

For information on sponsoring a classor division, contact Diane Briggs at BHS

– 413-447-7878, ext. 131 or dbriggs@berkshirehumane.org

23rd Annual Horse Show Benefits Berkshire Humane Society

Wout & about

Karen Karlberg

I

When the publisher of Animal Life, KimArre-Gerber, told me the August issuewould be about Horses, I said, yeah! Ipersonally know a couple of Donkeys andthey’re close to horses’ right? Well I waswrong, donkeys are different in importantways to horses; first they are much cuter!At least in my opinion. So off to Hop-lands Farm in Lee, MA I went, to visitVito and Charlie, my donkey friends.Their owners, Carol and Ron Terry, toldme lots of interesting things about theseadorable, sweet creatures. Did you know that donkeys are quite in-telligent, cautious, friendly, playful, andeager to learn? Can the same be said fora horse? As a matter of fact, a donkey isoften pastured or stabled with horses andponies because they have a calming ef-fect on the “nervous nellies”. Here in theUnited States and other developed coun-tries, donkeys are mainly used to guardsheep, for children’s donkey rides and aspets. A male donkey or ass is called a jack, afemale is a jenny, and a young donkey isa foal, like the horse. Donkey breeders

do not expect a foal every year like horsebreeders do. Instead they usually plan forthree foal’s in four years and that’s be-cause donkey’s have a lower fertility rateand a longer gestation period than ahorse. Another really neat thing aboutdonkeys is they can breed with zebrascreating an offspring called a zonkey. Ioften thought a donkey’s back fur ridge,called the “Dorsal Stripe”, looks like thatof a zebra’s.I did learn that the biggest difference be-tween the donkey and a horse is the di-gestion system of the donkey is muchmore efficient than that of the horse orpony. A donkey needs less food than ahorse and cannot eat rich foods like hayand grains that horses must have. Don-keys are also less prone to colic, a verybig problem with horses. Some farmersthink that a donkey needs to be fed onlystraw, supplemented with controlled graz-ing in the summer or hay in the winter, toget all the energy, protein, fat and vita-mins it requires. Donkeys do best whenthey are allowed to consume smallamounts of food over long periods. In

their native arid and semi-arid climates,donkeys spend more than half of each dayforaging and feeding, on poor qualityscrub proving that the donkey has a toughdigestive system.A donkey’s hooves are more elastic thanthose of horses, so they do not wear downas fast, but regular clipping is still re-quired. A working donkey may still needto be shod like a horse, and donkey shoesare similar to horseshoes. As a note, adonkey will defend itself by biting, strik-ing with the front hooves or kicking withtheir hind legs. A donkey has a muchstronger sense of self-preservation than ahorse too.Did you know that donkeys have largerears than a horse, and they may be able topick up more distant sounds and they mayalso help to cool the donkey's blood? An-other interesting donkey fact are the“horny growths” that can be found on theinside of the back legs, horses have themon all their legs by the way. Thesepatches are thought to be the remnants ofa vestibular toe. They also remind me ofthe scent patches located on my own

llama’s hind legs.I have also noted that donkeys are simi-lar to my own llamas in another way; theyboth bray very loudly. A bray is a loudwhinny call that can last for twenty sec-onds or more and is heard over very longdistances. My llamas will bray whenthey go into security mode or when some-thing unusual has come into their terri-tory. It is thought that a donkey will brayto help keep in contact with other don-keys over wide spaces. Since donkeysare sometimes used to guard sheep, thebraying would come in very handy forthem. Till next time, get out and about in thebeautiful Berkshires to find your own na-ture, and remember to watch for wildlifesigns wherever you may roam.

Karen Karlberg resides in Becket MA withher menagerie of rescued barnyard & domestic animals and her husband Mark.She is actively involved in conservation efforts as a citizen scientist, is an accom-plished artisan and nature photographerwith Kattailphoto.com

