A man is facing up to four years in prison for stealing a flamingo from its enclosure at a Las Vegas hotel and smuggling it into his hotel room.
Mitchell Fairbarn, 34, from Ontario, Canada, was convicted of animal cruelty charges after taking Peachy, a 27-year-old Chilean flamingo, from its habitat at the Flamingo Las Vegas Hotel and Casino.
The tourist told the court he had drunk between 30 and 40 beers before the incident and thought taking the bird would be "funny".
AdvertisementAdvertisementAdvertisementAdvertisementHe said he had been drinking all night and had just finished a call with a colleague when he decided to take the flamingo back to his hotel room.
Footage shown during the trial showed Fairbarn smiling as he carried the bird by the neck into a hotel lift before taking it to his room.
Police were called after hotel security reported that someone had taken a flamingo from the enclosure.
When Peachy was found, the bird was missing seven to eight feathers and had blood on its plumage and injuries to its wings, authorities said.
Animal experts testified that the flamingo had suffered blood loss and had feathers torn out during the incident.
AdvertisementAdvertisementProsecutors said feathers were found on the hotel floor and argued that Peachy had experienced physical pain when Fairbarn pulled it by its feet.
Josh Tomsheck, Fairbarn's defence lawyer, argued that his client had been drunk and made a series of foolish decisions but never intended to harm the animal.
After about five hours of deliberations, jurors returned guilty verdicts on felony and misdemeanour animal cruelty charges on Monday.
Fairbarn faces up to four years in prison for the felony conviction and a further six months for the misdemeanour - AP/Benjamin Hager
Fairbarn, who remains under house arrest in Las Vegas, is expected to be sentenced on Dec 1.
He faces up to four years in prison for the felony conviction and a further six months for the misdemeanour.
AdvertisementAdvertisementThe flamingo has since recovered physically but has become more anxious and nervous around humans, according to Tiffany Moore, its veterinarian and medical director of Lone Mountain Animal Hospital.
Mr Tomsheck told jurors that his client deeply regretted his actions.
"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," he said.
"The truth is, Mitch was drunk. Mitch was stupid. He made bad decisions."
His lawyer added that Fairbarn had received death threats since his arrest.
He showed no visible emotion as he left the courtroom with his wife after the verdict.
AdvertisementAdvertisementThe Flamingo is one of the oldest hotels on the Las Vegas Strip. Its wildlife habitat, which is free for visitors to walk through, is home to a flock of Chilean flamingos as well as hummingbirds, turtles and koi fish.
