KENNEWICK — A dog breeder admitted Thursday to keeping her American Eskimo dogs in deplorable conditions at her east Kennewick home.

Ella Stewart, 67, pleaded guilty in Benton County Superior Court to one count of first-degree animal cruelty, a felony, and nine counts of second-degree animal cruelty, gross misdemeanors.

Stewart, who runs Sun Valley Kennel, previously had denied allegations that she did not properly care for her dogs and was set to stand trial at the end of the month.

But she unexpectedly reversed her stance Thursday and pleaded guilty.

Sentencing is expected Aug. 12.

Deputy Prosecutor Terry Bloor said he plans to recommend a 90-day jail sentence because of Stewart's age and lack of prior criminal history.

Stewart was jailed briefly in May 2009 after a Benton County sheriff's deputy discovered hundreds of the white dogs with matted hair living in makeshift pens and covered in feces and urine.

Later that month, the sheriff's office, with help from the Humane Society of the United States, seized 371 dogs, ranging in age from newborn to late teens, from Stewart's property.

She gave up rights on the pups, and the dogs were sent to dozens of shelters and rescue organizations across the Pacific Northwest for adoption.

The felony charge is for five dogs that had to be euthanized after being rescued. Their health problems ranged from an infected uterus and kidney infections to a ruptured eye and brain injury, court documents said.

Each of the gross misdemeanor charges was for a specific dog, but the case covered all of the neglected dogs taken from Stewart.

-- Paula Horton: 509-582-1556; phorton@tricityherald.com