By Sharyn L. Decker
Lewis County Sirens news reporter
CHEHALIS – The case of the Dryad woman whose numerous foxhounds were seized from a living area overrun with feces last fall has been settled with a plea agreement and a sentence handed down by a judge, but dissatisfied prosecutors are now asking another judge for a stiffer penalty.
Nancy Punches, now 80 years old, made a so-called Alford plea in which she admitted no wrongdoing but pleaded guilty to 10 counts of second-degree animal cruelty.
Punches’ dog kennel Oct. 19, 2012
Lewis County District Court Judge Michael Roewe gave Punches a 364 day jail sentence but then suspended it for two years, providing she abides by certain conditions.
According to court documents, Roewe said that during the 24 months while her sentence is suspended she may own up to two animals, which must be spayed or neutered, and she may not engage in any animal selling, dealing, breeding or related commercial activity.
Punches was also ordered to pay more than $19,000 in fines, fees and restitution; not suspended.
Lewis County Deputy Prosecutor Kevin Nelson hoped the restrictions would last longer.
When county employees and volunteers descended upon Punches’ River Road property last Oct. 19, a deputy said he could not see the floor of some kennels because the water, mud and feces was so deep. One puppy was found dead and others were sick.
Her 65 dogs were confiscated, including three which survived the December 2007 flood with her.
Punches, who works in a hospital lab in Morton, started showing dogs in 1960 and has been breeding them for decades.
At the time, and at her sentencing on Jan. 25, Punches said she didn’t intend for the animals to multiply, but her fencing had deteriorated; she was in the process of cleaning up and finding homes for some and then the rains came “everything broke loose.”
The judge’s decision was largely in keeping with the agreement made between Nelson and Punches’ attorney, Bart Ricks, according to court documents.
However, according to the documents, the recommendation to the judge was the animal prohibitions be kept in place for 20 years. Roewe told them he had no authority beyond two years, the documents state.
On the same day as sentencing, Nelson filed a motion asking Roewe to reconsider, suggesting the law indicates Punches should be permanently banned from having similar animals because she has multiple convictions for animal cruelty.
Roewe said he understood the law to mean she would be banned after getting convictions on multiple occasions.
“The whole purpose of that statute is to impose greater sanctions on people who don’t learn from their first conviction,” Roewe said. “There’s only one conviction in the court’s mind, and that conviction includes 10 counts.”
Now Nelson has filed an appeal to Lewis County Superior Court, asking it to find that Punches should be prevented permanently from owning similar – unaltered – animals.
Ricks indicated he is contesting the prosecutor’s request, and expects to file a motion within the next week.
The Chehalis attorney declined to talk further about the case.
He did say his client has no animals now, not even the two the judge allowed for.
Ricks said he expects he and Nelson will argue the issue before a Lewis County Superior Court judge when a hearing is scheduled at a future date.
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For background, read “Aged flood survivor loses her stock of prize-winning canines for the second time” from Sunday October 21, 2012, here
Tags: By Sharyn L. Decker, news reporter
I agree with Denise-I don’t like to get too personal but as old as this woman is she is a lot tougher than most of you on this site-I was one of the crews who helped these people with big flood which this woman survived by attaching herself to a bookshelf and floating for over a day in her house in the dark with water all the way to the ceiling (that’s right the water was all the way to her ceiling) and she survived. I am not saying what she did was alright but for gods sake-she is 80 years old and she has been punished enough.
If she’ll leave dogs alone in the future, we’ve got a deal.
Nancy “has no animals now, not even the two the judge allowed for.” She has been punished, $19,000 worth of punishment. She can’t afford to feed one dog now. Leave her alone.
I was wondering if the “24-month suspended sentence” began on April 30th, 2013. If so, does this mean she can again own and breed dogs as of May 1, 2015? I sincerely hope not. Pasado’s Safe Haven sent 3 of the foxhounds here to Colorado thru a local rescue. We had the honor of rehabbing these beautiful dogs. It was beyond belief the state that these dogs were in when we got them. They still show a lot of signs of fear and may never really be “normal” dogs. All 3 are now in loving homes–one of them, we just couldn’t let go of and he is now a part of our pack!
People who hoard animals, as this woman obviously did, are mentally ill. They can not grasp the concept that what they are doing is neglectful and abusive and instead think they are actually taking care of the animals and doing them no harm.
Personally, I don’t think it is fair to any animal to leave it in this woman’s care. She has proven that she is not capable of taking care of them.
Too bad the people deciding to place the animals under her care can’t be made to substitute for, and live exactly as, those animals for a while. See how they like it.
OLJ, that is actually a good suggestion, minus the pork chop. 🙂
It’s too bad that her home, work, and the shelter are such great distances apart.
Though I think that the three dogs are good for her, as companion animals. We already know that there is no one else to help her (or they would have stepped in long ago). Even care-givers go home at night. Having three pets in the house is a lot easier than any number of animals outside.
At 80 years old, a person has a difficult time taking care of themselves. Allowing her to continue owning pets is bad news for pets.
Why can’t someone just tie a pork-chop around her neck, take her to the animal shelter, and let her have all the fun she can handle???
That way, everyone’s happy and no animals will get hurt by her anymore.