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00:00This is your cat, and you want the cat back?
00:04Yes.
00:04She abandoned the cat.
00:06She left it outside.
00:08She refused to get him back.
00:10What, are you kidding me?
00:12You have not taken care of this cat.
00:14This is Judy Justice.
00:35Claudia Figueroa is suing her former neighbor, Bonnie Klubundi, for the return of her cat,
00:43fugitive.
00:44Court, come to order?
00:45All rise.
00:49Have a seat, everyone.
00:51Judge, case 4017, Figueroa v. Klubundi.
00:54You're welcome.
00:55Ms. Figueroa, this is just probably a simple enough case.
00:59This is your cat, and you were evicted from your apartment.
01:03And when you were evicted from your apartment, according to you,
01:06you left your cat with somebody in the building.
01:08Yes.
01:09Somehow, the defendant got possession of your cat.
01:12There's no suggestion that she went into this person's home where you had left the cat and took the cat.
01:18The cat was out roaming around, uncared for, and she brought it in.
01:22And she's had possession of this cat for the last four months.
01:26And you want the cat back?
01:28Yes.
01:29All right.
01:29Now, I don't think she disputes the fact that this was your cat, correct?
01:34Correct.
01:35But that she says she witnessed when you were evicted, you opened the door and shoot the cat and let
01:41the cat out and then left.
01:44Did you see that?
01:45I didn't see it. It was on surveillance cameras.
01:48Do you have photographs of that?
01:50I do not have the photographs. They were not available.
01:53OK.
01:54In what month did you take in the cat?
01:56The day she was evicted was March 21st.
01:59And I found out the cat was alone and wandering around the end of May.
02:05And that's when my son and I tried to catch him.
02:08We had been feeding him, and he was just roaming around.
02:12You mean you had been feeding him by leaving the food outside?
02:15Yes.
02:16You live in a private house or you live in an apartment?
02:18Apartment building.
02:19So you left the food outside your door?
02:22Yes, outside near the bushes where he was hiding.
02:25OK.
02:26So you were evicted in March?
02:28Correct.
02:28Were either one of these people the person to whom you allegedly entrusted the cat?
02:33Yes, ma'am.
02:34Which one?
02:35Denitra Gray and Jessica Pacheco.
02:37But mainly Denitra Gray, the cat will be more in her house.
02:39Just a second.
02:40Stand up.
02:41Over there.
02:42Oh, Denitra or me both?
02:44Whoever you left the cat with, which person?
02:47Both of us.
02:49Watch the attitude.
02:52OK.
02:53She left the cat with you.
02:55Listen, look at me.
02:58We're not going to fool around with each other.
03:00She left the cat with you?
03:01Yes, ma'am.
03:02What was the cat doing outside?
03:04That's where the cat lives.
03:06Outside?
03:06Yes, ma'am.
03:08The cat...
03:09Sorry.
03:10Sit.
03:11Which one, me?
03:13Both.
03:13OK.
03:16Look at me.
03:17Did the cat live outside before you were evicted?
03:20He goes in and out.
03:21No.
03:21Did the cat live outside?
03:23Yes.
03:23That's what you said.
03:24Before you were evicted.
03:26He lived with me at home before I got evicted.
03:30Listen to the question very, very carefully, madam.
03:33Was the cat an inside cat or an outside cat?
03:37Outdoor cat.
03:38So the cat lived outside?
03:41Correct.
03:42Both.
03:44It's hard to explain.
03:45What do you mean it's hard to explain?
03:46It's not hard.
03:47It's not hard.
03:48He comes in and out the windows.
03:50Yes.
03:51Like, I live in the first floor, Your Honor.
03:53So the cat will come in and out when he was hungry.
03:56He'll meow when he was hungry.
03:57And I could show you a video and pictures how the perimeters of the building looks like.
04:03You haven't had possession of this cat since March.
04:05But I have, ma'am.
04:06Excuse me.
04:06Just a second.
04:07I have.
04:07I'm not talking to you.
04:08I'm letting you know.
04:09Okay.
