By Vernon Robison

Moapa Valley Progress

The Moapa Town Advisory Board approved a zoning request from Moapa resident Shelley Logan for a Special Use Permit allowing an exotic pet at her home on Larry Street near Isola Drive.

Logan, who also works as the Animal Control Officer in northeaster Clark County, explained that she had recently acquired a baby patas monkey which she is keeping as a family pet.

The patas is a relatively small animal, growing to around 33 inches in length and about 15 lbs. by adulthood. County code requires a special use permit to keep such an animal on a residential property.

Logan told the board that she had actually applied to have three such animals as part of the use permit. “But that is just in case we ever wanted anything else in the distant future,” she said. “Our intention is only to have the one.”

The use permit will restrict the size of allowed animals to 20 lbs or less, Logan said.

“So your are not talking about ever having anything like chimps or orangutans or anything bigger like that,” said MTAB member Don Davis.

“No,” Logan responded.

She also stated that other residents in the neighborhood had expressed no reservations or concerns about the use permit being granted.

“After all we have a full zoo just down the street,” Logan said. “So this is nothing really.”

A motion was made to approve the use permit including a condition that it be restricted to animals under 20 lbs. The motion was accepted with a unanimous vote of the board.

The item will go before the County Planning Commission on January 13.