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Flamingo over cans of beer
Most people who head to Las Vegas are looking to let loose, and many of them turn to copious amounts of alcohol in that quest. That includes one man who landed in jail after snatching a live flamingo from a casino, a decision that undoubtedly had something to do with the staggering amount of beer he consumed before his ill-advised heist.
The phrase “What Happens in Vegas Stays in Vegas” can be linked back to an ad campaign that was rolled out to lure visitors to Sin City in the early 2000s, a time when that seemed like a plausible promise when you consider social media was still in its infancy and the BlackBerry was basically the most advanced phone on the planet.
However, that is no longer the case, and if you land in hot water during a trip to Las Vegas nowadays, there’s a very good chance your misdeeds will be broadcast to the masses.
That was the case with a man who made the trek from Canada earlier this year and found himself hit with a felony after snatching a flamingo from the hotel and casino of the same name. It seemed safe to assume he was intoxicated when he hatched that plan, and that was certainly the case based on what he admitted during his trial.
A Canadian tourist said he had upwards of 40 beers before he stole a flamingo from a casino in Las Vegas
Every casino in Las Vegas has attractions and amenities designed to set it apart from a very crowded pack. That includes the Flamingo, which boasts a four-acre Wildlife Habitat that unsurprisingly features a flock of those pink birds among the menagerie of animals it houses.
One of those flamingos is a 27-year-old bird named Peachy, which ended up at the center of a strange incident on the morning of March 3, 2026 after a 33-year-old Ontario resident named Mitchell Fairbarn climbed into the habitat and scooped up Peachy before taking it back to his room.
Fairbarn was charged with four counts of felony animal abuse after posing for photos with the flamingo and filming a video in which prosecutors say he “tortured” the animal, and he officially went on trial last week after entering a not guilty plea.
According to 8 News Now, Fairbarn doesn’t deny he was responsible for the avian heist, but his defense seemingly hinges on the argument that the charges against him are overblown.
On Friday, he took the stand while outlining the series of events that led up to the incident, saying he was in town for a construction convention known as the “Con Expo” and made it his mission to “let loose” with some friends after arriving in Las Vegas.
Fairbarn described an itinerary that included plenty of booze, as he estimated he consumed “30 to 40 beers” in the 24-hour span leading up to his theft of Peachy, saying, “I thought it was something that we could joke about for the rest of our lives.”
He also noted he had no malicious intent when he grabbed the bird but acknowledged he inadvertently injured it after bringing it back to his hotel room.
The trial is slated to come to a close on Monday, and if you’re curious, Peachy has fully recovered from the injuries it suffered.