04:10The thing is that my son was also staying with Denitra.
04:13So the cat wasn't completely alone.
04:15He literally, my son Israel Figueroa was staying with Denitra.
04:19Where are you now?
04:20So he wasn't completely alone.
04:21Where are you now?
04:22Right now I'm in a shelter.
04:23Just a second.
04:23So now you're in a shelter?
04:25Yes.
04:25Do the shelters allow cats?
04:27Yes, they do.
04:27Which shelter that you're living in allows cats?
04:30I could show you the contract where I'm staying at and they do allow cats.
04:34I'd like to see it.
04:39So this is my contract that I signed.
04:43Circulate.
04:44Circulate.
04:44So this is the animal assistance safety policy.
04:47And this is where, um, when I moved in.
04:58This says that this place will reasonably accommodate participants with an assistance animal.
05:05This isn't an assistance animal.
05:06Okay.
05:07He's not an assistant.
05:08Not just to say I'm looking at the other thing.
05:10Emotional animal.
05:10What?
05:10For my son.
05:12What did you just say to me?
05:13I got this cat for my son because he was his emotional animal.
05:17Listen to me carefully.
05:18I adopted this cat.
05:19This doesn't say that you can have a cat.
05:24How much is it worth to you to get the cat back is my question.
05:28Just a second.
05:29That's a number.
05:30How much is it worth money to you from your pocket to get your cat back?
05:36That's my question.
05:46Claudia Figueroa claims her former neighbor, Bonnie Clubundy, refuses to return her cat,
05:53fugitive.
05:54Bonnie is countersuing for the cost to care for the cat.
05:58Now, this animal has never been designated a service animal, especially as an outside cat.
06:03What, are you kidding me?
06:04I understand that, Judge Judy.
06:06Yeah.
06:06But I got my two children right now that they're housed.
06:09One is housed in Burbank and the other one's in Hollywood.
06:12So the cat does have a place to go.
06:14So this is the thing.
06:15I went to her household because I got into a big car accident on May 27th.
06:21I couldn't walk.
06:22I had a bodily injury.
06:24I couldn't walk.
06:25So I didn't go there right away to the apartment.
06:27If not, I would have.
06:28So on June 22nd, after so many attempts by Denitra to try to talk to her, she was refusing.
06:35June 22nd, I went to her household with my documentation of ownership.
06:42She refused to give fugitive back on June.
06:45Then I did an online report.
06:46They rejected it because they said this was a civil matter and had to go to the police station.
06:50I went to the police station.
06:53The officer, she told me that they couldn't do nothing about it but to do a civil standby.
06:57On July 1st, we did a civil standby and she refused to open the door to the officers.
07:03She knew well.
07:05Don't tell me what she knew.
07:06No, no.
07:06OK.
07:06Don't.
07:07Just a second.
07:08Don't tell me what she knew.
07:09Her car was there in the parking structure.
07:10So we assumed that she was there.
07:12But so many attempts was made.
07:15So many attempts.
07:15Your Honor, I was not there.
07:18This is the drill.
07:19She does not deny that this cat originally belonged to you.
07:26She says she took the cat in and she took the cat to a vet.
07:31Is that correct?
07:32Yes.
07:33Can I see the vet papers when you took the cat?
07:37I took him several times for his shots.
07:40No, the first time.
07:44No, this is not.
07:45This is.
07:46That's the case.
07:48The.
07:48Just a second.
07:49This is June 23rd.
07:51I don't know what that is.
07:51This just shows that he had shots.
07:53I'd like to see what the vet.
07:55Oh, the receipt.
07:56Vets write up about seeing the cat when you brought the cat originally in in June.
08:01I took him in to get shots.
08:03Just a second.
08:04Just shots.
08:05Yes.
08:06Correct?
08:06There was nothing wrong with the cat.
08:09He was just undernourished.
08:11Well, show me that.
08:12I want to see it.
08:13I don't have documentation.
08:14Well, that would be from the vet.
08:16So if you took him in to get shots, that's a very smart thing.
