A Canadian tourist is facing serious felony charges after allegedly breaking into the Wildlife Habitat at the Flamingo hotel in Las Vegas and stealing a flamingo.
According to the Daily Mail, 33-year-old Mitchell Fairbarn was arrested after police responded to a call from the hotel on Tuesday morning. He now faces four counts of felony animal abuse. Authorities say the incident occurred around 5 a.m., when surveillance footage allegedly captured Fairbarn trespassing into the hotel’s Wildlife Habitat enclosure.
Surveillance Footage Shows Flamingo Named “Peachy” Being Taken
Police say surveillance video shows Fairbarn grabbing a Chilean flamingo named Peachy. During the alleged attempt, authorities claim he injured multiple birds while trying to take Peachy. Footage reportedly shows him holding down a second flamingo to prevent it from escaping. According to police, Fairbarn then brought Peachy back to his hotel room.
Investigators later reviewed videos found on his phone. Authorities described the footage as disturbing. Police allege it showed Fairbarn holding the bird by the neck and slamming it onto the floor. While being questioned, Fairbarn reportedly claimed he believed the bird was in distress and that he “popped” its wing back into place.
Authorities said he told them that “popping” a wing back into position is a common practice for birds such as ducks. He allegedly stated he had knowledge of this because he is a “farm boy.”
Multiple Flamingos Injured
Animal control officials reported that Peachy suffered a wing injury caused by the wing being pulled from its body. The bird required stitches. Two additional flamingos were also injured during the incident. Caesars Entertainment, which operates the Flamingo hotel, described the situation as “distressing.”
In a statement, the company said the injured birds are currently under the care of veterinarians and the Flamingo’s animal care team.