LAS VEGAS (KTNV) — A Las Vegas woman is facing eviction for having a pair of pet pigeons in her apartment.
Yzavela Narvaez says her pigeons provide her with emotional support and comfort. Narvaez took the pigeons in 2 years ago and claims owning them has never been a problem before.
"We tried to find a place for them, but there was nobody that would be willing to take them, so I decided to keep them,” Narvaez said.
A few weeks ago, property managers discovered the pigeons during a routine apartment inspection. Since then, Narvaez said, she’s been worried about what could happen.
"The manager peeked her head in and told me she didn’t think I could have them. She said she would have to call corporate to see if they are allowed,” Narvaez said.
Narvaez signed a new lease agreement in September. The agreement stated no animals are allowed unless tenants obtained special permission. Narvaez claims the pigeons have provided her emotional support as she deals with a recently diagnosed medical condition.
"I'm trying everything that I can to get this right and I can't get anybody to understand, much less work with me on it,” Narvaez said.
Property managers placed a five day lease violation notice on her door telling Narvaez to remove her feathered friends, or she'd be forced to move out.
"It just gets to me that people have to be so cruel when it comes to certain things, you know? They can't be compassionate or listen to a person's story. Being in the bird's company, it's comforting for me,” Narvaez said.
Terry Moore, the attorney representing the property management company, says the landlord has been sympathetic to her situation but points to a Clark County ordinance which states wild pigeons pose a health and property hazard.
"The concern we have here is that these are illegal animals. They are wild feral pigeons,” Moore said.
Now, Yzavela has until April 14th to figure out what to do.
"As much as it hurts, I will try and find someone who would be willing to take them, someone who will love them as much as we do,” Narvaez said.
Channel 13 also looked into what it takes to claim an animal as "emotional support."
Sasha DeCania, a licensed therapist in Las Vegas said there are few to no regulations for emotional support animals in Nevada.
DeCania said it’s really up to health care providers to agree that a client has a condition that would benefit from the support of an animal.
“What they’re asking us to do as therapists, doctors, or providers is to say that we’ve seen this animal and we’ve agreed that this client has a condition that would require or that would benefit from the support of an animal. I feel for this woman who wants to keep these animals in her life and keep her residence,” DeCania said.
