HARRISBURG, Pa. - May 1 /PRNewswire-USNewswire/ -- The owner of Almost Heaven kennel in Lehigh County, Derbe Eckhart, today was ordered to stand trial by a Lehigh County District Justice on charges of violating terms of his Feb. 6 kennel license refusal, which barred him from operating a boarding kennel, among other restrictions.

Eckhart was found to be boarding dogs on Feb. 11 when state dog wardens inspected the kennel.

Violations after a license has been refused are third degree misdemeanors under the new Pennsylvania Dog Law, signed into law by Governor Edward G. Rendell in October 2008. Eckhart will be scheduled for a trial in the Lehigh court.

Additionally, April Welter, a worker at the kennel, was found guilty of summary charges for operating a kennel without a license. In January, Welter presented herself as the owner of the kennel on the kennel's Web site and to an undercover dog warden, yet she has never had a kennel license in Pennsylvania. Welter will have 30 days to appeal the decision.

Jessie Smith, the state's special deputy secretary for dog law enforcement, said today's decisions were evidence that the new law, Act 119 of 2008, is working to close loopholes in previous versions of the law and protect dogs in kennels.

"Previous versions of the Dog Law allowed kennel owners to operate for extended periods of time even after having their kennel license revoked or refused," said Smith. "The new law prohibits kennels in that situation from obtaining new dogs, breeding or boarding, so that they cannot operate as usual during a lengthy appeal process. In this case, the kennel owner violated the terms of the new law, and faces third degree misdemeanor charges."

The state's Bureau of Dog Law Enforcement refused the 2009 kennel license application for Almost Heaven after an October 2008 inspection showed significant violations of the Dog Law.

Eckhart has appealed the refusal, but must follow strict rules and submit to unannounced inspections during the appeal period.

In addition to much needed enforcement improvements, Act 119 addresses the health and welfare needs of the dogs housed in large commercial breeding kennels by requiring these operations to meet new physical standards for cage size and flooring. These new requirements will take effect in October 2009.

Among other protections for dogs, the new law doubles the minimum floor space for dogs, eliminates wire flooring, and requires exercise that is at least as good as unfettered access to an exercise area twice the size of the primary enclosure. The previous law did not require that dogs ever be taken out of cages, much less be provided access to exercise areas.

The law also requires veterinary examinations for each dog twice per year.

To report unsatisfactory conditions at a kennel confidentially, or if a kennel is suspected of being illegal, call the Pennsylvania Department of Agriculture's toll-free hotline at 1-877-DOG-TIP1.

CONTACT: Chris L. Ryder 717-787-5085