Greyhound Friends Education Team Visits Elmwood School
02/05/2012
From the Hopkinton News - a story on the recent visit of our Education Team to the Elmwood School. Thank you, Hopkinton News, for highlighting our work! 
February 3, 2012 — On a Mother's Day nearly three decades ago Greyhound Friends president Louise Coleman acquired her first greyhound from Wonderland Racing in Revere and a spark was ignited. It is a spark that stays lit to this day after having found homes for more than 9,000 dogs. Although Massachusetts has banned dog racing, other states continue the sport, keeping the need alive for shelters like Greyhound Friends. Today, volunteers from the non-profit organization visited Elmwood School and explained the breed to nearly four dozen inquisitive students. How old is the breed? How long was its ownership confined to royalty? Are all greyhounds good with all size animals? Do they like to run, or are they lazy, or both? These animals that have been bred for racing must learn how to walk stairs, and not try to walk on water after being placed in a home. They need to be leashed, because if they decide chasing a squirrel is proper, no one can catch the dog. The program’s core message stresses kindness to animals and the value of involvement in one’s community, while educating students about the unique history and characteristics of the greyhound breed. To learn more, visit Greyhound Friends
Greyhound Friends Announces Companion Website
01/30/2012
A Message From Louise Coleman Greyhound Friends began on Mother's Day, 1983. When my son, Nolan, and I brought Boston Boy (our first greyhound) home from Wonderland, I had no idea about what was to become the long and winding road of greyhound adoption and welfare. Greyhound Friends has adopted out thousands of greyhounds over the years. Greyhound racing has ended in New England, and now we bring greyhounds up from Florida and other racing states for adoption in this area. Unfortunately, many greyhounds don't make it to adoption groups. A growing number are given or sold to people who breed them with hunting or sled dogs. The result are many greyhound crosses, who often land in high kill shelters. Greyhound Friends is working with humane groups in the Mid-West to bring a representative number of these greyhound crosses here, so that the public will become aware of this increasingly prevalent peril for greyhounds. We ask the shelter volunteers in the Mid-West to keep an eye out for the greyhound crosses; and our shelter scouts know we will try to bring some of these dogs here for adoption. In the midst of this rescue effort we have learned of many other mixes and hounds, bred and then dumped, who have little chance of adoption in the Mid-West. I am reminded of how Irish greyhounds and lurchers, and Spanish galgos, have historically been regarded in their respective countries - as of absolutely no intrinsic value. These Mid-West mixes and hounds are also victims of people's vicious unkindness. Greyhound Friends will always be predominantly a greyhound adoption/welfare organization. At the same time, we are beginning to bring attention to the hounds, beagles and mixes who have no hope where they are. The intent is to help some very deserving dogs, and to reach adopters who are looking for a good dog, but not exclusively a greyhound. Another benefit of having some hounds and beagles in our adoption kennel is that in our efforts to move them into adoption, we are networking much more extensively with regional shelters and adoption groups in New England. Non-greyhound groups have taken many of the hounds and mixes into their care and found them good homes. At the same time, the networking effort helps us get the Greyhound Friends message out and to bring more greyhound adopters to our door. For those interested in learning more about hound mixes and greyhound crosses available for adoption, Greyhound Friends has launched a companion website, Hound Friends. I hope you'll take a look and join us in helping these very deserving dogs.
Some Upcoming Events - Mark Your Calendar
01/29/2012
March 8, 6:30 p.m. - the MSPCA is sponsoring a Lobby 101 Workshop at the MSPCA on S. Huntington Avenue, Boston, MA. April 26th, 10:00 a.m. - 4:00 p.m. - Lobby Day for Animals at the State House, Boston, MA. May 19 & 20, 12:00-4:00 - Greyhound Friends Annual Spring Open House June 30 - tentative date for International Gathering at Greyhound Friends September 22 & 23, 12:00-4:00 - Greyhound Friends Annual Fall Open House
Looking to the Year Ahead
01/08/2012
We have heard in past months that many people who are not actively involved in greyhound rescue believe that there is no further need to help greyhounds since racing has ended in MA (and New England). Nothing could be further from the truth! Our work is far from done. This will be one of our key areas of communication in the coming year. Currently there are many greyhounds in other states (an especially large number in Florida due to all the low-end tracks in that area). With the state regulations affecting the transport of greyhounds (and other breeds of dogs as well) into Massachusetts, the transport of these needy greyhounds to us is expensive and complicated. We continue to work hard on all the details of the getting some of these greyhounds to us and we are participating in upcoming hauls of greyhounds to this area. It all takes a huge amount of time and money - but we need to do this for the greyhounds. What can you do to help? Please pass the word that greyhounds still need our help and care. Feel free to refer any questions directly to us. And remember that your donations are more important than ever. The cost of the hauls, the isolation of the dogs when they arrive, and their care all add up and your donations will help us defray those costs.
Second Chances Thrift Shop - Shopping for Any Occasion!
12/26/2011
As many of you may know, Greyhound Friends has opened the Second Chances Thrift Shop as a way to be supportive to our community and as a way to raise funds for Greyhound Friends. The Shop is doing very well - there are lots of great items for sale and new items are arriving all the time! Please stop by to say hello and browse the merchandise - you might find something very special - and any purchase that you make goes to help support Greyhound Friends. The shop is located at 6 West Central Street, Natick, MA To donate items or to volunteer to work a few hours at the Shop, contact Louise at ghfriend @ greyhound.org or 508-435-5969. Second Chances Gift Shop has a website! Check it out! www.secondchancesthriftshop.com.
The Boston Boy Memorial Garden
10/10/2011
Memorial bricks can be ordered at any time to be placed in the Memorial Garden. Each brick is $200. Contact Pat at ghfriend (at) greyhound (dot) org for details on how to order your brick(s), engraving specifics, and for delivery information. Your purchase of an engraved brick (or two) will help Greyhound Friends buy materials to complete the garden's benches and plantings, which will be purchased and installed soon.
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Greyhound Friends, Inc. is a non-profit organization located in Hopkinton, Massachusetts, dedicated to saving racetrack greyhounds and placing them in responsible, loving homes. We invite you to learn more about us by reading our website and visiting our kennel. We're open 7 days a week, 9:00AM - 5:00PM. For directions 
