A Palm Coast dog trainer already charged in the deaths of two dogs found in a Bunnell storage unit now faces a separate animal cruelty charge involving a client’s Great Dane, court records show.
The State Attorney’s Office charged Alexia Veronica Barquet, 22, with one misdemeanor count of animal cruelty Oct. 5 in Flagler County Court, according to the charging document. Court records show she is scheduled to be arraigned Oct. 20.
The charge stems from a complaint the Great Dane’s owner made to the Flagler County Sheriff’s Office on July 5, two weeks before Bunnell police found the dead dogs and arrested Barquet, according to a sworn complaint affidavit.
The owner dropped off her 9-month-old Great Dane, Luna, on May 22 at Barquet’s dog training business, Rapidfire Retrievers, according to the affidavit, which lists the business in the 500 block of East Court Street in Bunnell — the same block as the storage facility where police later found two Labrador retrievers Barquet kept dead inside a unit.
About six weeks later, the owner picked up Luna from what the deputy described as Barquet’s home, located in the 100 block of Perigon Drive in Palm Coast, the affidavit states. The owner described Luna as “anorexic, shedding uncontrollably, had red markings on her legs, smelled like urine, and had yellow paws,” the deputy wrote, adding that her stool looked so dehydrated it seemed she hadn’t had water in weeks.
A veterinarian who examined Luna afterward noted skin lesions, possibly from lying on hard surfaces for long periods, along with urinary and gastrointestinal problems and severe dental staining, the affidavit states.
A Bunnell veterinarian who vaccinated and microchipped Luna in February found her in healthy condition at the time, according to the affidavit. The deputy also reported that the owner provided photos of Luna before and after her stay.
Barquet was not arrested in the new case. Court records show a summons was issued ordering her to appear.
Under Florida law, misdemeanor animal cruelty is punishable by up to one year in jail and a $5,000 fine. The felony charges in her other case each carry up to five years in prison and a $10,000 fine.
Bunnell police arrested Barquet on July 19 after officers found two Labrador retrievers, Ava, 5, and Karma, 2, dead inside a storage unit she was renting. According to police, the unit was covered in feces and trash, the dog’s water bowls were empty and a portable cooling unit was not producing cool air.
Barquet faces two felony counts of animal cruelty and two misdemeanor counts of confining animals without adequate exercise and air in that case, court records show. The felony charges cover June 6 through July 19, which overlaps with the weeks Luna was in her care, according to the charging documents. The case remains pending in circuit court.