Donkeys are my Friends

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myth & truth about dog behaviorthe canine mind!My dog growls at strangers and I find that unacceptable so I have yelledat him and yanked on his collar and he is starting to growl less and less.We’re making progress--right?Wrong. We can probably all agree that we wouldn’t like to hear our dog growlingat anyone. But what we may not realize is that a growl is a good thing. All too often,dog guardians make the mistake of punishing the dog when he growls. Growling isour dog’s early warning system. It is one of his way of alerting us that whatever isgoing on around him is too much for him to handle. He is stressed and if it doesn’tchange for the better, he will be forced to escalate his behavior to a lunge, snap, ora bite to protect or defend himself. By punishing his growling he will learn thatgrowling gets him in trouble and may stop growling. When we suppress the growl-ing we don’t take away the stress associated with it. We might actually increase thedog’s stress in the situation because he now associates your unjust punishment withthe situation also. You think he is fine (since he hasn’t growled) and continue what-ever was happening. Then OUCH, your dog lashes out and snaps or bites you orsomeone else. If the dog is growling at other people or animals, quietly and calmlymove him out of the situation. If your dog is growling at you for something you aredoing, stop doing it. This is not the time to “show him whose boss!” Now that theimmediate danger is averted, be as clear as possible in noting exactly what yourdog was growling at: children approaching, someone trying to pet him, the vet ex-amining a sore leg, a stranger in your home, taking a bone away, etc. The cleareryou are about the triggers the easier it will be to begin a structured behavior mod-ification program with the help of an experienced professional behavior consultant.Leea Foran, CDBC, CPTA-KA is a Certified Professional Dog Trainer and Behavior consultant and owner of Foranimals, LLC in Lenox, MA. For more information: www.trainingforanimals.com or 413-445-8843

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Animal Lifer August 2015 animallifeonline.com 15

animal lifes’

wags brags&If you have something to WAG about, please send me an email: aladvertising@aol.com subject: Wags & Brags.

Please keep word count to under 300.

After a near-death experience in myyoung life, I found my telepathicawareness suddenly awakened. Sincethen, I have been sharing mygifts for more than 20 yearsand have chosen to givevoice to the amazing ani-mals.I actually hear fromthem, those pets. I hearit during meditation or ata quiet time. It’s like amovie that plays very fastand I have to hang on andconcentrate to get the infor-mation down. Sometimes I seeimages, hear words, sometimessounds and very occasionally a smell.It’s all part of the way the animals talkto me.I’ve heard from animals who don’t

like the other animal in the house, andthey point them out; a horse that dis-liked another horse because he smelledbad and she showed me that by shoot-ing him a bolt of blue lightening, a cat

who rolls in a red scarf in the closet andlikes to keep it on, a dog who wantedand needed a job, another dog that felt

“jilted”, and another dog whosaid she “likes it here onplanet earth”. I hear thingsthat are totally unexpectedand often very funny. Iheard from a dog whohad a cockney accent.And another dog whotold me he had “plans”.The animals are acutely

aware of health issues, up-coming household changes,

death and dying, food prefer-ences and other animal friends. And

they are delighted to be heard and sharethis information with me. They all love, protect and are greatlyconcerned with their human companions.These animals are unique, beautiful

little souls.Linda Clayton,Animal Communicator

SummerFest Pet ParadeSponsored By: BOWMEOW REGENCY

Sunday, August 30, 2015Parade begins at 1pm SHARP!

(Check-in 12-1pm)Main Street, Great Barrington

Show off your pet! Join us for our first annual Pet Parade. Parade route willbe from Berkshire Bank parking lot to the GB Town Hall. Please send yourpre-registration form to the Southern Berkshire Chamber of Commerce, POBox 810, Great Barrington, Ma. 01230, 413-528-4284, fax 413-528-2200,

betsy@southernberkshirechamber.comParade Divisions

•DIVISION A — SMALL FLOATS AND WAGONS•DIVISION B — PETS (no dogs or horses)

•DIVISION C —DOGS LEASHED OR CARRIED•DIVISION D — BICYCLES

•DIVISION E — HORSES AND PONIES“sWAG” Bags for the first 25 Registrants.

SummerFest Pet Parade -Mail to: SBCC, P O Box 810, Great Barrington, MA 01230

"There is just one thing left on her wish list..Nikki is a 6 year old husky mix that currently residesat Little Guild of St.Francis animal shelter located inWest Cornwall, CT. Recently she was diagnosedwith terminal cancer. There is no cure and we cannotbe sure how long she has left with us here on Earth.However, we are determined to make whatever timeshe does have left the best she’s ever had! To makesure Nikki had everything she needed we created heran amazon wish list. The facebook community cametogether and nearly everyday boxes of donated itemswere showing up at the shelter’s door. In less than aweek Nikki had received everything registered onher wish list. There is just one thing left that unfor-tunately cannot be bought and that is, a home. Nikkiis searching for a hospice foster that will give her a

