A Canadian tourist is facing severe prison time and animal cruelty charges after drunkenly stealing a hotel mascot flamingo from its enclosure.
Drunken Tourist Steals Hotel Mascot Flamingo
According to British daily The Times on the 20th (local time), 34-year-old Canadian national Mitchell Fairban was found guilty of animal cruelty by a Nevada grand jury on the 19th. CCTV footage played in court showed him entering a Las Vegas hotel’s outdoor enclosure while heavily intoxicated last March, snatching a flamingo, and bringing it back to his guest room.
Injured Flamingo Recovers from the Ordeal
The 27-year-old flamingo, named Peach, was dragged away while squawking before being released into a hallway two to three minutes later. During the incident, the bird lost feathers, bled, and suffered wing injuries. Although Peach has recovered her health, she remains wary of people. Prosecutors pointed out that flamingo feathers were found in Fairban’s room, indicating he intentionally harmed the animal.
Potential Prison Sentence and Legal Defense
Fairban’s defense attorney argued that his client had consumed 30 to 40 beers over a 24-hour period, committing a harmless prank and deeply regretting his actions. Fairban is currently under house arrest in Nevada ahead of his sentencing hearing on December 1st. If convicted, he could face a maximum prison sentence of 4 years and 6 months.
