PITTSFIELD, Mass. - Big changes are coming to the Berkshire Humane Society. The shelter announced Wednesday their ‘Forever Family’ campaign, which will help fund renovations to their building and an expansion to the programs they offer.

One of the major renovations will be to transform the loading dock into a new community cat center, which will house the shelter’s trap, neuter, and release program for feral cats.

Several rooms inside the building will be getting a makeover as well, including converting their multi-purpose room into a dedicated medical exam area.

The campaign will also increase funding for the shelter’s family dog school and low-cost medical clinics, and establish an endowment to ensure future financial stability.

Executive director John Perreault said these improvements are necessary after seeing an increase in people coming to the shelter for help during the pandemic.

“I think the pandemic sort of told us how essential we really were and the need that this community really has, whether you were adopting animals during Covid, or for some people, having to surrender or use our food bank, spay and neuter services, or whatever it may be,” said Perreault. “So I think coming out of the pandemic, it really told us we needed to make these changes.”

The shelter has already raised $2.2 million towards its $3.5 million fundraising goal, and the hope is for construction on the renovations to start sometime in the late fall.