08:19Miss Figueroa, what's the name of the vet where you were taking the cat?
08:25I don't know his name because I didn't take him to a vet.
08:27And that's the.
08:28Just a second.
08:29So you didn't take this assistance cat to a vet ever is my question to you because otherwise
08:35you'd have the information.
08:36You never took the cat to a vet.
08:38Not.
08:39Yes or no?
08:39No.
08:40Good.
08:40So the cat never had any shots.
08:43That would be a yes or a no.
08:45No.
08:45No.
08:45That's before the defendant caught the cat, right?
08:48Yes.
08:49Okay.
08:50And right now you are not permitted to have cats at this shelter because this is not an
08:56assistance animal.
08:57Assistance animals somebody takes care of.
08:59They take to a vet.
09:00They get it shots.
09:01They have a collar on it.
09:03That's what you do when you have an assistance animal, when it's created assistance animal.
09:08She does not dispute that this was initially your cat.
09:12She's now spent some money to make this cat healthy shots because it's an outside cat.
09:19If it's an outside cat, it's even more likely to be bit by something else.
09:23So she took care of it.
09:25How much is it worth to you to get the cat back is my question.
09:29Just a second.
09:30That's a number.
09:31How much is it worth to you?
09:34Because she's now fed the cat.
09:35She's taken the cat to vets on three separate occasions for shots.
09:40So you're responsible for that.
09:42Now, how much is it worth money to you from your pocket to get your cat back?
09:48That's my question.
09:49Because she said, if I have to give the cat back, I want my money.
09:52That's coming out of your pocket.
09:54Looks very happy.
09:55Looks very healthy.
09:55And you are in no position to take it yourself.
09:57And I don't trust these two at all.
10:00Now, how much money are you prepared to pay her, you, for the care that she's given your cat that
10:10you didn't do?
10:11Whatever she wants.
10:12Well, I need a number from you.
10:14She knows what she spent on the cat.
10:17You're not getting any money.
10:18You have to understand that.
10:20I think this cat is very well cared for now.
10:22And I don't think the cat will be well cared for with you or whoever you put the cat with,
10:27because I don't have a person.
10:28Oh, wow.
10:28Because this one is not playing with a full deck or thinks this whole thing is a joke.
10:34And this woman took in a cat that was not being cared for by you or them because it never
10:42went to a vet.
10:43It was treated irresponsibly.
10:46And you think that this person is going to give it back to you easily?
10:51You're going to have to pay for it.
10:53Not me.
10:54Not she.
10:56You.
10:56I'm okay with it.
10:58Whatever she spent on the cat, I'm okay with it.
11:00But I'm not okay with it.
11:01Very good.
11:02How much money?
11:03She's fine with it.
11:04I'm okay with it.
11:05Because the question is, how much money did you spend on the cat?
11:08At least $1,500.
11:10You have bills?
11:11I have receipts.
11:12But I'd like to say something.
11:14Just a second.
11:14You're willing to spend whatever it takes to get back your service cat.
11:18Is that right?
11:19Yes, Your Honor.
11:20Okay.
11:21So I'm going to give you a figure.
11:23And by today is Friday.
11:25By Monday, if you pay her, I will direct that you return the cat to you.
11:31If you.
11:32Not us.
11:33Now, in the alternative, you have this.
11:36If you want to get another cat, where did you get this cat from?
11:39I adopted him.
11:40You adopted it.
11:41But I'm sure you paid an adoption fee.
11:43No, it was for free.
11:44Because it was during the Christmas time and...
11:46Okay.
11:47Give me a break, will you please?
11:49So you adopted the cat for free.
11:51Correct.
11:51Today, they may charge you for a cat.
11:54You know, to adopt a cat.
11:55And you can't have a cat anyway.
11:56Because you can't have a cat where you are in the shelter.
11:59So whether...
12:00They say I could have them.
12:01Not according to the papers that you gave me.
12:03Yeah, but the supervisor...
12:04Not according to the papers that you gave me.
12:06You can't have a cat.
12:08And a lot of people are allergic to cats.
