Berkshire Humane Society Inc

What it reported doing in 2024

See schedule oberkshire humane society is a private, nonprofit, socially conscious organization not affiliated with any other animal welfare agency. We receive no public funds from state or federal sources. We have a contract with the city of pittsfield to house stray animals from which we receive minimal funding. With our contract, we take in about 150 dogs per year and have a return-to-owner rate of more than 90 percent. We depend on the compassion and generosity of the community, including grants, for funding. Each month, we spend $280,000 helping animals and people. Berkshire humane society shelters about 1,500 animals annually and finds homes for healthy and safe surrendered animals. We also have a variety of programs and services to keep animals in their homes. For example, family dog school, created to address "bad behavior" (the primary reason dogs and puppies are surrendered) offers free consultation and affordable training. Classes include manners, tricks, nose work, reactivity, and canine good citizen test preparation. Annually, family dog school graduates about 500 dogs, helping keep them in their homes. Berkshire humane society opened a wellness clinic in 2023 to provide low-cost options for veterinary needs such as comprehensive health exams, bloodwork, flea and tick treatment, vaccinations, microchipping, parasite screenings and treatment, heartworm and tickborne disease testing, feline leukemia and AIDS testing, low-cost spay and neuter surgeries, dental work and urgent care. Annually, we help more than 4,500 animals at the wellness clinic. Beyond the clinic, we hold pop-up clinics for free vaccines, medical exams and microchips, focused on underserved populations. We partner with city officials to target neighborhoods most in need. Last year we helped more than 250 animals at free clinics. To further support animals whose owners are experiencing financial difficulty, we have a free pet food bank stocked from community donations and grants. Each year demand for the food bank increases, with more than 7,000 requests last year totaling almost 50,000 pounds of pet food. We distribute our pet food to other food banks in berkshire county, when possible. We collaborate with elder services' meals on wheels program to give dog and cat food to seniors who are experiencing insecurities. Outside of our pet food bank program, we schedule free pet food drive thrus throughout berkshire county when the need arises. Last year we gave out 7,200 pounds of cat and dog food with our drive-thru events.berkshire humane society has a community cat program, an all-volunteer trap/neuter/vaccinate/ return program, each year helping about 200 free roaming and feral cats. The program promotes humane treatment and care of stray or feral cats in berkshire county and surrounding towns while attempting to keep feral cat populations in control. Berkshire humane society puts up for adoption of any kitten or cat trapped who is friendly. Other feline programs at berkshire humane society include a satellite adoption and boarding facility, purradise, in great barrington. We recently renovated purradise to make our services, including our pet food bank, more accessible to southern berkshire county residents. Safepet is a valuable program serving both people and animals. With it, we help victims of domestic violence and people experiencing extreme hardship or crisis by boarding their pet for free while they are seeking treatment or help through a safepet partner. Partnering organizations include elizabeth freeman center, a pittsfield-based resource for women; the brien center; elder services of berkshire county; elder protective services of berkshire county and berkshire health systems. Our volunteers or staff care for safepet animals for up to 30 days until they can be reunited with their family. The arrangement is entirely confidential. The safepet program serves approximately 50 clients per year, equaling more than 1,000 hours of animal care. Beca

Financial Efficiency

• Mission deployment rate: 91.3%; rating input score 91
• Program expense ratio: 88.8%; rating input score 89
• Fundraising efficiency: $11.44 raised per $1 spent on fundraising; rating input score 42; 42nd percentile among comparable filings

Transparency & Controls

• Consistency checks: 100%; rating input score 100; 63rd percentile among comparable filings
• Pay-setting controls: Limited
• Foreign activity oversight: Limited
• Grant itemization coverage: Limited
• Major donor itemization: Yes; rating input score 100
• Related-party transparency: Limited

Accountability

• Independent voting board: 100%; rating input score 100; 63rd percentile among comparable filings
• Governance controls: 8 of 8 controls in place; rating input score 100
  • Conflict-of-interest policy: Pass
  • Whistleblower policy: Pass
  • Document-retention policy: Pass
  • CEO compensation review process: Pass
  • Other executive compensation review process: NotApplicable
  • Form 990 shared with the board: Pass
  • Board meeting minutes documented: Pass
  • Audit committee oversight: Pass
  • Independent financial-statement audit: Pass

Sustainability

• Operating margin: -3.1%; rating input score 24; 24th percentile among comparable filings
• Total-asset coverage ratio: 2.02; rating input score 62; 62nd percentile among comparable filings
• Liabilities to assets ratio: 0.24; rating input score 39; 39th percentile among comparable filings
• Officer compensation ratio: 7.6%; rating input score 38; 38th percentile among comparable filings

Growth

• Program expense growth: 9.6% per year; rating input score 100; 62nd percentile among comparable filings
• Revenue growth: 11.5% per year; rating input score 100; 73rd percentile among comparable filings
• Asset growth: 5.9% per year; rating input score 100; 39th percentile among comparable filings