Greyhound Friends Public Hearing

[Updated 9/10/18]  Greyhounds Friends Inc has submitted an application for a new license to the Town Clerk. The Board of Selectmen has called a public hearing for the purpose of determining whether the kennel is being maintained in a sanitary and humane manner and/or if records are properly kept as required by law, and to review whether it supports the issuance of a new license to Greyhound Friends. (This public hearing has been rescheduled from March 28, 2017.) The hearing has been rescheduled to Tuesday, September 11, 2018 at 8:30 PM at the Selectmen’s meeting which will be held at HCAM TV-Studio (lower level), 77 Main Street. The agenda and meeting packet is available on the town website. As usual the meeting will be televised live on HCAM-TV (Comcast 8 / Verizon 30). Public comment is invited. Residents are welcome to provide input on whether or not the Board of Selectmen should support issuance of a new license. Residents may attend and/or speak at the public hearing. They may also send comments in advance to selectmen@hopkintonma.gov and cc townclerk@hopkintonma.gov.

Hopkinton’s current kennel licensing requirements and process can be found on pages 57-61 of Hopkinton’s General Bylaw Book (2017). Greyhound Friends’ kennel license was suspended by the town on January 23, 2017. Hopkinton revised its kennel bylaws at the May 2017 Town Meeting (see the Town Meeting 2017 motions document pages 50-55 for the changes).

Town Bylaws (2017) Section § 62-7.G. C. (3)
“Reinstatement after Suspension. If a Kennel License is suspended, the Kennel License holder may apply for reinstatement after the close of the suspension period by requesting a reinspection of the Kennel or its records after reasonably demonstrating to the Animal Control Officer that the Kennel has been brought into compliance with this Section and all other applicable state and local requirements, and that the Kennel Licensee has satisfied the terms of the suspension order. The Animal Control Officer shall then make a report to the Town Clerk, who shall, within a reasonable time, review the application in accordance with Section 62-7.C.”

Below is a list of articles about Greyhound Friends. The majority were written by Jonathan Phelps and published in the MetroWest Daily News since February 3, 2017. Mr. Phelps won First Place for General News in the New England Newspaper & Press Association Better Newspaper Contest for his series on Greyhound Friends.

VIDEO: Hopkinton Greyhound Rescue investigation comes to an end, August 16, 2018, Boston 25 News
https://www.boston25news.com/video?videoId=814255198&videoVersion=2.0

Greyhound Friends in Hopkinton to Institute Governance Reforms, Additional Monitoring to Resolve Allegations of Financial Mismanagement and Insufficient Oversight, August 15, 2018, Press Release, Office of Massachusetts Attorney General Maura Healey https://www.mass.gov/news/greyhound-friends-in-hopkinton-to-institute-governance-reforms-additional-monitoring-to

Hopkinton: Louise Coleman reaches deal with AG for misuse of funds, August 15, 2018, MetroWest Daily News http://www.metrowestdailynews.com/news/20180815/greyhound-friends-ex-director-to-pay-40k-in-ag-settlement

Hopkinton’s Greyhound Friends reaches deal with AG on oversight, August 6, 2018, MetroWest Daily News http://hopkinton.wickedlocal.com/news/20180806/hopkintons-greyhound-friends-reaches-deal-with-ag-on-oversight

Hopkinton Town Counsel Provides Feedback Regarding Greyhound Friends Public Hearing, August 6, 2018, HCAM News http://www.hcam.tv/news/hopkinton-town-counsel-provides-feedback-regarding-greyhound-friends-public-hearing

Board of Selectmen Public Hearing Regarding Greyhound Friends has been Postponed, August 3, 2018, HCAM News http://www.hcam.tv/news/board-selectmen-public-hearing-regarding-greyhound-friends-has-been-postponed-september-11th

Notice of Public Hearing: Greyhound Friends Inc., HCAM News http://www.hcam.tv/news/notice-public-hearing-greyhound-friends-inc-tuesday-august-7th-2018

Greyhound Friends seeks new license in Hopkinton, July 6, 2018, MetroWest Daily News: http://www.metrowestdailynews.com/news/20180705/greyhound-friends-seeks-new-license-in-hopkinton

Attorney General expands Greyhound Friends probe, May 27, 2018, MetroWest Daily News: http://www.metrowestdailynews.com/news/20180527/attorney-general-expands-greyhound-friends-probe

