Pittsfield — The Berkshire Humane Society dedicated their shelter building on 214 Barker Road to the late Dr. John Reynolds at a ceremonial event on Friday, August 11.

Reynolds, 58, died in December 2021 in a kayaking accident at Richmond Pond. He was the owner of Pittsfield Veterinary Hospital and Shaker Hill Pet Resort, and Reynolds was also a volunteer and major supporter of the Berkshire Humane Society.

Over the years, Reynolds donated his time to the Berkshire Humane Society and was a member of its board of directors. “He was a wonderful, kind, and compassionate man,” organization Marketing Communications Manager Catherine Hibbard said. “My family took our dogs to see him for years. He donated many hours neutering and spaying our animals at our shelter. He was just a wonderful man who loved animals.”

“He was just a really compassionate person who was a pillar in the community,” Cindy Bartlett, member of the organization’s board of directors, said about Reynolds. “His business acumen really helped with the shelter. On any given day, if we called him because we had a problem, he would be right here.”

Bartlett said that she served on the organization’s board with Reynolds. “But first and foremost, he was my friend,” Bartlett said. “He meant a lot to this organization for all the years of support he has given to us. He was my friend and my veterinarian, and his death has left a hole in the community.”

“When he purchased Pittsfield Veterinary Hospital, from day one he was at our door saying to us ‘How can I help?’” Executive Director John Perrault said. “That was when we were in our old building on Cadwell Road and we had not moved into this building yet. I was in the Rotary Club with him, so I had a chance to spend a lot of time with him when it came to other projects besides Berkshire Humane Society projects. What I remember the most about him is that he was about his community. He wanted to make his community a better place. He put his actions where his words were. Not only did he help take care of animals, but his office provided a soup kitchen every few weeks where he provided a meal for the community.”

Perrault said that it is a privilege for the organization to put Reynolds’ name on its building. “He realized the strength behind the bond between pets and people, and how much it made a difference in people’s lives,” Perrault said. “He thought that by helping out the animals, he would also be helping out the people.”

The organization is still developing a memorial rock garden and waterfall next to the building.

According to its website, the shelter is a nonprofit organization with the primary mission of sheltering homeless animals and is the only open-admission shelter serving Berkshire County and its surrounding areas. Since 1992, The Berkshire Humane Society has sheltered over 57,000 homeless animals which they have made available for adoption.

For more information about the Berkshire Humane Society, go to its website.