something to you.
When you first started about
the dog, she had the dog.
The dog evidently
had a puncture wound.
She didn't want to take it
to the vet, so my witness
paid for the first vet bill.
>> I couldn't pay it.
>> That vet told her
to take the dog
the next day to the vet.
Katie told me that she wouldn't
take that dog to the vet
and waited for over a week.
She called me on
a Friday evening saying,
"I've taken the dog to two vets.
I don't know what to do.
The dog's leg is swollen up."
So I said, "Meet me at my pet
emergency vet tomorrow morning."
That dog's leg was so bad
at that particular time,
and I told her, I said,
"Katie, it is your dog.
You have
a serious decision to make."
>> Judge Judy: Shh.
Just a second.
Listen to me.
I see here the e-mail exchange.
She acknowledges
she owes you the money.
Shh.
Just a second.
I'm going to give you a piece
of advice.
Don't sell dogs to teenagers.
>> No.
>> Judge Judy: A 17-year-old
can't take care of themselves,
and if you care about a puppy,
and this is a big puppy
to take care of, you don't sell
a puppy to a 17-year-old...
>> Mm-hmm.
>> Judge Judy:
...or to an 18-year-old.
I mean, I think that people...
>> I agree.
>> Judge Judy: ...should be
able to have...Right.
I see my mistake there.
>> Judge Judy: It was a mistake
because they're idiots.
They don't know anything
about life
or taking care of anything.
She knows how to have her hair
done, and she knows
how to get just the right color
on her hair,
but she doesn't know
how to take care of this.
Okay.
Did you work at Pizza Hut?
>> At the time, I did not work
at Pizza Hut.
>> Judge Judy: No.
Not "at that time."
Did you ever work at Pizza Hut?
>> Yes.
>> Judge Judy: I never worked
at Pizza Hut!
You worked at Pizza Hut?
>> Yes.
>> Judge Judy: Because she says
to you
in the e-mail, "You told me
when you got your tax refund,
you would start paying back
Bear's vet bill,"
and your response to her wasn't,
"It was a gift.
I don't owe you that."
What you said was, "I am going
to follow through.
I haven't received
my Pizza Hut one yet."
>> Yes, my W-2, because I
felt obligated to pay her back.
>> Judge Judy: Good!
Perfect!
That's all I need to know.
Judgment for the plaintiff.
>> Your Honor?
>> Judge Judy: What?
>> It's important...
>> Judge Judy: [Indistinct]
>> She has abused this dog
by allowing it to get...
Is there any way that you could
give me a judgment
for me to buy my dog back?
>> Judge Judy: Just a second.
I can't give you a judgment
to buy your dog back.
She can do either one
of two things.
Maybe, she can say, "I'm not
mature enough and old enough
to take care of the dog
and to take care of its bills,"
because dogs sometimes get sick,
so do you think that you are
in better position
to take care of this dog...
>> Yes.
>> Judge Judy: ...or is
the plaintiff in better position
to take care of this dog?
>> I am in better position
to take care of this dog.
>> Judge Judy: Yeah.
Tell me what you're doing
to take care of the dog.
>> I do everything I can
for my dog.
My dog comes first.
My rent comes first, obviously,
but then my dog comes second.
>> Judge Judy: Just a second.
How do you pay your rent
if you don't work?
>> Because I have interviews
and I have money saved up.
>> Judge Judy: You pay your rent
from interviews?
I've never heard anything
so ridiculous in my life.
>> I have interviews coming up
for money,
and I have money saved.
>> Judge Judy: Sorry.
Listen.
When you make an error
in judgment by selling a dog
to a teenage fool,
sometimes you
have to live with that guilt.
>> I understand. I made a...
>> Judge Judy: I mean,
did you listen to this answer?
>> ...big mistake, and I
would do anything to...
>> Judge Judy: Did you listen
to this answer?
>> ...fix it.
>> Judge Judy: "I get my money
from interviews,
and I have interviews coming up,
and that's how I pay my rent,
from interviews," and...
>> Your Honor?
>> Judge Judy: ...America?
Big trouble.
[ Laughter ]
Perfect hair.
We're done.
Judgment for the plaintiff.
>> Byrd: Parties are excused.
You may step out.
>> You look at those pictures,
in my mind,
that is animal abuse.
>> I did everything I could
to take care of that dog.
>> Because she is not taking
care of it,
she does not commit to it.
>> We went, once a week,
every week, to the vet to get
his bandage changed.
>> And I'm upset I made
that decision.
It's going to haunt me.
>> And she's psycho, like,
there's no reason
to call me unfit.
>> My dogs are important to me,
and I am sorry as hell
that I allowed that dog
to go into her hands.
>> Because I love that dog.
>> Take care of your animals,
and if there is anything, Halle,
that I can do to purchase
that dog back,
please think about it.
>> She already has four or five
German shepherds in her house,
three
Pomeranians, and a few birds.
You think I'm going to let
another animal
into that small house?
No.
>> Because I honestly
don't think
you have what it takes
to take care of an animal,