A Canadian tourist has been found guilty of animal cruelty charges after a bizarre incident at a Las Vegas hotel. Mitchell Fairbarn, of Ontario, Canada, was convicted of felony and misdemeanor animal cruelty charges on Monday. The case stemmed from an incident on March 3 at the Flamingo Las Vegas Hotel and Casino, where Fairbarn removed a 27-year-old Chilean flamingo named Peachy from its enclosure and brought the bird to his hotel room.
Prosecutors argued that Fairbarn deliberately caused the bird pain, pointing to footage of him pulling Peachy by its feet and feathers found on the hotel floor. The bird was found to be missing seven or eight feathers, had blood on its feathers, and suffered injuries to its wings. Surveillance footage presented during the trial showed Fairbarn holding the flamingo inside an elevator and carrying it through a hotel hallway as the bird squawked.
Fairbarn's defense attorney acknowledged that his client made poor decisions while intoxicated, but argued that he never intended to injure the animal. The defense attorney stated that Fairbarn was "drunk, stupid, and made bad decisions." However, prosecutors argued that Fairbarn's actions were a result of his own choices and that he should be held accountable for the consequences.
Peachy, the flamingo, is currently recovering and remains more anxious during veterinary examinations. The bird's medical director, Tiffany Moore, stated that Peachy is physically doing well but still requires care and attention. Fairbarn remains under house arrest as he awaits sentencing on December 1, and faces up to four years in prison on the felony conviction and an additional six months for the misdemeanor offense.
NTC Report coverage is based on reporting from the original publisher.
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