Hopkinton:  Court records sealed in Louise Colement’s animal cruelty case, May 3, 2018, MetroWest Daily News: http://www.metrowestdailynews.com/news/20180503/hopkinton-court-records-sealed-in-louise-colemans-animal-cruelty-case

Daily News journalists win a dozen awards from the New England Newspaper & Press Association, February 27, 2018: http://www.metrowestdailynews.com/news/20180227/daily-news-journalists-win-dozen-awards-from-new-england-newspaper-amp-press-association

Hopkinton’s Greyhound Friends remains closed a year later, February 18, 2018:  http://www.metrowestdailynews.com/news/20180218/hopkintons-greyhound-friends-remains-closed-year-later

Ex-director of Hopkinton kennel cleared of animal cruelty charge, December 2, 2017, MetroWest Daily News: http://www.metrowestdailynews.com/news/20171201/ex-director-of-hopkinton-kennel-cleared-of-animal-cruelty-charge.

Photos:  Louise Coleman verdict is not guilty, December 1, 2017, MetroWest Daily News: http://www.metrowestdailynews.com/photogallery/WL/20171201/NEWS/120109984/PH/1

Witnesses: Conditions poor, November 30, 2017, MetroWest Daily News: http://www.metrowestdailynews.com/news/20171130/witnesses-conditions-poor

Witness:  ‘Superior’ care given to Greyhound Friends dogs, November 30, 2017, MetroWest Daily News: http://www.metrowestdailynews.com/news/20171130/witness-superior-care-given-to-greyhound-friends-dogs.

LIVE:  Day 2 of former Greyhound Friends director trial, November 29, 2017, MetroWest Daily News: http://www.metrowestdailynews.com/news/20171129/live-day-2-of-former-greyhound-friends-director-trial

Witnesses recall deteriorating conditions at Greyhound Friends, November 29, 2017, MetroWest Daily News, http://www.metrowestdailynews.com/news/20171129/witnesses-recall-deteriorating-conditions-at-greyhound-friends.

PHOTOS:  Trial of former Greyhound Friends director, November 28, 2017, MetroWest Daily News, http://www.metrowestdailynews.com/photogallery/WL/20171128/NEWS/112809979/PH/1.

Prosecutor:  Dogs ‘rescued’ from Greyhound Friends, November 28, 2017, MetroWest Daily News, http://www.metrowestdailynews.com/news/20171128/prosecutor-dogs-rescued-from-greyhound-friends

Louise Coleman animal cruelty trial starts Tuesday, November 26, 2017, MetroWest Daily News: http://www.metrowestdailynews.com/news/20171126/louise-coleman-animal-cruelty-trial-starts-tuesday

New evidence allowed in Louise Coleman trial, November 13, 2017, MetroWest Daily News: http://www.metrowestdailynews.com/news/20171113/new-evidence-allowed-in-louise-coleman-trial

Ex-Greyhound Friends director set for Nov. 28 trial, November 3, 2017, MetroWest Daily News: http://www.metrowestdailynews.com/news/20171103/ex-greyhound-friends-director-set-for-nov-28-trial

Judge blocks DA from getting Greyhound Friend’s emails, October 10, 2017, MetroWest Daily News: http://www.metrowestdailynews.com/news/20171010/judge-blocks-da-from-getting-greyhound-friends-emails

Hopkinton:  Greyhound Friends opposes record requests, September 25, 2017, MetroWest Daily News: http://www.metrowestdailynews.com/news/20170925/hopkinton-greyhound-friends-opposes-record-requests

Hopkinton:  Louise Coleman animal cruelty charge trial to start Nov. 28, August 25, 2017, MetroWest Daily News: http://www.metrowestdailynews.com/news/20170825/hopkinton-louise-coleman-animal-cruelty-trial-to-start-nov-28

Hopkinton: Greyhound Friends Director Louise Coleman ousted, August 24, 2017, MetroWest Daily News: http://www.metrowestdailynews.com/news/20170824/hopkinton-greyhound-friends-director-louise-coleman-ousted

Greyhound Friends:  Lawyer pushing for speedy animal cruelty charge, July 18, 2017, MetroWest Daily News: http://www.metrowestdailynews.com/news/20170718/greyhound-friends-lawyer-pushing-for-speedy-animal-cruelty-trial

Greyhound Friends:  Judge denies Louise Coleman’s motion to dismiss charge, July 14, 2017, MetroWest Daily News: http://www.metrowestdailynews.com/news/20170714/greyhound-friends-judge-denies-louise-colemans-motion-to-dismiss-charge

