The family of Debby Rose failed Tuesday night to convince Greene County planning officials to OK a proposed exotic animal shelter outside Springfield.

The county's planning and zoning board voted unanimously to reject the request, filed under the named La Verta Hartley in care of T.J. and Drew Rose. They are Debby Rose's children.

Rose became known nationally for having a macaque monkey named Richard. Rose claimed the monkey was a service animal, vital to her daily life and helpful because she has a disability.

Rose said her disability was anxiety disorder. A federal judge rejected that claim in 2009.

Also in 2009, Greene County deputies searched property on Farm Road 137 and found several monkeys on the property. At least one had escaped, and was later found dead near Pleasant Hope.

"The primary issue with this request is the neighborhood opposition," the planning and zoning staff wrote in documents obtained by KSPR News. "Much of the neighborhood opposition stems from the escaping of the animals, and the concern that the escaped animals may be dangerous."

Escaped monkeys should be killed immediately, according to officials at three zoos in Missouri. "The zoos make it a practice to kill any macaque that is about to escape the perimeter fence as a precaution to the public," according to the P&Z documents. "The zoos are so concerned with contamination from the diseases which those monkey(s) carry that staff is required to wear protective suits and a mask or respirator when handling the animals."

Macaque monkeys are carriers of the Herpes B virus, "which is very deadly to humans," according to the documents.

Rose wanted to start a dog rescue operation "for about 6-7 dogs," according to her family's application to planning and zoning. She acknowledges keeping "20-25 monkeys ... goats, pigs, peacocks (and) a wallaby" on the property."