Brief
Canadian tourist convicted of animal cruelty after stealing flamingo from Las Vegas hotel
Mitchell Fairbarn, 34, was convicted after a jury heard he stole the bird while intoxicated and injured it.
By Felo News Desk · Published
Mitchell Fairbarn, a 34‑year‑old Canadian tourist, was convicted of felony and misdemeanor animal cruelty for stealing a flamingo named “Peachy” from the Flamingo Hotel and Casino in Las Vegas during a night of heavy drinking, according to Fox 5 Vegas and 8 News Now.
What happened
Fairbarn, a married father of three from central Ontario, testified that he consumed “30 to 40” drinks while walking down Las Vegas Boulevard on March 3. Around 5 a.m. the following morning, he entered the hotel’s flamingo habitat, grabbed the bird by the neck, and took it to his hotel room as a “silly joke.” Video evidence shown in court captured him laughing while handling the bird.
What the reports add
Fox 5 Vegas reported the theft occurred on March 3, while 8 News Now repeated the detail that Fairbarn admitted the bird was hurt and said, “I’m taking responsibility.” The Las Vegas Review‑Journal via AP supplied images of the bird’s injuries, noting a facilities engineer discovered Peachy injured after the incident.
What was said
Fairbarn told the court, “I thought it was something that we could joke about for the rest of our lives,” as reported by 8 News Now. His defense attorney Joshua Tomsheck called his client a “moron” but denied any intent to kill the bird, adding, “If he wanted to kill Peachy, Peachy would be dead,” according to the same outlet.
How it came about
The case stemmed from Fairbarn’s work‑trip to Las Vegas, during which he allegedly drank heavily before encountering the flamingo habitat. After the bird was found injured, the hotel’s facilities staff reported the incident, leading to criminal charges and a five‑hour jury deliberation that resulted in the conviction. Fairbarn is scheduled for sentencing on Dec. 3.
Key facts
- Mitchell Fairbarn was convicted of felony and misdemeanor animal cruelty for stealing a flamingo from the Flamingo Hotel in Las Vegas. (nypost.com)
- Fairbarn claimed he had consumed 30 to 40 alcoholic drinks before the theft. (nypost.com)
- The bird, named "Peachy," was found injured by a hotel facilities engineer. (nypost.com)
- Sentencing is set for Dec. 3. (nypost.com)
Sources
- [1] nypost.com — originally reported as “Canadian bozo convicted of animal cruelty for stealing flamingo from Vegas hotel after downing ‘30 to 40’ beers”
