Today, Derbe “Skip” Eckhart was scheduled for a hearing at the Lehigh Valley Courthouse, Room 4A. I knew I was going to attend. I wanted to see this man up close and personal after having his kennel a.k.a puppymill (Almost Heaven (Hell) Kennel) closed permanently the other month.
Surprise, surprise……..As I sat there waiting with another woman I met outside the courtroom, I knew something didn’t feel quite right. The woman who sat next to me has attended almost all of Eckhart’s hearings since she bought a puppy from him five years ago. Her dog, Sere, was in poor condition when she bought him and the stories she told me about what transpired with her puppy and Eckhart only added fuel to the anger I feel towards this man. So I was anxious to see this piece of arrogant piece of work, once again, in the courtroom.
However, the judge stated no attorneys were available to represent Eckhart at this hearing. I’m guessing firing his lawyer, Fitzerald, was part of Eckhart’s master plan to postpone his hearings. This man is shrewd and he knows what he is doing.
Eckhart has another hearing on August 5th with District Justice Donna Butler. Will he be a no-show again? Will he have another excuse to keep delaying the charges he faces? Will he ever go to trial? I have been waiting for this man to go to trial for awhile just as much as others have. Will justice prevail?
Does justice prevail? In a couple of days, we will have reached the one year anniversary of the 80 dogs that were killed in cold blood by brothers, Ammon and Elmer Zimmerman in Maxatawny Township,Berks County, PA. 80 DOGS MURDERED- one by one, shot and thrown in a pile like garbage.
After a candlelight vigil was held last August in their memory, Elmer descended upon the few of us who stuck around to talk about this most horrific act. I was the first person to interview Elmer. He would not talk to anyone in the news media prior to this. I still can’t over the fact that this diminuative man who seemed so unassuming did this dastardly deed. He kept repeating he wanted to be left alone. He didn’t want the notoriety.
I had tried to understand his perspective…..no, that’s not true……I could never understand how anyone could shoot 70 puppymill dogs who were confined their entire lives to produce inferior puppies to sell to the public so he could make money and not care about their health and well-being. People asked me how I was able to stand with him and not want to hurt him. I had no desire to hurt him. I can’t explain why except to say that I feel he will be punished one way or another for what he and his brother did.
So do you think justice has been served to the Zimmerman brothers? I do know for a fact from a good source that they (Zimmerman brothers) are NOT running any kennels (puppymills) again on their property. Is that justice?
What they did one year ago was not illegal. With the new dog law that was enacted last fall, their cruel and barbaric act is considered a crime now. Although I am not niave to think for one moment that puppymillers do not still kill their “dogs”. Let’s be real. But if they get caught, they will be charged. And for that we need GOOD dog wardens to enact this law.
So does or will justice prevail? I believe it depends on us, the people, who care about the animals to be the voices for them and to attend hearings if possible. Let our outrage be heard whenever we can to the judges in charge of these cases. If we band together, we can make a difference and get justice for those who cannot speak.