12:10And it would probably be irresponsible for them to allow you to have a cat that could place other people
12:15at risk when it's clearly against their rules.
12:17So it's not for you.
12:19In the alternative, if you want to get your son a cat and have an adoption fee, I will give
12:25you $300 so that you can get your son a new cat.
12:29And you leave this one where it is.
12:31Those are your choices.
12:33You make up your mind.
12:36You can't have this cat where you are.
12:39It's against the rules.
12:41I'll keep them.
12:41I'm not giving it to you.
12:43Why?
12:44Would you do me a favor?
12:45She was under their care the whole time.
12:48Put me out.
12:49And that's dumb for her not to get her own cat that she paid for.
13:04Claudia Figueroa has accused her former neighbor, Bonnie Clubundy, of wrongfully keeping her cat fugitive.
13:12Bonnie claims Claudia owes for the cost to care for him.
13:16Now, either you come up with the amount of bills that she has by Monday.
13:22That's fine.
13:23What do you want?
13:24Or I will give you...
13:25I'm going to pay her $1,500 that she said that she invested in my cat.
13:29Just a second.
13:30Just a second.
13:30Monday.
13:31Yes.
13:31If she has in cash, you can do it at a local police precinct.
13:37You pay her in cash, and I'll give you an order that the cat will be returned to you.
13:41We're not giving you any money.
13:43You have to have skin in this game.
13:46And the skin in the game is your money.
13:48Do you understand?
13:50That's very easy.
13:52Very easy.
13:53Or in the alternative, if you want to have your son have another cat and pay for adoption
13:58fees so that it's done reasonably and will be covered with shots and it will be neutered,
14:03I will give you $300 because that will cover an adoption fee for a new cat for your son.
14:10That is probably what you're going to do because you don't have $1,500 in cash to give her on
14:16Monday.
14:16Do she know her?
14:17Do you understand?
14:18I will get it by Monday.
14:19You will get it?
14:19Yes.
14:20Great.
14:20He means a lot.
14:21I've been having fugitive for almost five years.
14:23You can't have this cat where you are.
14:26It's against the rules.
14:28I'll keep him.
14:29I'm not giving it to you.
14:31Why?
14:33Just a second.
14:34Would you do me a favor?
14:35She was under their care the whole time.
14:37Put me out.
14:37Put me out.
14:38They were under her care the whole time.
14:41And that's dumb for her not to get her own cat that she paid for.
14:45Yeah.
14:45I mean, it was under Demetria's care, under her care.
14:48I mean, I don't understand why is her story only for you alone.
14:52Why?
14:52Because you didn't take care of the cat.
14:55I understand.
14:55It's bad.
14:56Why?
14:57Because if you've had the cat since 2019 and you let it inside, outside, it goes inside,
15:02it goes outside, it goes within, and you haven't taken the cat to a vet to have it had shots,
15:07to have it once in six years, you have not taken care of this cat.
15:13And I have absolutely no intention of giving it back to you without making it terribly uncomfortable for you.
15:19Do you understand?
15:20That's fine, Your Honor.
15:21Perfect.
15:21I agree with your decision.
15:23Okay.
15:23So this is what you decide.
15:25You decide whether or not you want money to give to your son so that he can adopt a new
15:30cat,
15:30because you can't have a cat where you are or not.
15:34I'm going to pay her $1,500 that she said she invested.
15:36That's fine, Your Honor.
15:37Just listen to me.
15:38Monday.
15:39Cash.
15:41Cash.
15:41It's not the money.
15:42I understand it's not the money, madam.
15:44But what I'm telling you is you recognize that this is her cat.
15:49I don't have sufficient proof to prove neglect other than she never took care of the cat.
15:55She abandoned the cat.
15:56She left it outside.
15:58It was roaming around for months before I found out and took it in.
16:02Okay.
16:02Then...
16:02A responsible owner would find a situation where they could place the cat to live.
16:08I...
16:08Just a second.
16:09You're not...
16:10I absolutely agree with you.
