Palm Coast Dog Trainer Arrested After Two Labrador Retrievers Die Inside Hot Storage Unit

Alexia V. Barquet, a 21-year-old resident of Russell Drive in Palm Coast, was arrested on two felony aggravated animal cruelty charges following the death of two dogs she had locked up without adequate food, water or air in a self-storage facility in Bunnell.

The dogs were identified as Ava, a 5-year-old black labrador retriever, and Karma, a 2-year-old black female labrador retriever. 

An animal control officer had issued a warning to Barquet in March not to keep dogs in the storage unit at Moore Storage at 500 East Court Street in Bunnell, following other renters’ complaints. Police were called to the scene over dogs barking on April 1, but did not appear to have followed through. 

The Florida Division of Corporations lists Barquet as the owner of a company established in 2025 called Rapidfire Retrievers LLC. The state record lists the business’ principal address on Lindberg Lane in Palm Coast. But a website for the company lists the storage unit as its address, with business hours there five days a week. (See a screenshot of the website’s front page, taken today, here.) 

The business also maintains a Facebook page with a photo gallery featuring numerous dogs that have apparently undergone training. The Facebook page also lists the storage unit as the place of business. Self-storage facilities and zoning rules typically forbid units to be used as places of business. 

“At Rapidfire Retrievers, we provide professional dog training services along the northeast coast of Florida,” the page states. “Our relationship and reward-based methods ensure effective and humane training tailored to each dog’s unique needs.”

According to Barquet’s arrest report, Bunnell police officers responded to Moore Storage Sunday morning after a person who rents a unit there reported foul odors from Unit 4. An officer recognized the odor as that of a dead animal’s. There were other telltale signs, such as ants crawling in and out from beneath the door and insects buzzing in and out of the unit’s vent. 

The caller told the officer that she could hear “dog noises” in the unit before, but not on Sunday even after she banged on the door. 

The officer called Barquet after getting her number from the storage facility’s owner. Barquet said she’d unplugged a minifridge containing dog food inside the unit. Maybe that was causing the smell, she told the officer. She agreed to open the unit so the officer could verify there were no dead animals inside. 

Once there, Barquet told the officer that she did keep a couple of dogs in the unit, but that after having a baby six weeks ago–on June 6–she’d not checked on them herself. She said she suffered from postpartum depression and had others check on the dogs three or four times a week.

The storage facility owner had urged her to clean up dog waste last week, as it was bothering other tenants. She did so and returned on July 17 to find Ava dead (though she subsequently wasn’t clear about when she had found her dead). She fed Karma, who was still alive, and put Ava in a black plastic bag. 

“Upon my entry,” the officer reported of the storage unit, “I immediately observed the floor of the unit to be covered in feces. There was also trash spread out everywhere. The foul odor was extremely pungent, and the temperature was not any cooler than it was outside. I observed the A/C unit [Barquet] mentioned; however, even though it sounded like it was running, it was not generating any cold air. Notably, the heat index is 96 today. I then observed a deceased dog (Karma) laying on the floor up against the north-facing door of the unit. Karma had numerous flies surrounding her, blood near her mouth and appeared to be thin. I noticed Karma to have very long nails, as if they had not been trimmed for a while. I also did not observe any of the dog dishes to have water in them.” 

Barquet was booked at the Flagler County jail Sunday afternoon on the two felony counts and two misdemeanor counts of abandonment of animals. She posted bail on $6,000 bond that afternoon. 

“This is a disgusting case of animal cruelty, and these dogs died in a condition no animal should ever face,” Bunnell Police Chief David Brannon was quoted as saying in a release.  “Animals depend entirely upon their owners for food, clean water, safe shelter, exercise, medical attention, and protection from dangerous conditions. Owning an animal carries a serious responsibility—one no person can ignore or set aside when providing care becomes difficult.”

The chief notes that “When someone violates this fundamental duty and causes suffering or death, our officers will investigate thoroughly, follow the evidence, and relentlessly pursue full accountability under Florida law.” It isn’t clear why that was not the case on April 1 or in March. 

Anyone who witnesses an animal in immediate danger should call 911. Residents may report suspected animal cruelty or neglect to the Bunnell Police Department at (386) 437-7508 or to the Flagler County Sheriff’s Office’s non-emergency line at (386) 313-4911.