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Five charges against breeder dropped
Published 12:00pm Wednesday, January 28, 2009An Otter Tail County District Court judge has dismissed over half the charges against a New York Mills kennel owner accused of animal abuse.
At a hearing Monday, Judge Waldemar Senyk dismissed five of the nine charges against Kathy Jo Bauck, 52, owner of Pick of the Litter Kennels. Bauck was charged over the summer with multiple counts of animal cruelty, torture and practicing veterinary medicine without a license.
In late September, Bauck’s attorney filed a motion asking all nine charges be dismissed due to lack of probable cause. At a hearing in late November, the attorney, Zenas Baer, questioned the credibility of his client’s accuser, a former Pick of the Litter employee with connections to a national animal welfare organization. Baer argued that without testimony from the employee, who lives on the East Coast, or an examination of the employee’s computer, the court could not confirm the validity of his accusations.
Senyk dismissed five charges against Bauck: two counts of cruelty to animals, two counts of practicing veterinary medicine without a license and one count of torture.
The decision leaves Bauck with four remaining charges: three counts of cruelty to animals and one count of torture.
Another hearing is scheduled for today and a jury trial is scheduled to begin Feb. 10.