16:11I feel sorry for her situation, but it's the poor cat that's suffering.
16:17I understand.
16:17I understand what you're saying to me.
16:19I'm telling you that it's her cat.
16:22She's gonna have...
16:23But she came to my...
16:23She's going to have skin in this game because she's gonna have to get up $1,500,
16:29which she just agreed to pay you.
16:33She agreed to pay you $1,500 by Monday.
16:37I don't think that's gonna happen.
16:40Maybe it will.
16:42If it happens on Monday, terrific.
16:45If it doesn't happen on Monday, it's finished.
16:48The cat is yours.
16:50Do you understand?
16:51Yes.
16:52Great.
16:53Monday, where are we going to make the exchange of the $1,500?
16:58At a police precinct?
16:59Yeah, the police station will be fine.
17:01Fine.
17:02Which is the local precinct?
17:03Mission Police Station on Sepulveda Boulevard.
17:06We're gonna prepare an order.
17:07She's gonna give you $1,500 on Monday at noon at the Mission Police Station.
17:13You're to be there from 12 to 12.15.
17:16If she's not there by 12.15, you can leave.
17:19And the cat is yours.
17:20Do you understand?
17:21Yes.
17:21Your Honor...
17:22That's it.
17:23We're done.
17:24What?
17:25I want to see Fugitive.
17:27What?
17:27I thought you guys were gonna let me see the cat.
17:28Oh, yeah, sure.
17:29His name is Fritz.
17:30Sure.
17:30Fugitive.
17:32Hi, Papas.
17:33Fugitive.
17:34Can you let him go?
17:36Thank you so much.
17:39Hi, Papas.
17:40Fugitive.
17:42Aw.
17:43It's okay.
17:44Okay.
17:45Give me back.
17:46Bye, Papas.
17:48Love you, okay?
17:50He's so scared.
17:51Here.
17:54Oh, he's scared.
17:58Thank you, Your Honor.
18:00John.
18:00This court is adjourned.
18:06I respect her decision, and I feel bad for the cat that he has to go back to living outside,
18:13because she won't keep the cat inside.
18:16I know my cat is an outdoor cat, so he's been suffering because he loves the outdoors.
18:20She's never taken him to the vet.
18:22She hasn't taken care of him.
18:24I'm gonna get the 1,500 for her care, I guess.
18:28He means a lot to me.
18:30He's a very good cat, and he's just part of my family now.
18:34He means the world to me.
18:35I definitely want him to stay with me.
18:39You know, as I always say, we bring pieces of ourselves to whatever job we do.
18:45And it's very difficult for someone who really thinks that animals should have certain rights,
18:51and that is right to be taken care of and nurtured.
18:54They can't take themselves to the doctor.
18:56You have to do that.
18:57They can't protect themselves with vaccinations.
19:00You have to do that.
19:01Well, it's very hard for an animal lover to look at an animal like this,
19:05which has clearly, for the last seven months, been exquisitely cared for and loved by these people,
19:12and say to this woman who says, well, I may not be able to take care of it now,
19:16even though she tried to show me a piece of paper which didn't prove what she said.
19:20Right now, the cat is in a good home, so you got the cat for free.
19:25Now you have to have skin in the game.
19:27That always changes, it seems to change people and how they behave.
19:32You know, even in my day-to-day life, just thinking of examples,
19:35when you have skin in the game, when you put a little something into it,
19:38whether that's time, money, anything, when you have skin in the game, it affects how you behave.
19:43So if she wants that cat back, she's going to have to have an investment.
19:47Yeah, and I think she'll make sure it's properly cared for if she puts that investment in.
19:51Maybe.
19:51By someone, even if it's not her.
19:53Maybe.
19:53I'll get an update what happens on Monday at 12 o'clock.
19:56Yeah.
19:56That will be interesting to me.
19:58Mm-hmm.
19:59Want justice?
20:00Go to judyjustice.tv.
20:04Go to judyjustice. Don't try asking us animals.
20:07You'll keep in mind.
20:08See those what happens on Monday at 12 o'clock.
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