(CLAIR | Simi Valley, CA) — The story sounds impossible — but it’s true.
In 1967, a three-year-old elephant named Dolly became one of Simi Valley’s most unusual residents. She lived at Bob’s Tire Center on Los Angeles Avenue, owned by local businessman Bob Nance.
Nance had purchased Dolly from Jungleland in Thousand Oaks, a well-known animal park that supplied trained animals to Hollywood films. As Jungleland began closing, some of its animals were sold, including Dolly.
For several months, Dolly became a community favorite. Families stopped by the tire shop to see her. Children fed her fruit and peanuts. She joined local parades and was often seen walking alongside Nance down Los Angeles Avenue.
But Dolly’s size and strength eventually created problems. In August 1967, during a visit to the tire shop, a six-year-old girl named Tami Michaels was lifted by Dolly’s trunk and dropped into a puddle. She wasn’t seriously hurt, but the incident drew attention from county officials.
Ventura County inspectors raised concerns about health and safety, noting that zoning rules didn’t account for housing an elephant in a commercial district. Reports also described Dolly pulling down part of a small building after breaking free from her tether.
By early 1968, the issue reached the Ventura County Board of Supervisors. Many Simi Valley residents supported Nance and Dolly. Petitions circulated, and children carried handmade signs reading “Save Dolly.” On the day of the hearing, more than 100 people attended, including families who called Dolly a local treasure.
The supervisors initially voted 3–2 to let her stay. But during the final roll call, one supervisor changed his vote, and the variance was denied. Dolly had to be removed from Simi Valley.
Nance appealed the decision, arguing that Dolly was well cared for and loved by the community. “Nobody’s unhappy about Dolly except them,” he said at the time. But the ruling stood, and stricter rules were later enacted for exotic animals in the county.
Dolly left Simi Valley shortly after. Her exact fate remains unclear. Some accounts suggest she was relocated to Hollywood for use in film productions.
In the 1970s, Nance acquired another elephant, a baby named Fluffy. She later became known as Tarra and went on to live at an elephant sanctuary, becoming one of the most recognized elephants in sanctuary history.
Today, Bob’s Tire Center no longer exists. The site has been redeveloped. But inside the Nance family’s shop in Red Bluff, California, old photos still hang — showing Dolly behind stacks of tires, surrounded by smiling children.
Dolly’s brief time in Simi Valley remains a distinctive chapter in the city’s early history — a reminder of a growing community’s spirit and its ability to come together for something extraordinary.
