LAS VEGAS (KLAS) — Nancy Rouas mentioned lots of people assume she is leaving their dream; nevertheless, her rural Nevada way of life grew to become the middle of a metropolis corridor battle over roosters—additionally camels.
In 1997, Rouas earned a enterprise license and began work on her two-acre Henderson Ranch, later changing into Petting Zoo 2 U, a touring occasion exercise.
“We started out doing a lot of the small birthday parties, and it kind of grew very organically from there,” she mentioned.
The small enterprise grew and have become an in-demand addition for quite a lot of Las Vegas occasions, together with the Wednesday Clark County Juvenile Detention Trunk or Deal with Scare-a-bration.
Clark County Juvenile Detention Trunk or Deal with Scare-a-bration (KLAS)
“Some kids are afraid at first,” she mentioned. “My favorite reaction is when they get over that deer in the headlights look, and then they really enjoy petting the animals and getting close to the animals.”
Nonetheless, final 12 months, the touring band of animals got here beneath some scrutiny as a Henderson Animal Management officer reviewed the petting zoo property, based on Rouas.
Nancy Rouas mentioned lots of people assume she is leaving their dream; nevertheless, her rural Nevada way of life grew to become the middle of a metropolis corridor battle over roosters—additionally camels. (KLAS)
“I did get a citation because I owned a rooster,” she mentioned. “And roosters have been illegal to own in Henderson for probably 30-plus years.”
Rouas mentioned the Henderson Animal Management officer then wrote up one other quotation on the sight of the camels close by, believing them to not be domesticated and in opposition to code.
“Camels have been around as domesticated species for thousands of years,” she mentioned. “They really should be categorized with farm animals, domestic animals. They are the ultimate domestic animal.”
Nancy Rouas mentioned lots of people assume she is leaving their dream; nevertheless, her rural Nevada way of life grew to become the middle of a metropolis corridor battle over roosters—additionally camels. (Credit score: Nancy Rouas)
The priority of continued citations grew to become motion as Rouas mentioned she and others started to get the eye of the Henderson Metropolis Council and workers to current new arguments to alter the code.
“They worked very closely with the planning commission to be able to get the bill to a point where I felt I could support that,” she mentioned.
Tuesday, the Henderson Metropolis Council handed a collection of modifications for animals, each rural and suburban, together with proscribing the sale of chicks or ducklings beneath two weeks outdated, growing the quantity and sort of livestock allowed for rural areas, and legalizing roosters for some neighborhoods.
“These updates reflect the valuable feedback we received from our residents,” Eddie Dichter, Metropolis of Henderson Director of Neighborhood Improvement and Providers, mentioned. “We carefully considered community input to ensure these changes strengthen animal welfare and meet the needs of our rural neighborhoods. We’ll continue to assess areas concerning animals to make sure our codes reflect the highest standards.”
Henderson’s revised guidelines for rural animals for Title 19:
RS-1 and RS-2, permits for horses, cattle, goats, sheep, hens, geese, swine, quail
Permits for 1 horse per 10,000 sq. toes
RS-1 and RS-2, permits for 1 cattle per 20,000 sq. toes
Permits for 1 goat, sheep, swine per 10,000 sq. toes
Quail and geese included in animal codes
RS-1 by RS-6, permits for a max mixed of 10 chickens, hens, geese, quail on lots
Every lot might have one rooster supplied there are hens current
1 sterilized pig allowed in RS-1 to RS-4
With conditional use allow as much as 3 pigs allowed in rural preservation neighborhoods
“The roosters are only allowed in the RS-1 and RS-2 neighborhoods, which are the rural preservation neighborhoods,” Rouas mentioned. “We still can’t have a rooster in downtown or Green Valley.”
Though Rouas mentioned she was proud of these metropolis council members who fought to protect her way of life, she mentioned there’s extra to alter—like camels.
“You can ride them like a horse, you can use their fiber like a sheep, you can milk them like a cow,” she mentioned.
