Cancer-stricken woman wins fight with condo over dog | News

Ruskin, Florida - Pat Picavet got some good news, and in a year that brought word of incurable cancer, a happy day is savored.

"There are a lot of days I wake up and I'm not happy, so to hear this made me happy-very happy," says Picavet.

On Tuesday 10 News told you about Picavet and how much she depends on her dog Marley. She says the chocolate lab helps her fight depression and letters from her doctors back that up.

"I do feel calmer when she's there... more at peace, I guess you could say," Picavet says while stroking the dog.

But none of that mattered to the Bahia Del Sol Condo Association. They banned Marley from the complex, because she's well over the pet weight limit.

The whole situation was hard on Picavet and her family. "You know there's no reason for people to be treating her like this," a tearful Hollee Grigg, Picavet's daughter, told 10 News on Tuesday.

But Picavet's attorney says the condo association reversed course overnight -- Marley can stay.

"I owe a lot of credit to you and Channel 10 for putting that story out there. I'm sure a lot of people who live here didn't know what was going on," says Picavet. "I can never thank you guys enough for that."

So back at the condo Wednesday, Marley lapped up a victory drink.

Doctors can't say how long Picavet has to live, but she believes there will be good days ahead. And now she can spend them at her peaceful retreat-gazing over blue waters and into some big brown eyes.