LANCASTER COUNTY, Pa. — A kennel owner from Lancaster County has been charged with 24 misdemeanor and 10 summary offenses after state regulators say he hid dogs from inspectors and failed to keep the required rabies vaccination records, along with other offenses.
James E. Burkholder, 51, is the owner of Whispering Spring Kennel LLC. He was charged after state inspectors visited his East Cocalico Township property and his former kennel location in Brecknock Township in May, according to the criminal complaint affidavit filed by Chris Seiple, a State Dog Law Enforcement Warden.
The May 27 inspection uncovered several violations of Pennsylvania's Dog Law Act, Seiple said in the complaint.
He accused Burkholder of failing to notify the state that he had moved from one location to another and that he planned to close the operation, the complaint states.
Burkholder also attempted to hide dogs by not disclosing to inspectors where they were being kept, the complaint states.
He allegedly told inspectors "There are no dogs here or at any other location belonging to Whispering Spring Kennel," the complaint says.
But the inspectors, who had a search warrant for both locations, found an adult dog and three puppies on one property and nine adult dogs at the other, according to the complaint.
Burkholder also did not have any kennel records, rabies vaccinations, or other information for dogs in the kennel during the inspection, the complaint states.
All are violations of state regulations for breeders, the complaint says.
