LIHUE, Hawaii >> Animal cruelty charges have been dismissed against the woman who owns 16 horses confiscated by the Kauai Humane Society.

The Garden Island reported Wednesday a Kauai judge granted Lara Butler-Brady’s motion to dismiss her charges because prosecutors reached the six-month time limit for a speedy trial.

The humane society took away her horses in 2010, claiming the animals were thin or emaciated. The horses remain in protective custody at a Kauai shelter.

The judge’s decision was without prejudice, allowing the state to bring up the charges again. Special Deputy Attorney General Sheri Lawson says she plans to file new charges against Butler-Brady.