HENDERSON (KTNV) — You may have seen camels Moses and Abraham around the valley at a variety of community events, but that could change soon.
“Got my first camel in 2013 that was him," said Nancy Rouas, Petting Zoo 2 U owner who has two camels. "Yup, that’s Moses, he was 6 months old when I got him at that time.”
Rouas has two camels in total and plenty of other animals, all part of her traveling business.
“So my company is called Petting Zoo 2 U, and it started very small in 1997 with just a few goats and chickens and rabbits," Rouas said.
It's grown from there.
Rouas now brings her animals all around the valley to community events, birthday parties, church events, and much more.
She even brings the camels with her often. As you'd expect, the reaction to seeing a large camel is priceless.
“So many people are in shock because he’s such an impressive animal. He’s so big, but he’s also super gentle," Rouas said.
VIDEO| So, why is she fighting over them? I'll explain
Rouas says the trouble started in 2024 — 11 years after she got her first camel — when she claims a Henderson Animal Protection Services officer visited her property.
"She saw the camels and said that's an exotic animal, and you're not allowed to keep exotic animals in Henderson," Rouas said. "It was a little bit surprising."
The visit coincided with a USDA reclassification that grouped camels alongside exotic animals. The City of Henderson tells Channel 13 it follows those federal guidelines, meaning camels are considered exotic — and prohibited without a special permit.
But the permit process itself has caused confusion.
"It does not require an owner just to keep a camel or to enjoy their camel," Rouas said.
She says she's nervous about the outcome. If her application is denied, she'd either have to give up the camels or leave Henderson entirely — and she says she'd rather move.
Before it came to that, though, Rouas says she would take the fight directly to the Henderson City Council, with a lawyer by her side.
The City says Rouas did apply for a conditional-use permit, but the application also proposed keeping more than 125 animals on her 1.5-acre property.
Despite the scale of her operation, Rouas says she has never received a single complaint.
"Never had a complaint from a neighbor, never a complaint from anyone at a public event, nothing," Rouas said.
Henderson resident Steve Brincat backed that up: "I have never seen any complaints or heard any complaints from anybody about any animals."
Rouas says her fight extends beyond Henderson — she also plans to challenge the USDA's camel classification at the federal level. And she's not doing it alone.
More than 18,000 people had signed an online petition in her support as of Monday night, with backing from across the country and internationally.
"It's wonderful to get that kind of support," Rouas said.
Brincat says he supports her 100%.
Here is the full statement the City of Henderson sent me regarding this story:
"The City of Henderson relies on the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) for review and permitting of wild and exotic animals, which includes camels. Camels are prohibited in Henderson; unless, owners are able to obtain the appropriate approvals, including any required city and federal permits.
In October, the City Council adopted revised animal code regulations that include enhanced standards for rural neighborhoods. Based in part on feedback Nancy provided during a public meeting, the City added a provision allowing residents to apply for a Conditional Use Permit to request approval for additional animals on their property within the rural neighborhood.
Since the code update, the City has not taken enforcement action and has been working with Nancy over the past four months to bring her animals into compliance with the regulations. She recently received a warning after exhibiting a camel without the required approvals and permits, including a USDA exhibitor permit.
Nancy currently has a Conditional Use Permit application under review. Her application includes the camel and requests approval to increase the number of other animals on her property. The property is approximately 1.5 acres, and the application proposes keeping more than 125 animals.
As part of the review process, the City evaluates the number and types of animals to ensure they are appropriate for the size of the property and consistent with City code.
The City’s animal codes are intended to ensure that animals are kept in appropriate areas, and that adequate space and proper conditions are maintained for their care and wellbeing.
The conditional use permit will be on April 16 Planning Commission agenda."
That Planning Commission meeting is at 4 p.m. April 16.
We will make sure to keep you up-to-date with all the latest on Nancy and her camels, and we'll let you know what they decide.