comfy place to rest her head at night and fill her final days with love and joy.She will become your best friend, she will accompany you on any adventure,and she will always bring you back the ball. If you believe you are that specialsomeone, please fill out an application online at littleguild.org under “CanineAdoption Application” and give us a call at (860)672-6346. Her hospice homeshould not include children as we are unsure the extent of pain she may even-tually undergo. The Little Guild will cover her medical cost and she will alsogo home with all of her donated items. If you’d like to donate any items to Nikkithe shelter’s address is 285 Sharon Goshen Tpke. West Cornwall, CT 06796.

If you’d rather make a monetary donation for her medication or a day out for ice cream, you may do so at littleguild.org Any and all

donations are greatly appreciated!"

Animal Communicator

As part of the K9 Karnival being held September 19-20, 2015,we will also be trying to raise funds for Fairy DogParents!

If you have not heard of this amazing organization, please check them out!Their mission is to help keep dogs in their homes, when veterinary costs be-come too much of a burden and owners are considering euthanasia. They arebased in Massachusetts and staffed by volunteers. All money raised goes tohelp Massachusetts dogs! We at Hilltowns Veterinary Clinic have worked withthem multiple times over the last several years and think they are a fantasticgroup! We are planning on having a raffle with all the proceeds going directlyto Fairy Dogparents! Please consider donating a raffle prize, even if you arenot able to participate in the K9 Karnival! Feel free to contact us with any ques-tions – our number is 413 623 5329.

Sharon LynchHilltowns Veterinary Clinic

In late June, Animal DREAMS got re-ally busy fixing cats in Pittsfield.Thanks to our partnership with Berk-shire Humane Society and a grant fromPetSmart Charities®, we have the fundsto fix 500 cats in the City over the timeperiod of a year. The goal is to end theissue of cat overpopulation in Pittsfieldby offering low cost spays and neutersfor free-roaming cats, many of whomare pretty busy themselves having kit-tens right about now. Working withowners who can put their cats in a car-rier when it’s time for their appointmentis not too complicated. Locating andtrapping feral and un-owned cats andgetting them to a predetermined vet ap-pointment is another story!In many cases, cats who live outdoorsare feral, or they have become unsocia-ble with people because it’s beenawhile since they’ve lived in a home.With the help of the people who carefor them, we trap, fix and return themto their preferred outside life. For threeof the cats we fixed last month, it was adifferent story.We first got a call about “Francis”

from a person who had been feedinghim for two weeks. She had found out

that someone down the street hadmoved and left him behind to fend forhimself. He was a distinctive buff andwhite cat with amber eyes, and he wasfriendly, so she knew she could put himin a carrier. However two days beforehis vet appointment, he was nowhere tobe found. That evening, someone wholives two blocks away posted a pictureof a buff cat with amber eyes on theBerkshire County Pet Facebook pageasking: “Has anyone lost this cat? He’shanging out in my back yard.” It wasn’thard to figure out that this was the samecat. We contacted the person via face-book and explained our plan for the cat.She held onto him and we picked up thecat first thing in the morning. Francismade his vet appointment, and betteryet, there was room at Berkshire Hu-mane Society, so this friendly kitty isnow there awaiting a new indoor home.At another location, a caretaker feedsten to twenty cats who live in an aban-doned house. Most are fixed, as we’vehelped many cats in this location overthe years. But several new, unfixed catsmoved there since. Two of them werefriendly; so friendly they could hardlycontain their enthusiasm when volun-

teers went to the Animal DREAMS“Catty Shack” twice a day to feed themas they awaited their vet appointment.After they were vetted, both werebrought to Berkshire Humane Societywith the blessing of the caretaker. Oneis famous now, having been featured onSteve Caparizo’s Pet Connection as anadoptable pet. But best of all, both wereadopted together into a new home.We know that every cat we spay andneuter will have a better future, whetherthey remain outdoor cats or find a newhome. But it’s heartwarming when weare able to help rehome cats who areused to indoor living.

