October 14, 2024 by Ashley Norris
Lone Star Legal Aid’s Jonna Treble Helps Injured Veteran Resolve Eviction Over Stray Cats
For many, caring for animals is a simple act of kindness. For Mr. Goodall, a senior living in a 55+ community, feeding a few stray cats turned into a heated legal battle. The property manager of his senior community insisted that Mr. Goodall pay “pet rent” for the strays he was feeding, even though he was simply working to get the animals spayed, neutered, and adopted out. Despite his best efforts, the situation escalated, and the property manager tacked hundreds of dollars in pet fees onto his rent ledger, leading Mr. Goodall to refuse payment for what he saw as an unreasonable charge.
The property manager filed for eviction multiple times, ignoring the fact that Mr. Goodall was caring for the strays until they could be rehomed. Just as he had made firm plans to take the kittens to a vet and put them up for adoption, tragedy struck. Mr. Goodall suffered a severe injury and was rushed to the VA hospital. Doctors informed him that he might never regain his ability to live independently and would need to remain in rehabilitation for several months.
As Mr. Goodall faced an uncertain future, his friend and neighbor continued to care for the stray cats, ensuring they were fed until help could arrive. Lone Star Legal Aid staff attorney Jonna Treble stepped in to assist with the removal of the cats, helping to coordinate their transfer to Mr. Goodall’s vet, where they were spayed, neutered, and eventually adopted out. When Mr. Goodall learned that the cats had found loving homes, he was moved to tears.
The legal issues, however, continued. Even as Mr. Goodall faced months of rehab, the property manager insisted on proceeding with the eviction. After months of back and forth, the parties agreed on a move-out date. But just as Mr. Goodall prepared to leave the home, Hurricane Beryl hit, throwing his plans into disarray. Despite his best efforts to work with the property, the management refused to offer him any additional time.
At the court hearing to obtain a judgment, the property management failed to show up, leading to a dismissal for want of prosecution. With Jonna’s help, Mr. Goodall’s eviction case was resolved without further litigation. He will now move to his new home with assistance for his injuries, free of the stress and uncertainty that had surrounded his living situation.
Jonna reflected on the experience, sharing: “Doing eviction defense work in the state of Texas frequently means being the champion of the underdog, or I suppose the under-kitten as the case may be! Landlord-tenant laws are heavily slanted for the protection of the landlord, and not our most vulnerable, such as the senior or disabled citizen. On the best day, we can level the playing field, and the reward for that is cuddling some kittens on their way to their new homes.”
Names have been changed to protect the identity of the client(s).
Lone Star Legal Aid (LSLA) is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit law firm focused on advocacy for low-income and underserved populations by providing free legal education, advice, and representation. LSLA serves millions of people at 125% of federal poverty guidelines, who live in 72 counties in the eastern and Gulf Coast regions of Texas, and 4 counties in Southwest Arkansas. LSLA focuses its resources on maintaining, enhancing, and protecting income and economic stability; preserving housing; improving outcomes for children; establishing and sustaining family safety, stability, health, and wellbeing; and assisting populations with special vulnerabilities, like those with disabilities, the aging, survivors of crime and disasters, the unemployed and underemployed, the unhoused, those with limited English language skills, and the LGBTQIA+ community. To learn more about Lone Star Legal Aid, visit our website at www.LoneStarLegal.org.
Media contact: media@lonestarlegal.org
