Tourist Arrested in Las Vegas After Allegedly Capturing and Torturing Hotel's Exotic Bird

A guest at a Las Vegas hotel was arrested on 3 March for allegedly abusing a flamingo.

The Las Vegas Metropolitan Police Department arrested a 33-year-old Ontario resident after he allegedly abducted a flamingo from a hotel's habitat, 8 News Now reported. The suspect, who was later identified as Fairbarn, has been charged with four counts of felony animal abuse.

The Flamingo Hotel and Casino reported the incident to authorities at around 6:00am 3 March. Hotel security had already detained the suspect at that time, after he had taken the bird to his hotel room.

Animal Abuse Exposed in Surveillance Footage

Surveillance footage showed the suspect trespassing into the hotel's flamingo habitat at around 5:00am, per Fox 5. He allegedly singled out and grabbed a bird named Peachy by the legs. The suspect also allegedly pinned down another bird and injured other animals. The footage also showed the suspect returning to his hotel room with the captured animal.

The man wrapped the bird in a shirt and took it to the hotel's 14th floor, police stated. Timestamped footage showed the suspect laughing while the bird cried out, per the arrest report. He also allegedly grabbed the bird by the neck at one point.

Police secured a search warrant for the suspect's room and found 'a large bloody feather.' During his interview, the suspect told police he was drunk during the incident.

Suspect Claims He Only Wanted to Help

The suspect said that he entered the habitat when he saw one of the flamingoes in distress. He claimed that he actually 'popped' one of the bird's wings into place.

'He stated he knows that "popping" the wing back into its place [is] a common practice for birds, such as ducks,' police said. 'He has knowledge of this because he is a farm boy.'

Animal Protection Services told the suspect that he injured the bird by 'pulling the wing out of its body.' It was later confirmed that one of the animal's wings was clipped.

Upon inspecting the suspect's phone, police said they found 'several photos and videos' showing him torturing the bird. In one of the videos, the suspect also said he intends to bring the bird home as a pet.

The suspect was released on bond on 4 March. During his probable cause hearing, Las Vegas Justice Court Judge Suzan Baucum banned him from entering the Las Vegas strip. His passport was also confiscated.

Hotel Responds in the Aftermath

The hotel's animal habitat houses Chilean Flamingos, exotic waterfowl, and Brown Pelicans, according to the Caesar's Entertainment website. In a statement, a company spokesperson assured the public that Peachy will be nursed back to health.

'Our beloved birds, including Peachy, who was cruelly taken from the habitat, are currently in the care of dedicated veterinarians and our extraordinary Flamingo animal care team,' they said.

They added, 'We remain hopeful they will make a full recovery. The safety and well-being of our iconic flock are of the utmost importance to us, and we will be pursuing charges against this individual to the fullest extent possible.'

The suspect is expected to appear in court on 9 March.