Carol LewTNR CoordinatorAnimal DREAMS

Three Friendly Cats

1. Francis waiting for a new indoor home

2. Francis caught by a concerned citizen in time for his vet appointment

3. This kitty and his friend lived inan abandoned house; the two of them were adopted from BHS to a new home together

36 Pittsfield RoadLenox, MA

ycc01240@aol.com

I made my way up from the South and I need a home andfamily to call my own. I am friendly with all people that I meet.I like to go for walks. I enjoy playing in a fenced yard. I canmake some vocalizations when I play.I have socialized withlarge dogs, but I do play rough and tumble. Due to a strongprey drive I need a home without birds, cats and other smallanimals. I would do best with older children as I have not beenaround small kids. I have been good for car rides.

Pixie

Sponsored by:

At theBerkshire Humane Society

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

in the tri-state areaAdoptions

Lilly

Please call Berkshire Humane Society

413-447-7878

Merrill Road,Pittsfield

info@berkshiremm.com

Maggie is a stunning himalayan siamese mix,who's 6 years old and sweet as can be. Originallyfound as a stray this pretty girl is now looking fora home of her own. Being a Siamese mix she'squite the talker and enjoys telling you about herday! She's super sweet to her human companionsbut cannot live with other animals unfortunately.

Maggie

Sponsored by:

At theEleanor Sonsini Animal Shelter

36 Pittsfield RoadLenox, MA

ycc01240@aol.com

Hunter is a wonderful boy looking for a new family to call hisown. He loves long walks, playing ball, going on car rides, andjust lounging around in the sun. Hunter is working on his leashmanners as he can be a little jumpy, and tends to pull, but weare working on that every day and have seen great improve-ment already! He would love a family that would take him toobedience or agility classes where he can learn all kinds ofnew tricks!

Hunter

Sponsored by:

At theEleanor Sonsini Animal Shelter

in the tri-state area

AdoptionsSUCCESS STORY!

Julie found her FOR-EVER HOME!

Harriet Koss 917-670-3892 email: hckoss@aol.com

It started when Policefound me wandering thestreets of Brooklyn. I wasfriendly so they took me tothe shelter, but it was a killshelter, too overcrowdedfor another black pit bull,even though their behaviortest showed I was goodwith people and otherdogs. When I caught acold (kennel cough) theyput me on a list. Do youknow what Euthanasia Listmeans? HELP!!! I am only2 years old, 64 pounds,and I really need someleash training and a goodkind foster home now!!

Harriet Koss, Dalmatian Adoption, Inc. 917-670-3892 • email: hckoss@aol.com

Hershey

We are waiting for ourFur-Ever Home

A rescue group took me to a vet to cure my kennel cough and get meneutered. Now I am ready to go but I sure need a foster home now and / ora forever home ASAP. I do not want to end up in the kill shelter again!

Petey

�

�

Destiny is a young beautiful Dalmatianmix who has it all. She is friendly ( a littleshy at first) and good with children anddogs. Destiny, 2 and 1/2 years old and52 lbs is healthy, spayed, and also up todate in shots. We are assisting Destiny'sfamily in their search to find the righthome since they are no longer sable tokeep their beloved dog.

Destiny

�

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

veterinarians

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

Bilmar Small Animal Hospital• Full Service Hospital• Drop Off Service• Housecalls

Looking for housecalls? Call Dr. Blanchard for details

413-528-1180 • Fax 413-528-1763776 Main St., Great Barrington, MAHours: 8:30-5 Mon.-Fri, 8:30-Noon Sat.

Call for appointment

Dr. Claire BlanchardDr. Donald GulickDr. Hanan CaineDr. Emily Newman

VCA All Caring Animal HospitalConventional & Holistic Veterinary Medicine

Chiropractic & Acupuncture440 Stockbridge Road, Great Barrington, MA

413-528-8020www.vcaallcaring.com

Open 7 Daysa week

Fridays till 8pm.

House Calls on

Tuesday!

animal life go-to directoryboardingBowMeow RegencyA Daycare, Boarding & Grooming Facility for Dogs.92 Cook Road, Sheffield, MA 01257Honor S. Blume 413-229-0035www.bowmeowregency.com

Gina’s K-9 Bed & BreakfastQuality care pet sitting in my safe, comfortable home349 Farm Road, Copake, NY 12516Gina 518-329-4675Happy Dog Kennel & Day CareBoarding • Day Care • TrainingCovering, Alford, North Egremont, HillsdaleOld Chatham, Chatham and more!Nora Hayes 413-528-0877

pet storesBensDotter’s PetQuality Foods & Supplies, Raw Diet Specialists. 940 Main Street, Great Barrington, MAwww.BENSDOTTERS.com413-528-4940

