Under new management, Pontiac apartment tenants forced to give up pets or face eviction
PONTIAC, Mich. (FOX 2) - There's Bonnie Millmine with Peanut and Sherry Tener with Grayson. Pam Craig has Kitkat and Carol Williams has Shadow.
These four women are some of the pet-owning tenants who found a note on their apartment doors on Monday informing them to get rid of their pets, or face eviction.
"He's my companion - he's my best friend - and I love him and I've had him ever since he was eight months old," said Millmine, holding her dog Peanut.
All women live in the North Hill Farms, a subsidized housing apartment complex in Pontiac. While the lease agreement strictly says pets are only allowed if recommended by a doctor, that rule hasn't been enforced in the past. That's according to an employee with the complex.
However, the complex is under new management - a company out of Fenton. The same employee said the enforcement of the policy was meant to address recent problems with the dogs at the complex.
Even so, tenants remain upset with the policy - uninterested in letting go of their furry companions.
"They're like family. This is my kid - it would be like getting rid of one of my kids. I can't do that," said Millmine.
Sherry Tener echoes her sentiment.
"I'm not getting rid of him - for nobody - he's my emotional support dog," she said. "I have many health issues and he's there for me. Almost everybody out here has pets. What are you going to do? Evict everybody?"
Carol WIlliams said she's all by herself, so her cat Kitkat is all she has.
"It's not right. When I moved in here, I had my cat and I paid for them. I paid $10 for each animal that I have."
While a representative with the company said if people have letters from their doctors that's fine, however the notice placed Monday omitted any exceptions. The additional confusion has tenants considering ultimatums, preferring to leave their home before their pet.
"You can evict me. I'd rather be homeless living in a car with him than not have him," said Tener.