No decision in Greyhound Friends case, July 11, 2017, MetroWes4t Daily News: http://www.metrowestdailynews.com/news/20170711/no-decision-in-greyhound-friends-case

Hopkinton:  Greyhound Friends board agrees to limit of 20 dogs, May 24, 2017, MetroWest Daily News: http://www.metrowestdailynews.com/news/20170524/hopkinton-greyhound-friends-board-agrees-to-limit-of-20-dogs

Timeline of Greyhound Friends, May 17, 2017, MetroWest Daily News: http://www.metrowestdailynews.com/news/20170517/timeline-of-greyhound-friends

Prosecutor:  Greyhound Friends had fair warning, May 12, 2017, MetroWest Daily News: http://www.metrowestdailynews.com/news/20170512/prosecutor-greyhound-friends-had-fair-warning

Greyhound Friends fighting animal cruelty charges, May 5, 2017, MetroWest Daily News: http://www.metrowestdailynews.com/news/20170505/greyhound-friends-fighting-animal-cruelty-charge

Hopkinton contractor places lien on Greyhound Friends, May 4, 2017, MetroWest Daily News: http://www.metrowestdailynews.com/news/20170504/hopkinton-contractor-places-lien-on-greyhound-friends

Hopkinton kennel fine increase called a ‘witch hunt’, May 2, 2017, MetroWest Daily News: http://www.metrowestdailynews.com/news/20170502/hopkinton-kennel-fine-increase-called-witch-hunt

Hopkinton:  Greyhound Friends finances under scrutiny, April 23, 2017, MetroWest Daily News: http://www.metrowestdailynews.com/news/20170423/hopkinton-greyhound-friends-finances-under-scrutiny

Hopkinton selectmen seek to hike kennel violation fines, May 31, 2017, MetroWest Daily News: http://www.metrowestdailynews.com/news/20170331/hopkinton-selectmen-seek-to-hike-kennel-violation-fines

Greyhound Friends director ordered to stay away from shelter, May 28, 2017, MetroWest Daily News: http://www.metrowestdailynews.com/news/20170329/greyhound-friends-director-ordered-to-stay-away-from-shelter

Greyhound Friends hearing postponed in Hopkinton, May 27, 2017, MetroWest Daily News: http://www.metrowestdailynews.com/news/20170327/greyhound-friends-hearing-postponed-in-hopkinton

State blasts lack of enforcement at Greyhound Friends, March 26, 2017, MetroWest Daily News: http://www.metrowestdailynews.com/news/20170326/state-blasts-lack-of-enforcement-at-greyhound-friends

Greyhound Friends executive director resigns from board, March 17, 2017, MetroWest Daily News: http://www.metrowestdailynews.com/news/20170317/greyhound-friends-executive-director-resigns-from-board

Kennel bylaw changes proposed in Hopkinton, March 13, 2017, MetroWest Daily News: http://www.metrowestdailynews.com/news/20170313/kennel-bylaw-changes-proposed-in-hopkinton

Rescue Groups question Greyhound Friends, March 10, 2017, MetroWest Daily News: http://www.metrowestdailynews.com/news/20170310/rescue-groups-question-greyhound-friends

AG looks at Greyhound Friends finances, March 10, 2017, MetroWest Daily News: http://www.metrowestdailynews.com/news/20170310/ag-looks-at-greyhound-friends-finances

Greyhound Friends director charges with animal cruelty, March 8, 2017, MetroWest Daily News: http://www.metrowestdailynews.com/news/20170308/greyhound-friends-director-charged-with-animal-cruelty

State asks Greyhound Friends for written protocols, March 5, 2017, MetroWest Daily News: http://www.metrowestdailynews.com/news/20170305/state-asks-greyhound-friends-for-written-protocols

Report:  Dogs ‘languishing’ at Greyhound Friends, March 3, 2017, MetroWest Daily News:  http://www.metrowestdailynews.com/news/20170303/report-dogs-languishing-at-greyhound-friends

Greyhound adoption shelter accused of mistreating animals, March 2, 2018, Boston 25 News
https://www.boston25news.com/news/greyhound-adoption-shelter-accused-of-mistreating-animals/498326893

Greyhound Friends in Hopkinton updating kennels, February 3, 2017, MetroWest Daily News: http://www.metrowestdailynews.com/news/20170203/greyhound-friends-in-hopkinton-updating-kennels