Greyhound Friends Founder's Animal Cruelty Trial Starts Tuesday

HOPKINTON, MA – The trial of a former Hopkinton kennel director charged with animal cruelty is set to begin Tuesday. Louise Coleman, who founded Greyhound Friends in 1983, was charged with one count of felony animal cruelty in March following an investigation into conditions at the shelter.

The trial is expected to last less than a week, according to the Milford Daily News. Coleman, 72, told the publication she is "looking forward having this all over."

Before its shutdown earlier this year, Greyhound Friends placed retired race dogs and mixed-breed hounds in homes. The shelter's license was suspended and a cease and desist order was issued in January amid an investigation into the mistreatment of dogs at the shelter.

This included complaints about small cages, dogs staying in the shelter for many years and contagious diseases going undiagnosed and untreated. Former Greyhound Friends board members spoke with FOX Investigates about problems they had allegedly witnessed.

Coleman defended herself in March, telling WCVB her staff hadn't done anything "intentionally wrong" but there were always ways to "have things better." A member of the governing board shared with the network that it had spent more than $50,000 to comply with orders from the inspectors, and that they had gone beyond those repairs and updated the entire kennel.

In a statement issued Feb. 28, Coleman said, "Greyhound Friends Inc. has come under criticism recently from another shelter in Massachusetts for the practice of keeping long term/hard to place dogs. The concern of extended stay is important to our organization with our best efforts made to find suitable situations for these hard to place dogs. The care of these dogs is of the highest standard."

Coleman resigned from the board of directors in March and took a leave of absence as director. Two months later, she was let go by the organization.

Meanwhile Greyhound Friends sent a letter in October asking for donations to reopen and continue operations. The organization's board of directors has stated that it would not re-elect Coleman to the board or rehire her in a managerial capacity, the Milford Daily News reported.

Greyhound Friends will have to petition the Board of Selectmen to have its license restored.

Image via Shutterstock