FALLS VILLAGE — Students at Housatonic Valley Regional High School (HVRHS) watched a film about bullying as part of an effort to identify, discuss and eliminate such behavior.The film, “Finding Kind,” was shown on Wednesday afternoon, Sept. 26. The 2009 documentary by Pepperdine University students Lauren Parsekian and Molly Thompson, chronicles the pair’s cross-country trip and their conversations with a wide and eclectic group of people, including psychologists, Dr. Phil, bullied teens and Idaho bikers.The film makes a reference to the 2010 case of Phoebe Prince, a 15-year-old girl who committed suicide after being bullied at South Hadley High School in Massachusetts. Six teenagers were charged with a variety of offenses; five were convicted and sentenced to probation and community service, and anti-bullying legislation was passed in the state legislature.Parsekian and Thompson’s interviews reveal a number of disconcerting truths: that girls as young as 10 refer to each other with words such as “bitch,” “slut,” “fat” or “ugly;” that women remember these insults and injuries for the rest of their lives; and that sometimes even the bullies grow up and are tormented by guilt for their actions.They also zero in on media — the barrage of images aimed at all women about how they should look and act, and the ubiquity of text messaging and Internet communication.One woman in the film notes that young girls “don’t go out to play, they sit and text,” and theorized that the lack of face-to-face contact makes it that much easier to fire off a demeaning message without considering the consequences.Matt Harnett, HVRHS principal, introduced the film. He said that even though the film is about women and girls, “the guys in the room are not off the hook.”He said that everyone in the room had experienced bullying, as a victim, a bully or a bystander.“We have to come together as a community and say ‘enough is enough.’ We start changing this today.”After the screening, Harnett returned to the front of the auditorium and repeated his earlier remark about the universality of bullying. He still remembers “word for word things said to me in the sixth- and seventh-grades. It sticks with you forever.”He asked the students to consider the following:“What can you do differently? The way things are doesn’t have to be the way it’s going to be. Your words are powerful, and when you hit ‘send’ you no longer have control.”“We’ve got to start taking better care of each other,” he said.Several students took the microphone. One girl said she wished more people could see the film. “Do we need to lose someone” before bullying is addressed, she asked. “We have amazing teachers and amazing kids. So do it!”A boy said that his peers are just as rough on each other as the girls. “Last year there were lots of times I didn’t want to go to school.”Another boy said he was initially picked on for being overweight. He reacted by becoming a bully himself.Then his grandparents died, he said, and he changed his attitude. “I realized you can’t take life for granted.”And a girl said the film brought back memories of a friend being bullied. “It disturbs me that people we’ve gone to school with for years can act that way.”About 50 parents attended another showing of “Finding Kind” the next evening.Harnett said that students approached him toward the end of the 2011-12 school year and expressed not only concern over bullying but the desire to do something about it. The film is the first of many activities on the subject of bullying planned for the 2012-13 school year.At the Oct. 1 meeting of the Region One Board of Education, Harnett said that the next activity in the anti-bullying effort would be “Operation Jungle Red,” which Harnett described as an anti-violence program that originated at Miami (Ohio) University.Students from Western Connecticut State University will come to HVRHS Oct. 25, and Harnett is taking a group to the university campus on Oct. 17.
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Marsala is eager to go home with you.
Tiffany Lemelin, shelter manager, brushing Marsala upon arrival.Provided
The Little Guild is an animal shelter at 285 Sharon-Goshen Turnpike in West Cornwall. Founded in 1957, the organization rescues animals from local surrenders and under-resourced shelters. When a rescue animal arrives at The Little Guild, staff begins a careful intake and transition process to ensure the animal is safe, healthy and ready for adoption.
New arrivals are quarantined in-house. Vaccinations are verified as up to date, and staff assesses each animal’s medical, behavioral and placement needs. Rescues receive medical care, daily support and behavioral training to ease shelter stress. Once a dog has finished quarantine and is ready for a home, its profile is published at littleguild.org.
Michael DeBarba, certified dog trainer working with Marsala.Jennifer Almquist
Prospective adopters fill out an online application with information about their household and veterinary and personal references.
The next step is for the prospective adopter and family members to meet the dog. If there is already a dog in the household, a meet-and-greet is scheduled so the dogs can get acquainted.
The animal care staff offers guidance based on its knowledge of each animal’s personality, needs and quirks to help families find the best fit.
Marsala wins a heart.Jennifer Almquist
Once a match is made, the adoption contract outlines aftercare. Adopters agree to return the animal to The Little Guild if the adoption doesn’t work out. The organization’s commitment continues after adoption, with six months of free training and follow-up from staff to answer questions or address concerns.
“Please don’t pass Marsala by,” Lemelin said. “He loves people and other dogs. He’s a lap dog who lives for snuggles, cuddles and face kisses. Marsala deserves a family, a soft bed and a lifetime of being chosen.”
