Free Pet Food Available
Berkshire Humane Society is offering free food for dogs and cats by appointment only at a special event this Tuesday and Wednesday. In a press release sent to WSBS from BHS it's being reported that anybody who needs help feeding their pet can call 413-447-7878 through 2:00 pm Monday, May 11, to schedule an appointment for curbside pickup on Tuesday May 12 and Wednesday, May 13. Appointment slots are available every 15 minutes between 10 am and 4 pm each day and will be filled on a first-call-first-served basis. Participants must have an appointment to pick up food at the shelter at 214 Barker Road in Pittsfield for the event.
Upon pick-up, drivers should pull up to the shelter as directed by Berkshire Humane Society employees in personal protective equipment and put their vehicles in park. The employees will fill and load the order. Participants should not get out of their vehicles and should not have pets in the vehicle with them.
“We had an overwhelming response to our Pet Food Bank drive-thru in April,” said John Perreault, Executive Director of Berkshire Humane Society. “Traffic backed up from our parking lot onto Barker Road. We planned to give food between 10 and 2 and we ran out by 11, so we handed out vouchers. This really showed us that the coronavirus has had a huge economic impact on the Berkshires. We know that many people still have not received unemployment or stimulus checks, so we are offering food from our Pet Food Bank again.”
To prevent traffic congestion, keep drivers and employees safe and better manage food distribution and supply, the shelter opted for pick-up by appointment instead of a drive-thru this time around.
Once the food bank was depleted by the April drive-thru, the shelter had difficulty ordering food in bulk due to a decrease in pet food deliveries. Space for pet food is limited on shipments due to an increase in demand for human food and paper products.
“Our community stepped up to help fill our pantry shelves when we were unable to do so,” added Perreault. “They drove up to the shelter and dropped off thousands of pounds of food. We wouldn’t be able to offer a second distribution without their support. This is Berkshire County – people coming together to help other people, and of course, the pets they love."
After the event, pet food will be available for pick-up by appointment as supplies allow. To be added to a rolling list, call the shelter at 413-447-7878. The Pet Food Bank is one of many programs Berkshire Humane Society offers to help keep pets in their homes and out of the shelter. The shelter is closed to the public, but is handling surrenders and adoptions by appointment.