Chez PetPremium foods and treats. A neighborhood pet supply store with everything you need fora healthy pet. Special orders welcome.Lenox Commons, 55 Pittsfield Rd., Lenox, MA413-637-0800 • www.chezpet.com

rescues & sheltersBerkshire Humane SocietyOpen Tues.- Sat. 10am to 4pm, Thurs Eve. 5 - 8pmSun. Afternoon 1 - 4pm • Closed Mondays413-447-7878 • www.berkshirehumane.org214 Barker Road, Pittsfield, MA

Eleanor Sonsini Animal ShelterOpen Tues.-Fri. 12 to 6pm, Sat. & Sun. 12 - 5pm, Closed Mondays413-448-9800 • www.sonsinianimalshelter.org63 Downing Parkway, Pittsfield, MA

Little Guild of St. Francis285 Sharon Goshen Turnpike, W. Cornwall, CT860-672-6345 • www.littleguild.org

PurradiseWed. & Fri. 10am - 4pm, Thurs. 10am - 6pm, Sun. 12 - 4pm301 Stockbridge Road, Great Barrington, MA413-717-4244 • www.berkshirehumane.org

veterinarian servicesAllen Heights Veterinary HospitalDog and Cat GroomingAmanda Bevens, 289 Dalton Ave., Pittsfield, MA413-443-4949

Berkshire Ambulatory VeterinaryServices Yoanna Y. Maitre, DVMMobile practice providing quality medical and surgical care for horses and farm animals. Vaccination, strategic deworming,Coggins & health certificates, custom dentistry (hand & Powerfloat),castrations, dehorning, & more. Serving MA & NY by appointment.www.berkshirelargeanimal.com 413-637-2223

veterinarian servicesNorth County Veterinary HospitalDr. John C. Reynolds, Dr. Laura A. Eiszler & Dr. Lindsay M. Cermak, DVM’s838 Curran Memorial Hwy, North Adams, MA413-664-4570Pittsfield 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, DVMHours: Daily Mon-Fri. 8am to 8pm,.Sat. & Sun 10am-5pmwww.pittsfieldvet.com413-499-1580

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Dirty Dogs

Done Dirt CheapBerkshire County’s only fully-

loaded, self-serve dog wash

636 W. Housatonic St., Pittsfield

(413) 448-8240www.dunkingdoggies.com

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august & septemberhappenings1-31st 23 30

13 19&20 20september

Double the Love CampaignAll Donations are doubled for the MonthEleanor Sonsini Shelter, Pittsfield

Southern Berkshire Chamber of Commerce-Great Barrington

Pet Parade • Pet Photo Booth • ContestsParade at 1pm • check-in 12-1pm

info: email: betsy@southernberkshirechamber.com

Pet FestPart of Summerfestaugust

Day of Registration or online at:Relayforlife.org/barkberkshirecoma

$20 donation to the American Cancer Society

Barkfor Life

The Common, Pittsfield, MA11:30am, Walk begins 12:30pm

23rd AnnualBHS

Horse Show30 Classes for Riders of all ages and abilities

Show begins at 8am • Info call Diane 413-447-7878Overmeade Farm, Lenox, MA

20th Annual

WOOFSTOCKSUNDAY, Sept. 13th at CONTROY PAVILION

at ONOTA LAKE, Pittsfield413-447-7878, Diane -Reg. 10am, walk at 11am

Pet CPR & 1st Aid Class10-3pm • W. Stockbridge Town Office Community Room

$80 call Faith 518-781-0362

K9 KarnivalSat. & Sun., 10am to 5pmRaffles • Music • Food • Vendors

Disc Dog and Dock Dogs Competition!29 Maple St., Hinsdale, MA • Behind Ozzie’s

Sponsored by Hilltowns Veterinary Clinic

august august

september

september

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SHE WAS NOT QUITE WHAT YOU WOULD CALL REFINED. SHE WAS NOT QUITE WHAT YOU WOULD CALL UNREFINED.

SHE WAS THE KIND OF PERSON THAT KEEPS A PARROT. - MARK TWAIN -

BENSDOTTER S PET 940 MAIN STREET, GREAT BARRINGTON, MA

Convenient Location with Ample Parking

Monday-Friday 10a-6p Saturday-Sunday 10a-4p