FINALLY!-ALMOST HEAVEN IS NO MORE!

[Jacquie Yorke (DRC)]

Just got the call .....Skip Eckhart's appeal was denied for the last time this morning and at 12:00 this afternoon HSUS was there with the Bureau Of Dog Law Enforcement, Emmaus law enforcement, volunteers, trucks, triage tents and a court order to seize dogs........ As I type, they are in the process of seizing 250 dogs .....Almost Heaven is out of business for good in PA!....The dogs are being treated in an emergency shelter located at the Farm Show Complex in Harrisburg and will be with various rescue organizations in the area to be placed for adoption. Some will be available for adoption within the next week.........Please keep in mind that whille yes justice is finally served, this does not prevent Eckhart from relocating to another state,applying for a USDA licence and starting all over again.....Check out the news tonight and tomorrow morning for details.

[JOJO and Mojo]

Snakes like this will continue to surface!

[Karen, Jasper and Jackdoodle]

Here is Skip's profile from Pet Abuse.Com, with his history of mistreating dogs and committing fraud. As you can see, his activities have been known and made public for many, many years. Yet his activities have continued. With this new development, will this shameful history continue? You know what they say about leopards, although I hate to insult leopards by making that comparison. let's just say "predators"...

Derbe Eckhart

Also known as: Skip Eckhart, Derbe Smith
Business/Organization: Almost Heaven Kennels
Gender: Male
Location: Emmaus, PA (US)
History

Feb 6, 2009 - Emmaus, PA (US)
Alleged: Operating boarding kennel after license refusal

Oct 1, 2008 - Emmaus, PA (US)
Alleged: Puppy mill - 800 animals, 125 seized

Jul 19, 2006 - Emmaus, PA (US)
Not Charged: Housing exotic animals

Aug 2004 - Emmaus, PA (US)
Civil Case: Dog breeders given lifetime ban by AKC

Notes: Lifetime ban from AKC

Apr 1999 - Allentown, PA (US)
Not Charged: AKC suspended breeder using alias to register dogs

Jun 1991 - Allentown, PA (US)
Convicted: Convicted abuser operating unlicensed kennels

May 1991 - Weissport, PA (US)
Convicted: Convicted abuser operating unlicensed kennel

Apr 1990 - Lehighton, PA (US)
Convicted: 10 puppies die from lack of sustenance

Jun 1989 - Allentown, PA (US)
Convicted: Convicted abuser suspended from AKC until 2019

Aug 1988 - Lehighton, PA (US)
Convicted: 45 dogs, 3 cats starved, removed from home

Sentence: Fined $100 each for 32 citations for cruelty to animals; sentenced to 2 to 10 months in Carbon County Prison for allowing unsanitary conditions at the kennel.... more...

Notes:
Lifetime ban from AKC

http://www.pet-abuse.com/profiles/9024/


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[Jeannine]

So if I read this report correctly... It took for the state of Pennsylvania:
21 years before they shut down that monster...
21 years of horrible suffering for the poor animals in his possession...
21 years of closing their eyes to what they saw, read and inspected in his 'facility'...
21 years of inhuman torture to some of the most vulnerable and innocent creatures in this word...

The sad thing about this is that they are not alone. How many other states in the United States and provinces in Canada had and still have the same attitude regarding animals?
Except for we humans, no other species will kill or make other beings suffer just for the pleasure and the profit of it. The other species kill for their survival, to eat, to protect themselves.
And we call ourselves 'HUMAN'! What a joke!

[BetteB]

I can't believe I haven't seen anything on my local news or national news about this... perhaps I just managed to miss the coverage? Searched cnn.com and couldn't find the story there, either. For goodness sake, I would rather the American Public be informed about this, rather than Jon and Kate Plus 8....

[Jeannine]

I agree with you on that!

[Allyson, Peri & Taquito]

Yep nothing down here in TN either...only Jon and Kate crap...it should be on the Today Show and there should be a focus on "what to look for when buying a pet" or something...

