A 21-year-old Palm Coast woman was arrested Sunday after police found two dead Labrador retrievers inside a storage unit where investigators say they were kept without adequate food, water or effective cooling.
Alexia Veronica Barquet faces two felony counts of aggravated animal cruelty causing excessive pain or death and two misdemeanor counts of confining animals without adequate food, water, exercise or air, according to the Bunnell Police Department.
State business records on Sunbiz identify Barquet as the registered owner of Rapidfire Retrievers, a Palm Coast dog training business. HomeFetch also located promotional materials on Facebook advertising Barquet’s dog training services, including board-and-train programs, private lessons and puppy training.
According to police, officers responded around 9:44 a.m. Sunday to a storage facility in the 500 block of East Court Street after a tenant reported a strong foul odor coming from a unit. The tenant told officers dogs could normally be heard inside, but no sounds were heard that morning.
The responding officer observed ants beneath the roll-up door and flies entering and leaving a nearby vent, the department said.
Police said they contacted the renter, identified as Barquet, who came to the facility and consented to officers searching the unit after telling them she kept two dogs inside.
Flagler Animal Services responded to assist with the investigation. Police said an animal control officer contacted Barquet on March 19 after responding to a barking complaint at the storage facility and warned her not to keep animals overnight inside the unit.
In a statement issued Tuesday, the Flagler Humane Society said the dogs had food, water and air conditioning during that visit, and no legal violations were observed. The organization said the business was in compliance at the time and the officer issued a standard warning regarding overnight stay limits.
The humane society said animal control officers cannot legally conduct random inspections once compliance has been established unless a new complaint is received or there is visible probable cause. According to the organization, no additional complaints were filed between the March visit and Sunday’s investigation.
According to investigators, the storage unit was covered in dog feces, trash and debris. A portable cooling unit was operating but not producing cool air, and officers reported the interior felt no cooler than the outside temperature despite a heat index of about 96 degrees. Police also said th dog’s water bowls were empty.
Officers found two dead female Labrador retrievers, identified as Ava, 5, and Karma, 2.
Police said Karma was lying near the door, while Ava’s remains had been placed inside a black plastic bag.
Police said Barquet told officers she discovered Ava dead earlier in the week, placed her body in the bag and left it inside the storage unit. The department said she also told officers she last checked on Karma on Friday, July 17, to provide food and water.
“This is a disgusting case of animal cruelty, and these dogs died in a condition no animal should ever face,” Bunnel Police Chief David Brannon said in a statement on Facebook.
Barquet was booked into the Flagler County jail. Jail records show she was released after posting her $6,000 bond.
Editor’s note: This story was updated on July 22, 2026, to include additional reporting about Barquet’s connection to a dog training business and additional information from the Flagler Humane Society regarding its March inspection of the storage unit.
