Roommate Violating Verbal Agreement

[JAzzin]

My question involves a roommate in the State of: Texas

I allowed a friend to move into my home in August 2008 with the stipulation that she could live there for one month free and that the rabbits and dog she brought with her needed to be spayed/neutered and vaccinated in a reasonable amount of time. When she would start paying, the rent would have been $160 plus half utilities.
In casual conversation she started talking about two months free. I let it go and accepted but held fast to the rest of the agreement. Two months rolled by and the animals were not taken care of despite weekly reminders. The excuse was "I don't have the money" despite going on frequent clothes shopping trips and getting new animals.
The carpet was installed new in June 2008. There is now urine and soda stains from her and the rabbits all over the carpet and walls. The door has been chewed on by the dog. Her dog "escaped" her crate and killed my dog. The vet bill was $1400 trying to save him. The now-ruined carpet was $1200 new. I don't know the cost of repainting my walls and replacing my bathroom door. We had a deal that I would clean the carpet because her dog destroyed a scrapbook during the night (even though I had permission to let the dog out). The stains will not come out.
She conveniently moved out the moment the time came for her to start paying. She took all her animals and left all the damage. She said she would give me $300 because she "felt bad". I have not received any money. She called two days later crying that her mother was going to take her dog to the shelter because she caused damage at her parents' house in Venus. I said she could house the dog at my home but once again needed to get her vaccinated/spayed and find a new home.
Nearly four months later, she still hasn't held up to her part of the deal and the dog is causing more damages to my possessions that I'm not wanting to sue for since I allowed the dog back into my home. This dog is destructive by no fault of its own. My roommate decided it was acceptable to crate the dog for literally 23 hours a day and so the pent up energy is causing this behavior. I don't have the heart to take the dog to the shelter myself.
She even moved into another apartment, got her rabbit neutered, and even got a new dog. Do I have a case? I have multiple witnesses that have seen the home before and after she has lived there. I'm worried that the verbal agreements won't be binding in court.

[Mr. Knowitall]

You are a glutton for punishment, aren't you.

Give her the dog back. If you insist upon continuing to punish yourself, you can tell your friend you'll keep the dog but that it's going to be neutered as soon as you can schedule the procedure.

You can try suing her for the damage caused while she lived with you, or for the additional damage you effectively brought on yourself when you chose to take in a dog you knew would cause additional damage to your apartment. I somehow doubt that you're going to have any luck collecting a judgment from this exploitive, deadbeat "friend".

Really, though, you should start by giving her dog back to her and letting her deal with the problems she created.

[JAzzin]

Problem is she won't take the dog. I can't afford the dog's shots or fixing her. I have my own animals to worry about. I've been trying to find it a home. The damage after I took the dog back in is not the problem. The problem is the damage she caused and allowed to happen during her stay. So even though my brand new carpet is ruined and my dog is dead, I'm s.o.l? oh and it's not an apartment. I own a trailer home.