[Jeannine]

Hundreds of poor animals suffering all their lives are not important in this world... Kate cheating on Jon... The twins being a spoil pain... that's will make the first page!

People do not care about dogs, cats or birds who were abuse and kind of torture, what they care about is what car to buy or who will babysit the kids so they can go spend money they do not have. That is what is important today!

[Karen, Jasper and Jackdoodle]

I will say again: DO NOT BUY A DOG FROM ANYONE WITHOUT DOING A GOOGLE SEARCH OF BOTH THEIR NAME AND THE KENNEL NAME. There is far far more that you should do before buying a dog, like checking that the breeding dogs are fully tested, but this most basic first step is an absolute must. What could be easier or faster? The above info came from a Google search I did of Skip Eckhart, on the first page.

[Jeannine]

Yes, Karen, it is the most basic common sense to do that search when buying dogs or anything matter of fact, but... it's seem that common sense are a rare virtue today!

[Lynne Fowler-Oodles of Doodles]

THIS JUST IN...

ALL 285+ DOGS HAVE BEEN TAKEN INTO 10 DIFFERENT RESCUES. THEY ARE ALL SPOKEN FOR.

THEY WILL BE EVALUATED, VETTED AND SOCIALIZED AND ONLY THEN, BE PUT UP FOR ADOPTION. NO WORD ON WHEN, IT WILL PROBABLY BE ON A DOG BY DOG BASIS.

The DRRC brought home one of that monster's dogs yesterday and are trying to get 6 more of his dogs into adoptive or foster homes.

We named the one we brought home, Finnigan. He is a young (1-2 years) old, neutered male. He is the sweetest thing I ever met, especially for what he has been through. We just couldn't leave him there. He is a tripod, missing his front left leg. I don't even want to think about how that happened, but it doesn't seem to bother him. He is completely, housebroken, walks great on a leash and loves to snuggle. I am always amazed at how these dogs are willing to give humans another chance. He has had all is shots and is ready for adoption. We are fostering him until that time and already have a couple of applications from IDOG and DRRC folks.

If anyone can help out, even a couple dollars, it would be greatly appreciated.

We have a Chip-In set up on our Main Page

and 100% - ALL OF IT, goes to the dogs.

The DRRC is appreciative for all of your support and concern and Thank You, to Adina for all you have done.

[Adrianne Matzkin]

I just went back to see what video had been updated on channel 69. Here is what I found:


raw footage taken at the seizure - this was already posted but I copied it here for someone who may have missed it.

http://wfmz.dayport.com/htm/PopUpPlayer-v3.htm?articleID=1217234

INSPECTORS FAILED TO REPORT - one person already fired

http://wfmz.dayport.com/htm/PopUpPlayer-v3.htm?articleID=1217234

$80,000 IN BACK SALES TAX NOT PAID

http://wfmz.dayport.com/htm/PopUpPlayer-v3.htm?articleID=1217234

There is not 1 word in the NJ Starledger - the largest paper in the State. I just emailed a reported from the state bureau department of the paper to find out why? and what Governor Corzine is doing to make sure Skippy (LOL) doesn't move his mill to this side of the border. I even searched on 'Almost Heaven' in NJ.com - not a word!!!!!!

[Adrianne Matzkin]

Bill White wrote:

As I walked Wednesday morning down the rows of dog cages -- marked on handmade signs as ''Dalmatian Drive,'' ''Fido Freeway,'' etc., while a rescue team from the Humane Society of the United States sorted through the dogs it seized Tuesday from Almost Heaven kennel -- what struck me most was how many of the dogs got to their feet and stuck their noses up to the doors.

When I reached a finger in to touch their noses, every one of them licked me.

If you have a hard time understanding why people would get so worked up about the mistreatment of dogs, that's a good clue. Raised in filthy, crowded conditions, sick and frightened, these animals' instinct still is to crave human companionship, however fleeting. This capacity for unconditional love, even in the face of terrible cruelty, is heartbreaking.

So the sight of 216 dogs, free at last from one of the state's most notorious puppy mills, was truly uplifting.