More Than 200 Dogs Removed From Mill

EMMAUS, Pa. - Animal welfare officials have seized more than 200 dogs from a breeder in Lehigh County who was accused of keeping animals in filthy conditions.

Slideshow: Images From Puppy Mill Raid

Derbe Eckhart has disputed the allegations about his Almost Heaven Kennel in Upper Milford Township, Lehigh County. When the state raided the kennel in October and removed 400 animals, he said the officials were trying to "paint a picture that wasn't there."

But the Pennsylvania Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals said animals suffered from skin and eye ailments, upper respiratory diseases and lameness.

"Dogs living on wire crates, overgrown nails, a lot of matting, urine burns on the podpads...These dogs are not healthy dogs. I mean, they're typical puppy mill dogs," said a Humane Society volunteer at the scene.

The dogs were seized Tuesday after Commonwealth Court rejected Eckhart's appeal of his kennel license revocation. Each dog will examined by a vet and placed in a shelter.

"What we found were deplorable conditions...The law is clear that he's done appealing this decision. We're removing the dogs today, shutting him down and we can deny any application he submits from this point forward and we will," said Chris Ryder of the Pennsylvania Department of Agriculture.

The agents said they would leave behind 25 dogs, which is the maximum number of dogs allowed without a kennel license.

State inspectors say if they find any trouble in the future with those animals, they will remove them as well.