Almost Heaven – Hell for Animals – VIDEO
Update 2/7/09 – Almost Heaven Denied License, Banned from Buying, Selling, Breeding Dogs
Update – Almost Heaven Kennel License to be Revoked!
The name Derbe Eckhart is well known in certain circles, like state and federal law enforcement. This convicted animal abuser’s record goes back at least to 1988 when 45 severely/grossly malnourished and diseased dogs were seized from his Leighton, PA kennel. He was convicted of 32 animal cruelty charges, fined and given a jail sentence.
In 1989, he was suspended from the AKC for 30 years. In April of 1990, he was convicted after 10 puppies died from ‘lack of sustenance.’ In May of 1991 he was fined for operating an unlicensed kennel in Weissport, PA. In June of 1991 he was fined again for operating an unlicensed kennel in Allentown, PA. In April of 1999 Eckhart became the owner of Almost Hoe kennels and was found by the AKC to be using the alias ‘Skip’ Eckhart to register litters.
In 2004, the AKC filed a civil suit against Derbe “Skip” Eckhart and Lorrie Eckhart. They were granted a permanent injunction and damages totaling nearly $9,000. The injunction bars the Eckharts from using the AKC name in connection with their dog breeding operation. Bottom line, they were given a lifetime ban by the AKC.
An now Derbe ‘Skip’ Eckhart is back in the news and in more hot water after a raid Wednesday on his Lehigh County dog kennel, Almost Heaven.
