Published on: June 10, 2026, 04:55h.
Updated on: June 10, 2026, 04:59h.
- A woman from Las Vegas was arrested for committing felony animal torture after she forcibly took a duck from a fountain at the Venetian Resort on Tuesday.
- Security personnel observed her tossing and harming the bird, leading to her apprehension by police.
- This incident follows a separate March event where a Canadian visitor abducted a flamingo from the Las Vegas Strip.
A Las Vegas resident was taken into custody on Tuesday, June 9, after security at the Venetian Resort alerted the Las Vegas Metropolitan Police Department about her actions involving a duck in an outdoor fountain. This troubling event occurs just weeks after another notable case of animal cruelty, where a flamingo was captured from its environment at the Flamingo Hotel.
At approximately 1:29 p.m. on Tuesday, police reported that 29-year-old Destiny Reyes jumped into the fountain at the Venetian and seized a young female duck known as Daffy.
A detective from the LVMPD’s Animal Cruelty Section examined the surveillance footage and noted multiple instances of abuse. The report detailed how Reyes was seen throwing, slapping, and shaking the duck, as well as dropping her and forcefully spreading her wings.
Security staff monitored Reyes’s actions via CCTV and reported that she appeared to be “throwing” Daffy back and forth as she wandered around the property, even dropping the duck at one point.
Police apprehended Reyes shortly thereafter, still holding Daffy. Law enforcement described her as uncooperative during the arrest. She was taken to the Clark County Detention Center based on charges of “willful maiming or torturing an animal,” which is classified as a felony under Nevada law NRS 574.100.
Daffy displayed apparent signs of distress, including an injury to her right wing, and was trembling upon recovery. Officers reported that her wing could not be touched due to the pain.
The detective noted that “Destiny showed no remorse or care for Daffy,” exposing her to unnecessary “pain and distress.”
Reyes is currently held on a $6,000 bail, according to court documents, and is set to appear in court on June 15.
(Alleged) Feathered Offenders Unite
On March 3, authorities stated that Canadian tourist Mitchell Fairbarn harmed one flamingo and transported another—named Peachy, who had been at the Flamingo Las Vegas for many years—to his hotel room.
Investigators reported that both birds survived the incident, with Peachy requiring veterinary care. Fairbarn currently remains free on bail, subject to court-imposed conditions that include staying away from the Strip and having no contact with any animals as his case progresses.
Fairbarn was due to attend a court session on June 4 for his arraignment regarding four felony animal cruelty charges, but his defense team received a two-week extension while awaiting essential records to facilitate a potential plea deal with prosecutors. A follow-up court date is scheduled for June 23, 2026.