A disturbing incident at a famous Las Vegas hotel has led to the arrest of a Canadian tourist accused of harming several flamingos. Police say the man entered a protected wildlife habitat at the Flamingo Las Vegas hotel and allegedly grabbed, choked, and injured some of the birds. Surveillance footage and videos from the suspect’s own phone reportedly show the incident, which has shocked visitors and animal lovers.
Canadian Tourist Arrested After Flamingo Habitat Incident
Las Vegas police arrested a Canadian man identified as Mitchell Fairbarn after reports of animal cruelty at the Flamingo Hotel and Casino.
Authorities received an emergency call around 6 a.m. on Tuesday about possible abuse of animals at the hotel’s wildlife habitat.
According to the arrest report, Fairbarn allegedly entered the flamingo habitat area without permission and began interacting with the birds.
The habitat contains several flamingos that are protected and cared for by trained animal specialists.
Surveillance Video Shows Tourist Handling Flamingos
Security footage from the hotel reportedly captured the suspect entering the habitat early in the morning.
Investigators say the video shows the following sequence of events:
- Around 5 a.m., Fairbarn allegedly grabbed the first flamingo inside the habitat.
- At approximately 5:07 a.m., he was seen grabbing a second flamingo.
- He then entered an elevator while carrying the bird.
Authorities also recovered photos and videos from the suspect’s cellphone.
According to police, the footage shows him choking the flamingo while laughing and saying, “I’m taking it home,” as he walked back toward his hotel room.
Suspect Claims He Was Trying to Help the Bird
During questioning, Fairbarn told police he entered the habitat because he believed one of the flamingos was in distress.
He claimed he was attempting to help the animal by fixing its wing.
According to the arrest report, Fairbarn said he tried to “pop” the flamingo’s wing back into place.
However, multiple warning signs clearly state that visitors are not allowed to enter the habitat or touch the animals.
Investigators determined that the action actually caused serious injury to the bird.
Flamingo Suffered Serious Wing Injury
Authorities said the suspect’s attempt to manipulate the bird’s wing caused severe damage.
When he pulled on the wing trying to reposition it, the action reportedly ruptured a blood vessel in the flamingo’s wing.
Police concluded that the bird suffered significant injury due to the incident.
Flamingos are considered federally protected migratory birds in the United States, making the alleged act a serious offense under federal and state animal protection laws.
Multiple Animal Cruelty Charges Filed
Following the investigation, police arrested Fairbarn and charged him with four counts related to animal cruelty.
The charges include:
- Willful animal abuse
- Torture or injury of an animal
- Maiming or harming a protected species
Authorities say the case will move forward in court, and the suspect is scheduled to appear before a judge on Monday.
Hotel Responds to Flamingo Attack
Caesars Entertainment, which operates the Flamingo Las Vegas hotel, released a statement condemning the incident.
The company described the situation as deeply distressing and emphasized that the safety of the hotel’s flamingos is extremely important.
One of the birds involved in the incident is named Peachy.
According to the hotel, the injured birds are currently receiving treatment from veterinarians and the Flamingo wildlife care team.
Officials say they remain hopeful the birds will recover.
The hotel also thanked the Las Vegas Metropolitan Police Department, security staff, and animal care specialists for responding quickly to the situation.
