And so the story goes………Eckhart, former owner/operator of Almost Heaven (Hell) Kennel, has withdrawn his guilty plea on animal cruelty charges yesterday. Hey, he finally showed up for court. I was at Lehigh County Courthouse last month to witness this but he , Eckhart, was a no-show again.
Not so yesterday. Alas, Eckhart finally made a court appearance. Miracle. He knows how to work the system. His bail has now been increased to $25,000 and he was finally ordered to stop working as a dog groomer. I can’t understand how he was allowed to groom or to be near dogs after being the target of the one of the largest puppymill raids in PA history.
Eckhart does not have a “get out of jail free” card- he must cough up the 25 grand to get out of prison. For someone like him in the puppymill business that is mere change. Judge Robert Steinberg feels Eckhart is a moderate flight risk and has thumbed his nose at the judicial system. Hey, I think I like this judge!!
So now Eckhart awaits trial. Don’t worry, I plan on being there as I’m sure many people will as well, without a doubt!
Your day is coming, Eckhart and I , for one, can’t wait to see you go down!