Man who snatched Peachy the flamingo from Las Vegas hotel exhibit found guilty of animal cruelty

A Canadian man was convicted of animal cruelty charges for snatching a flamingo named Peachy from its enclosure at a Las Vegas hotel.

A Canadian man was convicted of animal cruelty charges for snatching a flamingo named Peachy from its enclosure at a Las Vegas hotel.

A Canadian man was convicted of animal cruelty charges for snatching a flamingo named Peachy from its enclosure at a Las Vegas hotel.

Images released by the Las Vegas Police Department show an Ontario tourist taking a flamingo, allegedly removed from its habitat, back to his hotel room. LAS VEGAS -- A Canadian man was convicted of animal cruelty charges Monday for snatching a flamingo named Peachy from its enclosure at an iconic Las Vegas hotel. Prosecutors said it was a malicious prank while a lawyer for the tourist insisted it was drunken foolishness not meant to harm the bird. Prosecutors said tourist Mitchell Fairbarn hurt and frightened the 27-year-old Chilean flamingo when he took it from its habitat at the Flamingo Las Vegas Hotel and Casino and carried the squawking bird to his room March 3. Defence attorney Josh Tomsheck told jurors at trial in a Nevada court that the man deeply regretted the “bad decisions” he made while intoxicated. After about five hours of deliberations, jurors returned convictions on felony and misdemeanor animal cruelty counts against the Ontario, Canada, man. Mitchell Fairbarn, left, appears in court with his attorney Josh Tomsheck, during jury selection for his trial at the Regional Justice Center on Tuesday, Oct. 13, 2026, in Las Vegas.

Images released by the Las Vegas Police Department show an Ontario tourist taking a flamingo, allegedly removed from its habitat, back to his hotel room. LAS VEGAS -- A Canadian man was convicted of animal cruelty charges Monday for snatching a flamingo named Peachy from its enclosure at an iconic Las Vegas hotel. Prosecutors said it was a malicious prank while a lawyer for the tourist insisted it was drunken foolishness not meant to harm the bird. Prosecutors said tourist Mitchell Fairbarn hurt and frightened the 27-year-old Chilean flamingo when he took it from its habitat at the Flamingo Las Vegas Hotel and Casino and carried the squawking bird to his room March 3. Defence attorney Josh Tomsheck told jurors at trial in a Nevada court that the man deeply regretted the “bad decisions” he made while intoxicated. After about five hours of deliberations, jurors returned convictions on felony and misdemeanor animal cruelty counts against the Ontario, Canada, man. Mitchell Fairbarn, left, appears in court with his attorney Josh Tomsheck, during jury selection for his trial at the Regional Justice Center on Tuesday, Oct. 13, 2026, in Las Vegas.

Video played at the trial showed Fairbarn holding the flamingo in an elevator and carrying it down a hotel hallway at the famous hotel. The Flamingo is one of the oldest hotels on the Las Vegas Strip, and its well-known flamingo habitat also includes hummingbirds, turtles, koi and other species. Prosecutors told jurors earlier that Fairbarn willfully caused the bird physical pain, noting feathers were found on the hotel floor. Video showed the bird squawking while Fairbarn handled it and prosecutors said Peachy felt pain when it was pulled by its feet. Las Vegas police responded to the scene after security staff reported someone had stolen the flamingo. When Peachy was located, it was missing seven to eight feathers, had blood on its feathers and injuries to its wings, authorities said. Taking the bird was “dumb” and “fueled by drunkenness,” defense attorney Josh Tomsheck said. But Tomsheck added that his client never intended to hurt the bird, a key element in the felony charge. “He should not have done that, should not have gone into the habitat, shouldn’t have touched a bird, shouldn’t have taken Peachy inside,” Tomsheck said. “The truth is, Mitch was drunk. Mitch was stupid.