Wayne F. Sensenig, 987 Valley View Road, wants to expand his current kennel of 35 breeding dogs into one for up to 200 breeders.

What would be different from most large kennels, however, is that the dogs would be kept in small, portable dog houses outside, not together in a large structure.
“It is very unusual with this kennel,” township secretary/treasurer Connie Gross said today. “Five different properties are involved.”

Sensenig could not be reached for comment today. His father, John M. Sensenig, said his son has “active, verbal, cash and non-cash leases” with the four owners of the five properties included in the plans. All of the properties are in East Earl Township’s agricultural zoning district.

A special exception is required to operate a dog kennel in the ag district.

Sensenig currently does not have one.

Sensenig needs a variance because the township ordinance requires all buildings where animals are housed to be at least 200 feet from all lot lines. The structures also should be adequately soundproofed so sounds from within cannot be heard at the lot lines.

A neighbor, Irene Haas of 1003 Valley View Road, said she has gathered 20 signatures on a petition against the dog kennel.

She plans to present the petition to the East Earl Township Zoning Hearing Board at Monday’s 7:30 p.m. public hearing on Sensenig’s request.

“I’m against any puppy mill,” Haas said today. “I’m an animal lover and don’t think they should be kept in cages.”

She said the dog houses would be a few hundred feet away from her house.

Haas has concerns related to noise, her view, harm to her property value and the dogs’ manure, which Sensenig said would be spread on the farm fields.

Haas also said she wonders how the dogs can be kept warm in the winter and cool in the summer.

“The dog houses are heavily insulated and have electric heat inside,” John Sensenig said, and he said a shed for puppies is air-conditioned.

In his letter to the township, Wayne Sensenig said he is a 15-acre vegetable farmer who currently operates a licensed dog kennel on his father’s farm at 987 Valley View Road.

“The dog kennels are needed to supplement my income,” Sensenig wrote.

He plans to house a maximum of 50 breeding females on his father’s property and a maximum of 150 breeders on an adjoining 10-acre property owned by Elvin Sensenig, his father’s cousin.

Wayne Sensenig uses a five-acre adjoining property owned by Paul Leid and a three-acre adjoining property owned by Jerome Wanner for horse pasturing and for irrigation hoses for his vegetable operation.

“An occasional dog might roam on the edge of their properties,” he wrote.

Some of the portable dog houses he wants to operate would have runways attached to them. Some would not.

“My experience is that open-air dog kennels produce healthier and better-adjusted dogs,” Sensenig wrote.

None of the portable dog houses is expected to have a foundation, and they are in compliance with federal and state dog housing laws, according to Sensenig.

All of his breeding dogs are bark modified by “humane laser bark modification, electronic bark correction collars, gas bark correction collars, sonic bark correction collars, and area sonic bark correction devices. The puppies are inside,” he wrote.

John Sensenig said his son breeds several large breeds of dogs, including golden retrievers, standard poodles, boxers and a special mix of retrievers and poodles called “Golden Doodles.”