Owner forced to remove pit bull service dog from home

Kenzie Lane is the owner of a service dog named Buddy. Lane had to remove Buddy from her apartment over questions about his documentation as a service dog. (courtesy photo)

Editor's Note: A spokesperson referred for the Project Hills Apartments referred to pit bulls as a vicious breed. The article had incorrectly attributed the comment to another organization, and we apologize for the error.

FLEMINGTON -- A borough woman was forced to give up her service dog last week or face eviction from her apartment.

Kenzie Lane received a notice last week at her Prospect Hills Apartment informing her that she had 24 hours to remove her dog, Buddy, from the property or be evicted.

"Because he's a vicious breed, they can't allow him to stay here and we have like 24 hours to get him off the premises," Lane said.

Buddy is a labrador-pit bull mix. A spokesperson for Project Hills Apartments said Pit bulls are listed as a vicious breed and are denied at the apartment complex.

A spokesman for Hilton Management, which manages Prospect Hills Apartments, said pit bulls are not permitted at the apartments and Lane did not provide sufficient evidence that Buddy is a service dog.

Lane lives with her 63-year-old father and said she couldn't risk him being evicted because of her service dog. Buddy was sent to live with a friend for the time being.

In May, Lane said officials from the apartment complex began questioning Buddy's presence at the apartment.

"He's always by my side. He's never not on a leash; he's never not with me, so there was absolutely no reason to complain. He's never bit anyone, he's never attacked anyone," Lane said.

Buddy and Lane first met last November. Lane suffers from post traumatic stress disorder and anxiety, both as a result of her mother's death in 2010.

"My mom passed away super suddenly from lupus," Lane said. "I was 17, and I saw the whole thing, so I've really been struggling with that since, and in March of 2010 I actually ended up trying to commit suicide over my PTSD and depression."

While undergoing treatment, Lane was diagnosed with depression, anxiety and PTSD. Last year she decided to get a service dog and acquired Buddy, a service dog from New York.

"When I'm having an anxiety attack, he's trained to literally sit on me and do like deep pressure therapy until I calm down," Lane said.

Buddy is also trained to recognize when Lane is having nightmares and how to wake her, Lane said.

Since Lane is 24 weeks pregnant, Buddy is the only treatment she can receive for her anxiety.

"I can't take medications, and I'm dealing with everything," Lane said. "So to not have my service dog, not be on medication, it's been a really rough week."

The Americans With Disabilities Act defines a service dog as a dog trained to "perform tasks for the benefit of an individual with a disability, including a physical, sensory, psychiatric, intellectual, or other mental disability."

Under the Fair Housing Act, landlords are required to provide "reasonable accommodations" for any assistance animal including service dogs, but can request documentation regarding the tenant's disability and the need for a service dog.

A spokesman for the management company said Lane has not provided proof that the dog provides disability-related assistance.

Lane said she has provided the documentation required by the FHA, but a spokesman said under FHA rules they need more documentation to allow the dog to remain on the property.

Angela Lingg may be reached at alingg@njadvancemedia.com. Follow her on Twitter @angela_lingg. Find NJ.com on Facebook.