Man who took live flamingo to Vegas hotel room is convicted

Key Points:

• Mitchell Grant Fairbarn, a 34-year-old Canadian man, was found guilty of one felony and one misdemeanor count of animal cruelty for removing a Chilean flamingo named Peachy from its enclosure at the Flamingo Las Vegas hotel and causing injuries to the bird.
• Surveillance footage and Snapchat photos showed Fairbarn carrying Peachy to his hotel room as a prank, during which the bird sustained abrasions, missing feathers, and other injuries requiring veterinary treatment; Peachy has since recovered.
• Fairbarn admitted to taking the flamingo but denied malicious intent, attributing his actions to alcohol consumption and personal stress after learning of his father's cancer diagnosis; he faces up to four years in prison and six months in county jail.
• Hotel employees discovered the injured flamingo and emphasized the importance of the birds at the habitat, some of which are decades old and rely on the enclosure for care.
• Clark County District Attorney Steven B. Wolfson praised the jury's verdict, calling it justice for Peachy, while Fairbarn's attorney has not yet commented; sentencing is scheduled for December 1.