BOCA RATON, FL (Boca Post) (Copyright © 2026) — A Boca Raton condominium association has filed a civil complaint in Palm Beach County Circuit Court seeking injunctive and other equitable relief in a dispute over cats at the Villa Valencia condominium, according to court records.
The case, Villa Valencia Condominium Association, Inc. v. Bethany J. Reis, was filed Jan. 27, 2026, in the Circuit Court of the Fifteenth Judicial Circuit in and for Palm Beach County, Florida, under Case No. 502026CA000960XXXAMB. The association is represented by Sachs Sax Caplan of Boca Raton, with the complaint signed by attorney Leonard Wilder, court records show. No defense law firm is listed in the complaint.
In the filing, the association alleges Reis has owned Unit 168 at 50 SE 12th Street in Boca Raton since 2014 and is bound by the condominium’s governing documents, including rules and bylaws the association says restrict pets and prohibit conduct that creates a nuisance to other owners. The complaint cites a section of the association’s rules stating that no pets are permitted in the apartment buildings or on the grounds, with limited exceptions for domestic fish or birds, and a bylaw provision stating an owner shall not use or permit use of an apartment in a way that is disturbing or a nuisance to other owners.
The core allegation is that Reis “owns at least four cats,” and “claims that one or more are emotional support animals,” according to the complaint. The association alleges it previously agreed to allow one emotional support animal, but claims Reis continues to keep multiple cats and allows them to roam outside the unit, including in common areas, where the cats have been seen “climbing on cars and walking in the common areas,” which the association alleges creates a nuisance and violates the condominium’s documents.
The association also lays out a timeline of alleged attempts to address the issue before filing suit. The complaint says the association sent Reis a cease-and-desist letter dated June 6, 2023, which it alleges was ignored. It further alleges that after Reis did not cure the violation, the association sent a demand for pre-suit mediation dated June 27, 2023, under Florida law governing condominium disputes, and claims Reis did not respond. The complaint alleges a second pre-suit mediation demand was sent on Oct. 7, 2025, and that it also went unanswered.
The lawsuit asks the court to enter an order finding that Reis is in violation of the association’s governing documents by allegedly creating a nuisance through allowing cats to roam the community. Among the relief sought, the association asks the court to require Reis to either keep one emotional support cat indoors at all times or remove all cats permanently from the unit and condominium property, and to permanently enjoin future violations. The association also seeks recovery of attorneys’ fees, costs, and other expenses, as referenced in the complaint.
As with any civil filing, the allegations are claims made by the plaintiff and have not been proven in court.
The original complaint, Villa Valencia Condominium Association, Inc. v. Bethany J. Reis, Case No. 502026CA000960XXXAMB, as filed 01/27/2026, with the Clerk of Court, can be viewed here.
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