ST. ALBANS, Vt. -
A former Burlington chef and the owner of the Kid's Culinary Academy of Vermont is in the clear.
Kelly Dietrich faced animal cruelty charges after investigators found hungry and thirsty farm animals on his property in Highgate. They also found a dead horse with its throat slit.
Franklin County State's Attorney Jim Hughes dismissed the charges two weeks ago. And Dietrich will donate $500 to the humane society and cover about $3,000 in vet bills. Hughes says the judge would not be likely to impose a strict sentence and he wanted to prioritize more important cases with human victims.
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