(image taken by Tina Evangelista-Eppenstein)
As I traveled the scenic rolling hills of rural Mohrsville, PA this past weekend, I noticed this sign –Celtic Farms and Kennels, Inc, located in Berks County. Attorney, Paul R. Ober, who owns the kennel was recently charged with animal cruelty.
This kennel breeds Field Irish Setters. Mr. Ober has been breeding these dogs since 1970, according to his website. His kennel is classified as a K3 which translates to a breeding kennel which includes puppy mills. He is not classified as a private kennel as Ober suggests on his facebook page.
On May 14th, Ober was charged with five summary counts of animal cruelty after the PSPCA removed five older dogs from his commercial breeding facility on May 8th. He has been charged with lack of veterinary care and other unsatisfactory findings including pens filled with feces, drainage problems, maintenance and housekeeping issues, and pests at his facility according to the inspection report.
According to WFMZ, many neighbors weren’t surprised by the charges due to the “mountain of complaints” over the years.
Ober’s kennel has had numerous poor inspection reports. He also had his license suspended for a period of time. He was forced to build a new structure to house the dogs which is visible from the road in 2012-2013. According to some reports, Ober had the Irish Setters living in barrels.
The dog who was euthanized was 19 yrs. old. She was unable to hear but her sight was fine. She had an abscess in her breast that was opened and draining. She was being treated twice daily. Ober said (on his FB page) a veterinarian would’ve treated her in the exact same manner in which she was being treated at the kennel.
All of the dogs removed ranged from 9 -12 yrs. of age.
Mr. Ober’s views on puppy mills are explained in his words on his facebook page:
” Since the infamous Oprah Winfrey television show in which she conducted an expose of “puppy mills” – especially focused on Pennsylvania – the Pennsylvania Department of Agriculture has been engaged in an intense effort to close Commercial Kennels in Pennsylvania, going so far as to create “Swat Teams…” dedicated to that effort. As a result, over 75% of Commercial Kennels in Pennsylvania have been closed, many on very technical interpretations of the regulations. It was simply too expensive for them to fight.”
As you can read, Ober feels puppy mills in Pennsylvania have been closed due to “technical interpretations of the regulations” rather than the cruelty inflicted upon the dogs who are forced to live in these deplorable conditions. A distored point of view, in my opinion.
Image of Paul Ober (from his website)
Why would anyone want to buy a Celtic Setter from Ober? Here’s his answer:
“Celtic Setters are both AKC and FDSB registered !”
The AKC is nothing of which to brag. The American Kennel Club openly supports puppy mills and fights legislation against puppy mills. Unfortunately, there are many people who believe the AKC means a dog is of superior quality. This couldn’t be further from the truth. The AKC is a registry body. It records the existence of “allegedly purebred dogs.” They issue blue slips to dog owners as proof of registration. The only thing you can be sure of with the AKC is that a dog’s parents are also registered. All you have to do to receive these papers is to send an application and the required fee.
Ober says “Celtic Farms will survive the storm. We will kill no dogs.If the State orders euthanasia, appeals will be filed and, hopefully, the orders overturned. Celitc Farms will continue to breed the highest quality Field Irish Setters in the world. And our retired guys (34) will continue to be provided with a comfortable retirement.”
The PSPCA is still continuing with their investigation. The saga continues for this commercial kennel.
This is place has been in trouble so many times. My God, are they breeding them until old age? 19 yrs old with an open abscess and draining? Why the hell didn’t he take the dog to the vet???? Dogs in commercial kennels are supposed get veterinary care. If he did what was right and he should know since he is an attorney , then he would’ve taken this elderly dog to the vet so she wouldn’t suffer. This guy is unreal.
Not many dogs live to be 19 years old these days. Especially the larger breeds like setters. An absess would be flushed or drained a couple times a day and a dog would be on antibiotics. Normal procedure. A 19 year old is not still being breed it states somewhere that he has numerous dogs that are retired Old dogs do have issues just like people -does that mean we should be ripped from our homes and maybe killed too…
As an attorney, he knows the law. He chooses to ignore it when his 19 year old Irish Setter was suffering. Suffering so much, she was euthanized. This is how he runs his kennel? Plus, he had to build a new building. I read his facebook page. He acts as if he has done nothing wrong. He lives in a fantasy world. Wake up, Ober! The clock is ticking and time is running out. Stop the madness and give the dogs you have a good home and stop breeding!
