Mar 27, 2008 9:21 pm US/Eastern
Local Woman Fights To Keep Ferrets
WASHINGTON, Pa. (KDKA) ―
A Washington County judge is allowing a landlord to evict a woman with a seizure disorder who believes that her ferrets are not "pets," but rather "service animals" that help with her disability.
What Lucy Gwin is contending about her ferrets is not that strange when considering that in November of 2000 the FAA ruled that a 300-pound potbellied pig was a service animal and could fly first-class from Philadelphia to Seattle with its disabled owner.
Gwin, 65, has suffered seizures since 1989 when she was hit by a drunk driver.
"I have chronic seizures - I just fall on the floor and can't move," Gwin said.
But Lucy says she can avoid seizures if she takes medication before the onset. Her ferrets are part of her seizure warning system.
"They see it coming. They can smell it coming I believe," Gwin said.
Lucy's four ferrets, Odo, Idi, Rootie, and Tootie let her know when a seizure is coming.
"And it's a very peculiar thing they do," Gwin said. "They come ramming at my legs like thumpty-thump."
If she ignores that "alert" she'll have a seizure. Her doctor even vouches for the ferrets warning abilities in a letter.
But none of that mattered when a judge ordered Lucy's eviction from her apartment in the George Washington Hotel because of the landlord's "no pets" policy.
"I don't feel we had a hearing at all," she said. "We were just a couple of minutes into it and he just exploded."
Looking through Lucy's copy of the lease KDKA's Mary Robb Jackson could not find a "no pets" clause.
"The problem is that we have a landlord that doesn't like disabled people," Gwin said.
However, the landlord did not agree with Gwin's statement.
"That's very unfair to say that," landlord Ron DeVerse said. "We are doing the right thing. We don't allow pets here, it says that in our lease."
His copy of the lease does show a "no pets" rule. But what is a pet and what is a service animal?
"Do they not have training papers?" DeVerse asked. "Produce them."
Actually, the Americans with Disabilities Act defines a service animal as any guide dog, signal dog, or any other animal trained to provide assistance to an individual with a disability. Some, but not all, are licensed or certified and have identification papers.
"Okay - well I'm not sure about that," DeVerse said.
Lucy edits this Disabilities Rights Magazine and works at an independent living center.
She paid $43,000 to make her apartment accessible for her friends when she moved in last October.
She believes her ferrets are a medical necessity, and she wants to keep them and her home.
"This is my home - I'm finally home," Gwin said.
Hotel officials did tell Gwin that she can stay, but the ferrets must go. Lucy says she can't live or work without them.
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