By Sam Richards

Staff writer

The signs are small, not necessarily noticed by folks who enter the Redwood Room or other GRF public buildings.

But they’re there — small maroon signs on the doors of most GRF buildings saying, “No Pets Allowed.”

There have been a handful of complaints in recent weeks, by Rossmoor employees and Rossmoor residents, about dogs being brought into GRF facilities, GRF General Manager Jeff Matheson said recently.

It is official GRF policy that pets are not allowed inside GRF buildings, including the Event Center, clubhouses or offices including those at Gateway, MOD and Creekside (Service animals, however, can enter GRF buildings).

It is spelled out in GRF Rule R107 (https://tinyurl.com/2v7yuw6z).

“If you come in to do business, please leave your dog at home or leash them up outside,” Matheson said. There have been incidents in the past, he said, of animals inadvertently tripping people, urinating on carpets and other flooring and setting off allergic reactions.

Jean Lerner said she knows how severe such an allergic reaction can be, and that sometimes it doesn’t take much to trigger them – even just a few stray hairs shed days ago can do it.

“People can have deadly allergies to dog fur, and if they’re in a space where a dog has been recently, they can get sick,” said Lerner, who was with her miniature poodle Indigo at the Dog Park on a recent Friday morning.

Cristina Medina, who that same morning was at the dog park with her toy poodle Lola, said she wasn’t aware of GRF’s dog policy before a Rossmoor News reporter brought it up.  “It’s never occurred to me,” she said. And there’s a reason for that, she said.

“It’s not an issue, because we don’t do it …. like we don’t take the dog into a store,” Medina said.

Matheson said he’s aware of at least one instance of someone bringing a dog into Peacock Hall as they watched a movie.

Rule R107 states, in part, “Violations of this policy may result in a particular pet being banned from areas of GRF and /or other possible sanctions.” Matheson said “other sanctions” could include suspension of certain privileges to use GRF amenities, if a resident and his or her dog has enough reported violations.