Yes, yes, and yes!
I own or should I say live with several Irish setters that I have either purchased from him or bred with his dogs. They are some of the smartest I’ve ever seen. I currently have 1 who is 14 and acts like a puppy. Others are now 9 years old. The few times I’ve been there they have had at least 2 people washing down kennel runs.
If the dogs are being fed well then are going have to poop it out. Good stuff in means good stuff out. All had plenty of water available and none looked skinny. I can’t voucher for all his dogs but the ones I’ve witnessed were ok. I’ve seen much worse conditions then here.
Again, as an attorney, if he was smart, he wouldn’t be advertising his dogs are AKC-registered. They register anything including all puppy mill dogs. It means nothing!!
Close this kennel and all kennels! The misery they live in is called ANIMAL CRUELTY!! It’s against the law. That was simple, wasn’t it?
Agreee!
SHUT IT DOWN!
Agreed!
What a disgrace in Berks County! Why can’t those who run commercial kennels see how cruel they are? That’s why they stay in business. 75% of puppy mills have NOT been shut down in PA. They have gone underground!
Totally agree!
Why does he have a problem with Pa dept of Ag wanting to shut down puppy mills here if he runs a private kennel? I’d think he’d want that too since he considers his kennel above a puppy mill. Hypocritical.
Friends, I apprecaite your intentions, but something seems to be out of balance here. I am the proud owner of the loveliest Irish Setter you could imagine. I got her from Paul 4 years ago and just couldn’t be happier. We have recommended him to others who have only had the same experience. Puppy mill? I can’t imagine that. We were actually interviewed by Paul before he would consider selling us a puppy. He wanted to ensure he was working with people who would provide a warm, healthy environment. I will never forget the pride he showed in his dogs and their accomplishments. He, as I recall, trained the first Irish Setter to be a blind person’s guide dog. He told us of a dog he had recently delivered to a person in TX. This Irish Setter was trained to detect siezures in the owner before anyone including the owner knew it was comming. This gave the owner the chance to get safe and weather the inevitable. Please look at the hunting accomplishments of his dogs. Puppy mills just don’t fit this mold. Something just doesn’t fit right with this article. I believe he really cared about his dogs from what I experienced. John Kenny
Mr.. Kenny, Mr. Ober’s breeding facility is classified as a commercial kennel. The number of animals that pass through a kennel in a year determines its classification. Celtics Kennels is classified as a commercial kennel- a breeding facility much like a puppy mill. However, there is a distinction between the two in Mr. Ober’s case. Mr. Ober sells directly to the public while a puppy mill sells to a broker who then sells the puppies to pet stores nationwide.
Mr. Ober has two areas where he keeps his dogs. One is for the public to see and the other area is not. Mr. Ober did not seek veterinary care for a number of his dogs. One dog needed immediate assistance. He is not allowed to treat his own dog as a veterinarian would. That is what he did. His care did not equate to the care from a veterinarian.
Mr. Ober has been in trouble numerous times with the law when it comes to his breeding facility.
I will give you that his kennel doesn’t fit the norm for a puppy mill and nor does the way he handle his customers. I will refrain from calling it a puppy mill.
He does run a breeding facility and due to the fact that he handles a certain number of dog per year, it is considered a commercial kennel.
I hope that clears up any misconception on my part.
Thank you.
Terrific article! This is the type of info that should be shared around the net.
Come on over and discuss this important topic with my website . Thank you =)
Great effort on this blog post.
What a relief it is to find someone who actually knows what they’re saying online.
No surprise charges were dismissed in that court – they always are. I wonder…
On April 16, 2015 Senior Judge Ludgate of the Court of Common Pleas of Berks County dismissed the charges against Paul Ober that were filed by PaSPCA on May 8, 2014. This would normally be the end of the matter but it is likely that PaSPCA will attempt to appeal or otherwise continue their jihad against a man who has done more to re–establish the Irish Setter as a bird hunting dog than any other person.
