Canadian tourist testifies in trial over stolen Las Vegas casino flamingo

A Canadian tourist on trial in Nevada for allegedly stealing and mistreating a casino flamingo testified on Friday that the incident was a drunken prank. Mitchell Fairbairn, 34, is accused of taking a Chilean flamingo named Peachy from the Flamingo Hotel and Casino on the Las Vegas Strip. The New York Post and the Daily Mail both reported that Fairbairn faces trial over allegations of animal cruelty and theft after taking the bird to his hotel room in March. [1][2][4]

Taking the stand in his own defense, Fairbairn told the court he had no malicious intent and never meant to harm the animal. According to the Daily Mail, he testified that he drank between 30 and 40 beers before entering the wildlife habitat around 5:00 a.m. The New York Post reported that Fairbairn described himself as sleep-deprived and claimed he took selfies with his hands around the bird's neck, thinking it was something to joke about later. [1][2]

Fairbairn, a married father of three and businessman from central Ontario, was on a work trip to Las Vegas at the time of the event, according to the Daily Mail and KLAS 8 News Now. The 27-year-old flamingo was snatched from the wildlife habitat at the Flamingo property, which was one of the earliest casino resorts on the Las Vegas Strip. [1][2][3][6]