TORONTO — An Ontario man has been convicted of animal cruelty after he took a flamingo named Peachy from its habitat at the Flamingo Las Vegas Hotel and Casino in March and carried the bird to his hotel room.A Clark County jury found Mitchell Fairbarn, 34, guilty of one felony count and one misdemeanor count of cruelty to animals on Monday. He remains under house arrest pending a Dec. 1 sentencing hearing. He faces up to four years in prison on the felony and up to six months on the misdemeanor.Prosecutors said Fairbarn entered the hotel’s wildlife habitat around 5 a.m. on March 3 after drinking an estimated 30 to 40 beers. Video showed him carrying the 27-year-old Chilean flamingo through the hotel. When staff recovered Peachy, the bird was missing seven to eight feathers, had blood on its feathers, and suffered wing injuries. A large bloody feather was later found in Fairbarn’s room.Fairbarn testified that he had no malicious intent and described the incident as a “silly pranky joke.” He said he was in Las Vegas for ConExpo, a construction trade show, and had considered cancelling the trip after his father was diagnosed with cancer in December 2025. He told the court he lives in central Ontario, runs an excavation business he started in 2014, is married with three children, and grew up on farms..His defence lawyer, Josh Tomsheck, argued the actions were “dumb” and “fuelled by drunkenness.” Prosecutors said Fairbarn willfully caused the bird pain and pointed to video evidence, including a moment in which he was heard saying he would “f***” the bird.Peachy’s veterinarian testified the bird is physically recovering but shows increased anxiety. Fairbarn was unable to return to Canada while awaiting trial and could not attend his father’s funeral.The Flamingo Las Vegas, one of the oldest hotels on the Strip, houses flamingos and other animals in a public habitat. Caesars Entertainment, which owns the property, previously called the incident “deeply distressing.”
