Canadian Tourist Convicted of Flamingo Cruelty in Las Vegas

A Canadian tourist was found guilty of animal cruelty after he was caught taking a flamingo from a Las Vegas hotel habitat. Prosecutors stated the bird was injured during the incident.

The tourist, Mitchell Fairbarn from Ontario, Canada, was convicted of felony and misdemeanor animal cruelty charges. Jurors deliberated for about five hours before reaching a verdict. The case involved a March 3 event at the Flamingo Las Vegas Hotel and Casino. Fairbarn removed a 27-year-old Chilean flamingo, named Peachy, from its enclosure and took it to his hotel room.

Surveillance footage presented in court showed Fairbarn holding the flamingo inside an elevator and carrying it through the hotel, as the bird squawked. He faces four charges of felony animal abuse.

Prosecutors argued Fairbarn deliberately harmed the bird, as seen in the footage showing him pulling Peachy by its feet. Feathers were also found on the hotel floor.

Las Vegas police were alerted after hotel security noted the missing flamingo. When authorities found Peachy, the bird had lost seven or eight feathers and had injuries to its wings.

Fairbarn’s defense lawyer, Josh Tomsheck, admitted that his client acted poorly due to intoxication. He argued that Fairbarn did not mean to harm the animal.

“He should not have done that, should not have gone into the habitat, shouldn’t have touched a bird, shouldn’t have taken Peachy inside, Tomsheck told the jurors. “The truth is, Mitch was drunk. Mitch was stupid. He made bad decisions.“

Peachy’s recovery has been supported by medical director Tiffany Moore of Lone Mountain Animal Hospital. She noted that Peachy remains more anxious during veterinary exams.

Fairbarn is under house arrest and awaits sentencing on December 1. He could face up to four years in prison for the felony conviction, and six more months for the misdemeanor.

During the trial, prosecutors shared that Fairbarn received death threats after the news broke. He could not return to Canada while the case was ongoing, even when his father passed away.

Clark County prosecutor Haley Willming argued these were consequences of his own choices.

“None of that would have happened had he not done what he did, had he not made the choices he made, Willming said.

The Flamingo Las Vegas hotel is famous for its wildlife habitat, home to flamingos, turtles, koi fish, and more.