Accused kennel operator to shut doors

Chester County Amish farmer John S. Blank is out of the dog business.

As part of a plea agreement he reached yesterday morning with the Pennsylvania Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals, Blank, owner of Limestone Kennel in Cochranville, surrendered 66 dogs to the organization. They were removed from the farm yesterday afternoon.

"All the dogs here appear to be healthy," said George Bengal, PSPCA director of investigations, who was interviewed at the farm. "None of the animals are in distress."

Following a raid on Blank's kennels by agents from the PSPCA on July 17, 23 dogs, some in distress, were taken from the farm to the organization's Philadelphia shelter. Seventeen of the animals were puppies.

On Tuesday, Blank, 54, voluntarily gave up his kennel license to the state Department of Agriculture after dog wardens cited him for keeping an unsanitary kennel and giving the dogs contaminated food.

Blank declined to comment about the case. His attorney, Jeff Conrad of the Lancaster law firm Clymer & Musser, did not return several phone calls.

As part of the agreement reached before District Judge Henry A. Farmer Jr., Blank pleaded guilty to eight summary counts of animal cruelty, two summary counts of failing to maintain a kennel in a sanitary and humane condition, and one summary count of harassment.

He was fined $576, placed on probation for two years, and forbidden from ever operating a kennel.

Blank was allowed to keep nine dogs that he was taking care of for another breeder and three dogs that are sold and under contract, but they have to be off his farm by Friday. Blank also was allowed to keep two dogs that are pets.

He agreed to unannounced inspections by the Pennsylvania dog warden and officers from Chester County Adult Probation.

"I'm thrilled," Howard Nelson, executive director of the PSPCA, said of the plea deal. "He was facing jail time, but the most important thing was to get the animals out of there."

Nelson said the dogs, most of them purebred puppies including Yorkshire terriers, cocker spaniels, Labrador retrievers, Jack Russell terriers, and shiba inus, will be given a medical evaluation before being put up for adoption.

Blank's troubles began about three weeks ago, when he gave away several old dogs with health problems to people who turned out to be volunteers with Main Line Animal Rescue. Bill Smith, executive director of the organization, took them to the PSPCA.

The PSPCA sent undercover agent Ashley Mutch to Blank's kennel. Blank sold her a sickly three-week-old puppy that died shortly after she brought it back to the shelter. Agents raided the farm a week later.