Animal Services Officer Critical Following Accident
By Space Coast Daily // December 18, 2012
Dog Found After Search
BREVARD COUNTY, FLORIDA – A Brevard County Animal Services and Enforcement Officer remains in critical condition at Holmes Regional Medical Center on Tuesday, two days after she was struck by a motor vehicle while off duty as she walked her dog on Tropical Trail on Merritt Island.
Kim Barlet suffered serious injuries in the accident, which reportedly occurred in an S-curve on Tropical Trail just before 7:30 p.m. Sunday.
The driver of the vehicle stayed at the scene. There was no arrest.
Barlet, who initially started as a Care Tech at the North Animal Care Center in Titusville, is an Animal Enforcement Officer and has been with the county since 2010.
Co-workers said Barlet was walking her dog, Ino, at the time of the accident.
Ino is a former shelter dog Barlet adopted and helped rehabilitate through costly surgery.
Robert Brown, Brevard Animal Services captain of enforcement, said Ino disappeared at the time of Sunday evening’s accident, prompting an overnight search on Merritt Island that involved at least 15 people.
“Ino was found this morning sitting on Kim’s back porch, waiting for its breakfast,” Brown said.
“We are all pulling for Kim,” he said. “She’s part of our family.”
Barlet remained Tuesday in the hospital’s Intensive Care Unit.
“Kim is in our thoughts and prayers,” said Assistant County Manager Mel Scott. “Her enthusiasm and love for her job is infectious to us all. She literally bounces into work. We’re all praying for a speedy recovery.”
