Amish Puppy Mill Update: A Final Push for Letters!
Decision To Be Announced March 18 By Zoning Hearing Board Members!
Thank you all for e-mailing Leacock Township and Pennsylvania officials regarding Daniel P. Esh, the Amish puppy miller who wants to expand his dog breeding operation, Clear View Kennel, Ronks (Lancaster County), PA. Esh applied for a new building permit but it was denied by Zoning Officer Wilmer Hall. (See February 20, 2003 action alert.) Christian Herr, head of PA Dog Law and Jim Rogers, USDA Liaison, are responding to our emails with standard form letters. Don't let them have the last word. What puzzles us is how Esh now can be found in compliance, given his repeated serious violations over the last 15 years!
Recently we learned that Esh in September 1997 was sued by the State Attorney General's office for allegedly breeding and selling hundreds (750 in 1996!!)of dogs without a license. Esh relinquished his USDA license to breed and sell dogs in January 1995, yet 81 litters of puppies were found on his premises in May 1996! (State press release, 9-29-97) He was later relicensed. Esh was also mentioned in several newspaper articles that cited dreadful conditions in Pennsylvania's puppy mills. Last week we obtained inspection reports from the state and based on discrepancies found in the reports, there are questions we want answered. Compare the most recent dates and figures:
PA: April 30, 2002, 465 dogs; eleven Noncompliance items (NCI's) & Misdemeanor Offenses (see below)
USDA: July 24, 2002 465 dogs; one NCI
USDA: January 28, 2003: 462 dogs, two NCI's
PA: February 4, 2003 (after Esh applied for a building permit) 659 dogs; one NCI.
Following is the list of state regulations Esh violated in April 2002. (They are classified as misdemeanor offenses under PA dog law.) The misery and abuse endured by these deprived dogs who are caged twenty-four hours a day for years on end couldn't be more glaring and sickening!
21.21. Dog Quarters.
21.23. Space.
21.24. Shelters. Wire Flooring
21.26. Ventilation in indoor housing facilities.
21.27. Lighting in indoor housing facilities.
21.28. Food, water and bedding.
21.29 Sanitation.
When it comes to regulation enforcement, it is unclear which agency overrides the other. Rogers claims the USDA does not limit the number of dogs in a kennel, so why doesn't Leacock Township enforce the original terms of 250 dogs? Rogers goes on to say that the USDA does not have the authority to enforce state regulations, so why isn't the decision of local zoning boards the final word? Herr says the PA Department of Agriculture has little influence in determining the outcome of this local zoning issue, but that he is "very interested" in the decision and that his department has cited Esh and is "going to court in the near future." Does this mean Esh will be in court to respond to misdemeanor charges from April 2002 or are there new charges we don't know about? Herr also states since 1996 there are 390 less licensed kennels in the state, but there are still more than 300 kennels concentrated in Lancaster County alone, and this doesn't include almost 250 unlicensed kennels! Herr is quoted in a Philadelphia Inquirer article (December 10, 1995) "that dog breeding helps keep farming viable in Lancaster County. This little cottage industry keeps more of the Amish and Mennonite families in this area."
WHAT YOU CAN DO:
Email the zoning hearing board members and urge them to fully support Zoning Officer Wilmer Hall's decision to deny Daniel Esh and Clear View Kennel a new permit. (Esh appealed Hall's decision.)
Email Herr and tell him that his "little cottage industry" is saturating the market with sick, genetically defective and unsocialized dogs and puts a strain on the finances of unsuspecting consumers who incur huge vet bills to treat their animals. Many thousands of these dogs end up in our animal shelters and breed rescue organizations. We're sick and tired of cleaning up his department's mess!
Email Jim Rogers and tell him the same thing: we're tired of cleaning up his department's mess!
Copy Governor Rendell on your emails.
Copy the Lancaster County Commissioners on your emails.
Leacock Township Zoning Hearing Board Members
Michael Sensenig, Donald Eby, and Richard Bomberger
Fax: 717-768-8471
Email: [email protected]
Lancaster County Commissioners
Howard Shaub, Paul Thibault, Ron Ford
Email: [email protected]
PA Bureau of Dog Law Enforcement
Christian Herr,
Email: [email protected]
USDA/APHIS Public Affairs Liaison
Jim Rogers,
E-mail: [email protected]
Governor Edward G. Rendell
Email: [email protected]
Again, thank you for your emails and support. We will let you know the outcome and keep you posted on all developments.
Campaigns Department
Last Chance for Animals
[email protected]
310-271-6096 x30
http://www.lcanimal.org
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Can someone please explain! Thanks!
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