Canadian Visitor Faces Potential Prison Time After Flamingo Incident at Las Vegas Casino

During his trial, prosecutors detailed how a Canadian tourist allegedly harmed a flamingo by taking it from its habitat at the Flamingo Las Vegas Hotel earlier this year. Mitchell Fairbarn from Ontario has been charged with two felony counts of animal cruelty related to the incident that took place on March 3, where he reportedly carried a flamingo named Peachy to his hotel room.

Video evidence presented in court shows Fairbarn holding the bird in an elevator and walking down a hotel corridor. If found guilty of the charges, he could face up to five years in prison for each count.

His attorney, Josh Tomsheck, argued that Fairbarn’s actions were uninformed, stemming from intoxication and lacking intent to harm the animal. Prosecutors contended there was evidence of physical pain inflicted on the bird, including feathers found in the hotel corridor. As deliberations were expected to begin following closing arguments, Fairbarn remains unable to depart the U.S.