To find out about Marsala and other rescue dogs and cats, visit littleguild.org
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Sampson, a playful and independent blind hound mix, explores the rescue’s large yard.
Though she takes in dogs of all ages, including some with disabilities — and one resident cat — the rescue’s motto is “Giving old dogs new lives.”
Sadie, center, a Carolina dog, plays with her friend Negra, a terrier mix. Bella Linda, the small poodle, has since been adopted.L. Tomaino
Sadie, a sweet Carolina dog, was the first to greet visitors.
“She could really use a home,” Meade said.
Then came Bonnie and Clyde, rat terriers; Negra, a small terrier mix; Sampson, a blind hound mix; and Jay Z, a terrier mix who was emaciated when Meade took him in and has since filled out, with fur regrowing over previously bald patches. Wesley, a young, shaggy mix whom Meade calls “a very good boy,” is also in need of a home.
Wesley, a young, exuberant mix, is looking for an active home.L. Tomaino
Meade began rescuing dogs after going to Waterbury to adopt one and learning that, by the end of the three-day weekend, the dogs she was looking at would be euthanized to make room for others.
She went home and started her rescue in New Preston, Connecticut. After five years there, she moved to California, where she rescued dogs from overcrowded pounds for 13 years.
Meade, a busload of dogs and her cat moved back to the Northeast a little more than a year ago.
Ninety-nine percent of the dogs at the rescue come from pounds, both locally and in California and New York City.
“We are more than happy to place dogs with older people, and we are also willing to give support after the adoption,” Meade said, noting that some rescues will not adopt to people over 60.
Bonnie and Clyde, an affectionate terrier pair.L. Tomaino
For those who cannot adopt, the rescue needs donations of old blankets, dog and cat food, cleaning supplies, puppy pads and dog treats. Monetary donations are also welcome and can be made through the rescue’s website. Meade also welcomes volunteers to help with the dogs.
Contact Meade at 805-239-4004, 860-866-7986 or 4dots@att.net to arrange a visit or drop off donations. For available dogs and more information, visit meadecaninerescue.org.
Newtown Veterinary Specialists
For Berkshire County residents, VCA All Caring Animal Hospital, 440 Stockbridge Road in Great Barrington, can be a nearby first call. The full-service hospital offers diagnostics and hospitalization and asks clients with an emergency or a pet requiring immediate attention to call rather than use its online contact form. It is not a 24-hour emergency hospital, however. Current hours are 7:30 a.m. to 5 p.m. Monday through Friday and 8 a.m. to 1 p.m. Saturday. It is closed Sunday. Call 413-528-8020.
Poughkeepsie also has several options for urgent care. Creature Comforts Animal Hospital, 64 Pine St., is a full-service veterinary hospital offering emergency and critical care during regular business hours. The hospital treats dogs and cats as well as birds, reptiles and other exotic pets. Hours are 9 a.m. to 8 p.m. Monday, 9 a.m. to 6 p.m. Tuesday through Friday and 9 a.m. to 2 p.m. Saturday. It is closed Sunday. For after-hours emergencies involving dogs and cats, the hospital refers patients to regional emergency facilities. Call 845-625-2474.
Community Animal Care, 269 Titusville Road, offers urgent and emergency care during operating hours and asks pet owners to call ahead. Regular hours are 8 a.m. to 6 p.m. Monday through Thursday, 8 a.m. to 5 p.m. Friday and 8 a.m. to 1 p.m. Saturday. Urgent care is available daily by calling ahead, with extended hours until 9 p.m. Tuesdays and Thursdays. The practice also offers after-hours veterinary triage by video to help owners determine whether a pet can safely wait or should be taken to a 24-hour facility. Call 845-471-7459.
When an animal needs care in the middle of the night, on a holiday or for a potentially life-threatening condition, the options become more limited.
Guardian Veterinary Specialists, 4 Hardscrabble Heights in Brewster, is a 24-hour emergency and specialty hospital, open seven days a week, 365 days a year. Its emergency department is staffed around the clock, with on-site imaging and laboratory services. No appointment is necessary for an emergency, although calling ahead is encouraged when possible. Call 914-704-3400.
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Newtown Veterinary Specialists, 52 Church Hill Road in Newtown, Connecticut, also provides emergency care 24 hours a day, seven days a week, including holidays. No appointment is required for emergency care, although the hospital recommends calling ahead when possible. Call 203-270-8387.
Pet owners should remember that emergency veterinary hospitals operate much like human emergency rooms in that patients are triaged according to the severity of their condition, so animals with less critical problems may have to wait.
The best preparation is simple. Keep the number of your regular veterinarian and at least one 24-hour emergency hospital in your phone, and know roughly how long it will take to get there. If circumstances allow, call before leaving home to confirm where your pet should be seen.
When something goes wrong at 10 p.m. on a Sunday, knowing where you’re headed can make a frightening situation a little less overwhelming.
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