A Canadian tourist was convicted of animal cruelty charges Monday for snatching a flamingo named Peachy from its enclosure at the Flamingo Las Vegas Hotel and Casino on March 3.
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tourist → convict → March
Prosecutors said it was a malicious prank while a lawyer for tourist Mitchell Fairbarn said it was drunken foolishness not meant to harm the bird, according to The Associated Press.
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it → say → Press
Fairbarn, 34, was seen on security camera around 5 a.m. on March 3, hopping a fence to get inside the flamingo habitat.
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Fairbarn → see → habitat
He had been charged after taking the 27-year-old Chilean flamingo from the habitat and carrying the bird to his hotel room.
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He → charge → room
Peachy was injured during the incident and the flamingo’s treating veterinarian said the bird had seven to eight missing feathers, broken shafts and blood loss that were consistent with trauma.
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that → injure → trauma
She said that Peachy needed weeks of pain medication, antibiotics and anti-inflammatories after the incident.
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Peachy → say → incident
Since the incident, the flamingo has been doing all right physically but is more anxious and nervous when being evaluated, said Peachy’s veterinarian, Tiffany Moore, medical director of Lone Mountain Animal Hospital.
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veterinarian → do → Hospital
During the trial, defence lawyer Josh Tomsheck told jurors in a Nevada court that Fairbarn deeply regretted the “bad decisions” he made while intoxicated.
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he → tell → decisions
A charging document, viewed by the Las Vegas Review-Journal, alleges that Fairbarn “did willfully, unlawfully, maliciously, and feloniously torture or unjustifiably maim or mutilate an animal kept for companionship or pleasure.”
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Fairbarn → view → companionship
Global News has not independently viewed the charging document.
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News → view → document
Fairbarn testified that he spent March 2 drinking and gambling and estimated that he had consumed between 30 to 40 beers before arriving at the flamingo habitat around 5 a.m, KLAS Las Vegas reported.
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he → testify → Vegas
He claimed that he was drunk and sleep-deprived before taking the bird.
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he → claim → bird
Fairbarn said he took the bird as a “silly pranky joke.”
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he → say → joke
Prosecutors showed surveillance video, photos and Snapchat videos showing Fairbarn smiling and grabbing the flamingo by the neck.
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Fairbarn → show → neck
Video showed the bird squawking while Fairbarn handled it and prosecutors said Peachy felt pain when it was pulled by its feet.
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it → show → feet
Las Vegas police responded to the scene after security staff reported someone had taken the flamingo.
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someone → respond → flamingo
When Peachy was located, it was missing seven to eight feathers, had blood on its feathers and injuries to its wings, authorities said.
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authorities → locate → wings
“Did you ever, at any time, have any malicious intent or desire?” his lawyer asked.
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lawyer → have → intent
“Did you intend to kill?”
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you → intend → ?
“No,” Fairbarn replied.
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Fairbarn → reply → ?
Taking the bird was “dumb” and “fueled by drunkenness,” Tomsheck said.
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Tomsheck → take → drunkenness
“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 added.
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Tomsheck → do → Peachy
He made bad decisions.”
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He → make → decisions
Fairbarn said he was in Las Vegas for Con Expo, “global construction show that happens every three years,” where he was asked to be “one of the representatives from Canada,” according to KCBD.
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he → say → KCBD
After about five hours of deliberations, jurors returned convictions on felony and misdemeanor animal cruelty counts against Fairbarn.
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jurors → return → Fairbarn
Fairbarn’s sentencing hearing is set for Dec. 1 and he remains under house arrest pending the hearing.
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he → set → hearing
The Ontario man faces up to four years in prison for the felony and possibly six more months for the misdemeanor conviction, according to The Associated Press.
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man → face → Press
Nevada animal rights advocate John Waudby, who recently helped strengthen the state’s animal cruelty laws, said he believes justice was delivered on Peachy’s behalf.
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justice → help → behalf
“I hope this sends a message to anybody else that wants to mess with our animals, that you’re not going to do it in Nevada,” he said outside the courtroom after Monday’s verdict.
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he → hope → verdict
The Aporia
