Lake Sherwood HOA relents on dying dog

Sophie, a gravely ill 13yearold German shepherd, will be able to live out her days sleeping on a pillow inside her family's Lake Sherwood estate.

Two younger dogs, Marley and Duke, also have received the Lake Sherwood Valley Homeowners association's permission to stay.

Brad Wear and his family appeared before their homeowners association board Aug. 29 after receiving a notice in July demanding they limit the numbers of dogs they owned to the two allowed by the HOA's Covenants, Conditions and Restrictions.

The family asked the association for a waiver because of their older dog's medical conditions.

"Sophie is confined to the house and only goes outside to do her business," Wear said.

The family was not aware there was a two-dog limit when they added two puppies to their household about a year ago. Wear said that was partly because many of their neighbors have more than two dogs.

After hearing from the family personally, board members showed sympathy, Wear said.

On Aug. 30 a letter was sent out by the HOA stating that the CC&Rs would continue to restrict the number of dogs to two, but the Wear family will be allowed to keep their three dogs until one dies.

The HOA members did not want to comment further on the matter.

- Nancy Needham