"Slaughterhouse faces cruelty charges
The co-owner of a now-closed Vermont slaughterhouse has pleaded not guilty to an animal cruelty charge accusing him of excessively shocking a calf. Frank Perretta, 51, of Grand Isle was arraigned yesterday, three days after he turned himself in. Bushway Packing Inc. was shut down Oct. 30 amid allegations stemming from an undercover video, obtained by the Humane Society of the United States, showing calves being kicked and poked with electric prods. A former worker at the slaughterhouse, Christopher Gaudette, 37, of Grand Isle, has also pleaded not guilty to animal cruelty charges (AP)."
"Vermont woman who shot dog sentenced to work crew
A Vermont woman has been sentenced to at least five days on a work crew for fatally shooting her neighbor's pit bull last year. Thirty-eight-year-old Jackie Lee of Vernon has no prior convictions. She was convicted in April of one count of animal cruelty. Her lawyer, Dan Davis, said the state attorney's office asked for six to eight months, all suspended except for five days on a work crew, $500 restitution for the dog, and some probation conditions. Davis told the Brattleboro Reformer five people testified at the trial to the dog’s aggressive behavior. Lee said the dog, named Isis, killed her daughter’s rabbit and cat and was chasing another cat the day of the shooting.
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