Tourist Faces Prison for Stealing Las Vegas Flamingo
A 34-year-old Canadian tourist faces up to five years in prison after a Nevada jury convicted him of animal cruelty for stealing a Chilean flamingo from its casino enclosure in Las Vegas, nu.nl reported. The March 3 incident left the bird injured with plucked feathers and blood loss before its recovery under veterinary care.
Hotel Surveillance Captures the March 3 Abduction
Footage presented during the trial showed Mitchell Fairbarn grabbing the flamingo named Peachy by the neck inside the Flamingo Las Vegas Hotel and Casino. Fairbarn carried the screaming bird into an elevator and up to his hotel room. Canadian broadcaster CBC reported that Fairbarn consumed between 40 and 50 beers during the evening out. Expert testimony in court confirmed that the animal suffered physical pain, including missing feathers and bleeding.
Defense Cites Drunken Foolishness Versus Malicious Intent
Josh Tomsheck, the attorney representing Fairbarn, argued that his client made poor decisions under the influence of alcohol. “The reality is: Mitch was dronken, Mitch was dom en hij maakte de verkeerde keuzes,” his counsel stated, acknowledging that the act should not have happened. Prosecutors maintained that the tourist orchestrated a malicious prank that terrified and harmed the captive bird.
Fairbarn Faces Sentencing in December While Under House Arrest
Following the verdict delivered after five hours of jury deliberations, Fairbarn remains under house arrest and has been barred from leaving the United States since his initial arrest in March, according to Nieuwsblad. While the animal’s physical condition has stabilized, its attending veterinarian noted that the flamingo displays increased nervousness and anxiety following the abduction. The court scheduled the official sentencing hearing for December 1, where Fairbarn faces a maximum penalty of four and a half to five years behind bars.