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by ERIN PARROTT
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A woman linked to a scandal-scarred veterinarian was booked into the Lexington County detention center this week on serious criminal charges related to the ill treatment and alleged torture of animals under her care, according to jail records and local law enforcement sources.
Julia Evans Pickett, 29, of Lexington, S.C. was arrested late last week by deputies with the Lexington County Sheriff’s Department (LCSD) on multiple counts stemming from the alleged torture and gross mistreatment of animals, records show. Her charges – listed in Lexington County inmate detail logs – included “torture treatment of animals in general” among other offenses related to animal cruelty.
Details surrounding individual animals, specific incidents, or how many counts will be charged against her have yet to be released publicly by law enforcement, and prosecutors have so far declined to comment due to the ongoing investigation.
Social media posts in local community groups – including eyewitness videos and civilian complaints – allege disturbing scenes of animals left in distressing conditions, with at least one viral reel from several years ago describing what observers said amounted to “torture,” urging authorities to act.
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Animal welfare advocates in Lexington County have expressed outrage over the circumstances which led to Pickett’s arrest – calling for greater transparency and stricter enforcement of animal protection laws. More details from court filings or charging documents are expected to be made public as the case proceeds through magistrate court.
Pickett’s arrest has drawn comparisons to the highly publicized legal and regulatory saga of Midlands veterinarian Michael Terence Sauer, whose long-running troubles with both the criminal justice system and state licensing board have been chronicled by this news outlet.
Sauer and Pickett work and live together, and he was present at the Narrow Way address in Lexington, S.C. – a dirt road located approximately three-and-a-half miles southeast of Lexington – when she was arrested during a search initiated by Lexington County Animal Services.
“While waiting on the scene to assist narcotics with searching the home, the homeowners, Michael Sauer and Julia Pickett, arrived,” an LCSD incident report provided to FITSNews noted. “We discussed the reason we were there with them. We also confirmed Julia was who she said she was. She was arrested for two active warrants for her arrest.”
Sauer – who owned and operated the since-shuttered Paws and Claws Animal Clinic in Lexington – has faced multiple criminal charges over the past several years, including a 2023 first-degree burglary arrest allegedly while under the influence of nitrous oxide and armed with a hatchet.
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In 2025, Sauer was again arrested in Lexington County on a litany of offenses – from DUI and hit-and-run to sniffing aromatic hydrocarbons – while his veterinary license remained under heavy restriction pending regulatory action by the S.C. Board of Veterinary Medical Examiners.
Earlier reporting has also detailed the Board’s disciplinary findings against Sauer, which included multiple cases of negligent treatment and falsified records, and ultimately resulted in a probationary license with possible suspension upon further complaints.
While authorities have not publicly confirmed any formal professional or business link between Pickett and Sauer, community posts and discussions reflect heightened concern from pet owners who have drawn parallels between the nature of the allegations against Pickett and complaints made against Sauer’s practice in prior years.
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RELATED | SUSPENDED S.C. VET ARRESTED AGAIN
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Pickett is expected to make an initial court appearance in Lexington County magistrate court in the coming weeks. As with all criminal defendants, she is presumed innocent until proven guilty in a court of law – or until such time as she may wish to enter some form of allocution in connection with a plea agreement with prosecutors related to any of the charges filed against her.
FITSNews will continue to monitor county court dockets, charging documents and veterinary board enforcement actions as this case unfolds.
Stay tuned for updates as additional filings become publicly available…
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ABOUT THE AUTHOR…
Erin Parrott is a Greenville, S.C. native who graduated from the University of South Carolina in 2025 with a bachelor degree in broadcast journalism. Got feedback or a tip for Erin? Email her here.
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