Canadian Tourist Charged with Animal Cruelty After Flamingo Incident at Las Vegas Hotel

Las Vegas, NV – A 33-year-old Canadian man, Mitchell Fairbarn, is facing four counts of animal cruelty after allegedly breaking into the flamingo habitat at the Flamingo Las Vegas Hotel and Casino, injuring several birds, and attempting to take one of the flamingos from the enclosure. The incident occurred around 5 a.m. On Tuesday, March 5, 2026.

Details of the Incident

According to an arrest report from the Las Vegas Metropolitan Police Department (LVMPD), surveillance footage shows Fairbarn entering the flamingo habitat and grabbing the birds, dragging and cornering them. He was observed taking one flamingo, identified by some reports as ‘Peachy’, to his 14th-floor hotel room [Source: Fox5Vegas]. Video evidence allegedly shows Fairbarn laughing and stating, “I’m taking it home,” while walking back to his room, revealing a large tattoo on his upper back [Source: KTN].

Fairbarn allegedly told police he was intoxicated and attempted to “pop” a flamingo’s wing back into place, believing he was helping a bird in distress. However, his actions resulted in injury to the bird, rupturing a blood supply in the wing [Source: KTN].

Flamingos Receiving Veterinary Care

Caesars Entertainment, the owner of the Flamingo Hotel and Casino, stated that the affected flamingos are currently under the care of their veterinary team and are expected to recover [Source: Fox5Vegas].

Community Reaction and Bail

The incident has drawn criticism from visitors and community members. Some believe the $12,000 bail set for Fairbarn is insufficient, given the severity of the alleged actions [Source: 8NewsNow]. As Fairbarn can apply a bail bonds company, he would demand to pay approximately 10 percent – or $1,200 – to be released from jail.

Nevada Animal Cruelty Laws

The charges against Fairbarn come after Nevada strengthened its animal cruelty laws in 2025 with the passage of “Reba’s Law,” inspired by a 2024 case involving the death of a dog in extreme heat. The law expands the definition of “animal” to include all living creatures except humans [Source: Fox5Vegas]. The Animal Legal Defense Fund ranked Nevada 26th in the nation for animal protection laws in 2025, designating it a “most improved” state.

Previous Incident at the Flamingo

This is not the first instance of animal harm at the Flamingo’s wildlife habitat. In 2012, Justin Teixeira beheaded a helmeted guinea fowl while intoxicated and was sentenced to six months of boot camp after apologizing for his actions [Source: Fox5Vegas].

Current Status

As of March 6, 2026, Mitchell Fairbarn remains in custody at the Clark County Detention Center and is scheduled to appear in court on Monday [Source: NationalToday].