Elderly Dog-Lovers Howling Over Pets’ Eviction Clause

Two elderly North Hollywood women are so doggoned mad about being evicted from their apartments because their dogs violate pet rules that they picketed the complex Monday with their beloved canines in tow.

Holding signs in one hand and their dogs’ leashes in the other, the two thin, elderly women walked back and forth on the sidewalk in front of Magnolia Towers because they are outraged over what they believe are unfair pet regulations at the 200-unit building for senior citizens. Their two dogs violate a rule that no pet can weigh more than 20 pounds.

Ann Norman, 72, who wore a patch over her right eye because of recent cataract surgery, showed off a court document that ordered her to vacate her apartment on May 30. She said the surgery delayed the move.

“I’m expecting the marshals to come and order me out any day now,” said Norman, who carried a sign stating that the house rules on pets are “unfair to my pursuit of happiness.”

For Norman, the order ended a six-month fight to remain in the federally subsidized unit with her dog Valentine, a 35-pound Australian shepherd that she describes as “the only source of joy and amusement in my life.”

She said she would rather live in her station wagon than give up Valentine, which she has raised from a puppy.

“I am very much alone, and this dog is all I have,” Norman said. “It may be hard to understand, but I love her like a child.”

The rules, which apartment management says are signed by each tenant as a condition of occupancy, include regulations stating that pets cannot weigh more than 20 pounds and must be carried by their owners through hallways and other public areas.

The women received numerous notices that they were in violation of their contract from the complex’s council, whose members are elected by residents to manage the building, President Arlene Kelso said.

Pets must be small so they cannot injure frail residents, many of whom are in their 80s and 90s, Kelso said.

“We have people using canes and people who have trouble walking,” Kelso said. “We have to have these pet rules for the safety of everyone who lives here.”

Alba Castelli, 65, who waited three years to be able to move into the complex, said she was notified last week that she has two weeks to get rid of her dog Spotz, a 30-pound mutt that has a white coat dotted with black spots.

She has lived in the complex for three months and said she was aware that pet regulations existed before moving in. But at the time, she said, Spotz was still a puppy, and she did not know how big the dog would grow.

“The weight of a dog should not matter,” Castelli said. “It is their temperament that matters. My Spotz is a loving creature. She keeps me company, she kisses me. She is a part of my life.”

Castelli had such affection for her past two dogs that she keeps their ashes in a small box by her bed.

The dog-lover has looked for another apartment but cannot find one she can afford on her fixed Social Security income. She pays $127 a month for her federally subsidized apartment.

Castelli said she hopes to find a family to care for her dog and “really love her like I love her.” If she can’t find a suitable home for Spotz, Castelli said the pair will somehow find other lodging.