Legal Aid Attorney Gets a Cute Spin on a Fair Housing case

The Orlando Sentinal reported yesterday on a case being handled by Community Legal Services of Mid-Florida in which a couple is being threatened with eviction from their mobile home park due to the presence of a small dog. The dog was recommended by a doctor to alleviate some symptoms of Alzheimer’s in Verdie Cook, the 78 year old resident and owner of the dog with her husband, Kenny. The Cooks are arguing that the strict no-dogs rule of the park must be waived in this case as a “reasonable accommodation” for Cook’s disability under the Fair Housing Act. Unrelated to the merits of the case – the dog is a very cute chihuahua-Boston terrier mix named Lucy.