RANCHO SANTA FE, Calif. — A 68-year-old Rancho Santa Fe resident, Debra Barkley, is facing criminal charges following an investigation by the San Diego County Department of Animal Services. The San Diego County District Attorney's Office has filed misdemeanor charges against Barkley for maintaining a public nuisance and failing to remedy it after written notification from officials.
The charges stem from numerous complaints by Rancho Santa Fe residents about Barkley's dogs routinely escaping her property unsupervised and displaying aggressive behavior towards community members, including children. Barkley pleaded not guilty at her arraignment on Monday, with a readiness hearing scheduled for December 4 at the Superior Court in North County.
District Attorney Summer Stephan emphasized the importance of community safety, stating, "People deserve to feel safe in their neighborhood."
The office's Animal Cruelty Prosecution Unit, established in 2018 to prosecute animal abuse cases, is handling the case.
While the current charges relate specifically to dogs, there have been additional complaints about potential animal neglect involving horses on a separate property owned by Barkley. The Department of Animal Services is investigating these claims, and the District Attorney's Office will review any evidence for potential criminal charges.
The case has drawn attention to ongoing animal welfare concerns in the area and numerous complaints about Barkely's unleashed dogs.
One neighbor told CBS 8, “We have seen well over the legal limit of dogs on the property. The dogs are aggressive. They leave the property. We've had them in our yard, where they've charged us; they've charged our daughter.”
Another neighbor said, “We all have young children, and our kids will be out playing in the front, and we have to race and grab our 2-year-old because they will bite. They will attack.” This neighbor said one of Debra’s dogs bit her dog in her yard.
San Diego County code allows six dogs on a property. In one of the neighbors' videos, we counted seven dogs in the backyard, but neighbors said they’ve seen more.
One neighbor said, “We've counted five golden retriever puppies and four adults on top of the dog count already there.'
But dogs are not all; two horses were found dead on a property in Rancho Santa Fe owned by Barkley and Craig Netwig. This incident follows a similar investigation from last year involving a horse death on the same property.
Animal advocacy groups, including the Los Angeles Alliance for Animals, have criticized the county's handling of animal cruelty cases, particularly those involving horses. Zohra Fahim, the organization's president, expressed concerns about the county's investigative methods and enforcement of animal welfare laws.
