Dalton to Hold Green Burials Information Sessions

By Sabrina DammsiBerkshires Staff
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DALTON, Mass. — The Cemetery Trustees will hold two informational sessions surrounding green burials at Ashuelot Cemetery. 
 
These sessions will take place at the Dalton Senior Center on Tuesday, Sept. 16, at 1:30 p.m. and Thursday, Sept. 18, at 6:30 p.m. with the goal to explain what green burials are, answer questions, and receive suggestions from residents.
 
During the town meeting in May, voters approved allowing the Cemetery Trustees to create rules and regulations to govern green burials at Ashuelot Cemetery.
 
According to the nonprofit Green Burial Massachusetts, green burials, or "natural burials," are a way of returning bodies to the earth after death without a metal casket, burial liner or vault, or embalming. 
 
The trustees' proposal is that a body may be placed directly in the ground in a biodegradable casket, such as wood or coffin, or only wearing a biodegradable cloth shroud or clothing.  
 
Green burials would only be allowed in a designated section of Ashuelot Cemetery, Section GB. They will be delineated by barkers or decorative fencing to separate it from the main area. 
 
However, those who want to be buried next to a family member or partner in a separate section of the cemetery will be allowed to have a green burial, if space allows, using a vault with an open bottom. 
 
The next step for the town is determining a prudential care fee of $750 to ensure the area is properly maintained as the ground settles during the decaying process. 

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Companion Corner: Freya, Fudge & Charlotte

By Breanna SteeleiBerkshires Staff

PITTSFIELD, Mass. — If looking for the perfect feline pet, why not triple the fun? There's a threesome at Berkshire Humane Society waiting for a family to call their own.

iBerkshire's Companion Corner is a weekly series spotlighting an animal in our local shelters that is ready to find a home.

We highlighted Freya, Charlotte and Fudge last month and they are still looking for their new home together. 

Kittens Fudge and Charlotte and their mother, Freya, have been at the shelter and in a foster home since April. All three have tested positive for Feline Immunodeficiency Virus (FIV), often described as feline HIV/AIDS

Feline/small animal adoption counselor Alyssa Petell introduced us to them. 

"They originally were brought in from animal control. The conditions weren't the best in the home. But when they came in, they were tested positive for feline AIDS (FIV). We do send our kittens normally to foster programs to get socialized with the mom. So they got sent to a foster program for about two months to get socialized," she said.

The shelter preferably would like the three to as a family, and to a home with respectful children that will keep them inside.

"We would prefer if they could all go together, but they are a very sweet trio of kitties. They would have to be indoor only because of them being feline AIDS positive," Petell said. "It is OK for them to go into a home with other cats. We prefer if they go into a home with feline AIDS-positive cats, but even if they are negative for feline AIDS, as long as they're not actively scratching each other and biting each other to transmit it, then it should be OK."

Each cat has their own personality. The two kittens love to play with an abundance of toys; one is shy and the other is outgoing. They both like to curl up and sleep in your lap once they get to know you.

It turns out that Fudge is actually a girl. In our previous article, he was mistakenly identified as a boy. 

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