Bedford District Attorney discusses plea deal, trial dates for animal hoarding case

BEDFORD, Pa. (WTAJ) — Nyal Piper, who is facing animal cruelty and neglect charges after officials rescued 99 dogs from his house in December was back in court

He was originally scheduled to appear in court in August, but that date was continued as Piper remained unrepresented. He told the judge that he did retain an attorney who, when asked, denied representing Piper.

Now that Piper is represented by Attorney Mark Zearfaus, who entered his appearance in the case Thursday, the case can move forward.

Many animal advocates who are still upset came out to the courthouse carrying signs showing the dogs from the days following their rescue in a cry for justice.

Bedford County District Attorney Ashlan Clark said that while her office may be willing to negotiate a plea deal, Piper will not be given probation as a term of the deal. If he enters into it, he will serve jail time for the 485 counts of animal cruelty and neglect charges he faces.

Advocates with the Bedford County Humane Society are being included in the negotiations but said they are not likely to come to an agreement on anything short of a life sentence for both Nyal Piper and co-defendant Renee Piper.

“Our ultimate goal was to see them in jail for the rest of their life. You know, that’s what they deserve,” said Kathy Ramsey, Shelter Manager of the Bedford County Humane Society. “So we’re probably not going to come to an agreement with that.”

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Both defendants are scheduled to appear in court in early October for a status conference. If they choose to proceed to trial at that time rather than accept a plea deal, they will seat a jury October 22 and a trial could begin as early as late October.

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