I had lived at the farm on Indian Lane where the other section of Kennels were at. We took care of the dogs there, me and my family. Ober was never a kind person to those dogs. I’ve heard stories from my parents while living there that he has shot dogs there who were sick before. When me and my parents started living there in 2013. It was fine, other than the fact that ober made us pay a hell of a lot more than what the lease required. I felt imprisoned by him. He would make my dad pay a hell of a lot, even for ober’s electric at the kennels. At the kennels we worked at, we made sure the dogs were properly fed, that their cages were cleaned, and that they had enough water. The Chemicals that ober told us to use were harsh on the dogs and could kill them. So we used safe products. Not only did he not properly take care of the dogs, he didn’t take very good care of the horses either. When we first got there, the horses were skin and bones. Then my family nourished them back to health. The workers there (two of them doing illegal drugs around my baby sisters) said that one horse died a while ago because ‘lightning struck him.’ No, lightning did not strike the horse. The horse was starved to death. Me and my family felt imprisoned there. I was in 7th grade at the time, and being there effected my grades greatly. He never treated those dogs right, or any of his animals. Actually, he never treated my dad okay either. My dad would be forced to do projects for him, and yet, not even get paid. It was slave labor for me and my family while living there. He never cared. He should be taken down because he is a horrible excuse for a human being.
Well that’s quite a story young lady, Frist let me say this, Those horses were fat and over fed, the mane and tails were the only issue as buttock got tangled in them, secondly, Your father was a good worker and yes he may have been over his head with not being able to meet the lease agreement requirements, Partly due to the fact your mother, she was quite the little drinker wasn’t she. If anyone told you illegal drugs were present you may ask her why. And now young lady, You seem to have missed something.As I recall correctly, The state police drove up Indian Lane and asked a kennel employee if they knew Your father and where he was located on Indian Lane. It wasn’t lost on any of them why they would eventually show up, Your mother was drunk and belligerent on many occasions when your father came home from work, and there was always something hostile going on between them as workers had seen her black and blue on many occasions, So when your father got hauled away from beating her so badly she literally had her entire face unrecognizable. So while you contend your grades were affected by the kennel and owner, I’d believe it’s more in line with your living there watching that mess. And so we’re clear, your living at the farm was very short lived and eventually your dad was incarcerated for a fair length of time and after the police took him your mom and you kids were gone directly afterwards. Please don’t think people don’t read this that know n
More then a seventh grade kid who’s parents have many of there own skeletons in there closets. And just more more tiny detail missy, That stallion had passed away long before any of those workers were employed at the farm. I will not comment on the unfortunate raid that took place, They never were satisfied with anything, it appeared to many people that Obers personality wasnt everyone cup of tea, and he does have an opinion on everything especially when being attacked constantly. Make no mistake, the wardens weren’t open to anything and it showed! It was a pissing contest between the farm and them.
I have purchased 3 red setters over 25 years from this man, this kennel/
Best damn setters I have ever been around, trusting my kids, grandkids and family around these incredible dogs.
As for me, at 62 years old, having had irish, gordon, and red setters, irish white and reds, Paul Obers dogs are the best.
As for conditions when i have been there, its a dog kenneL, its not the hilton, its not the urban fund raiser at the ritz… these dogs are living in the environment out side, just as the original setters did hundreds of years ago.
The dogs are taken care of, some have issues of health some don’t and some don’t respond well to treatment.
I can tell you these setters I have live great lives, they are trusted and loved members of our family. Inside and outside and about every where we go…
I think Mr. Ober has done a fantastic job of bringing the best of the best in red setters back to life, these are not the oversized show foodee dog setters, these are top notch athletic smart loyal loving dogs.
I for one cheer on Paul Ober for continuing to raise and breed these incredible dogs, they are the best i have ever been privileged to be around, I have never owned a dog they own me.
As for Paul, he loves these dogs, its his passion, No one, absolutely no one, knows all about this kennel, 24 -7 365 , but I can vouch for my times to the kennel, dogs were in good condition , it was as clean as can be with out having hourly clean up… which no one kennel has.
I look forward to these dogs as long as i am able to have them!
I have visited Paul’s kennel many times over the past 29 years. I have never found any problems. One of the major reasons that I have obtained three of his puppies and boarded two of my dogs with him is the cleanliness of his kennel and the surrounding property. Another reason is that he does not destroy dogs that have been retired but either keeps them or finds good homes for them.
The dogs that I have obtained from him have been outstanding in the field, in our house, and everywhere else. They have been highly intelligent, healthy and long lived.
Anyone that calls Paul’s kennel a puppy-mill is either ignorant or badly mistaken. You may use my full name if you wish.