Ex-Hollywood madam Heidi Fleiss left the SoCal glitz and glamor behind for a quieter life in Nevada almost fifteen years ago, but she was back to generating headlines this week after she called for castration and the death penalty for whoever shot one of her prized birds. The upsetting incident came just one month after she lost several other birds to a bobcat massacre. In response to the two incidents, Fleiss is now making plans to move alongside her birds to a forest in Missouri where she feels they can be better protected.
The shooting reportedly took place on Christmas Eve. Heidi Fleiss told The Pahrump Valley Times one of her birds, a five-year-old macaw she raised since birth named Chuey, fell after returning home from a flight around the neighborhood. She took it to the vet following the holiday and an x-ray revealed a fractured leg. The bird was apparently shot by a pellet gun. She had the pellet removed and saved it as evidence. She is offering a $5,000 reward.
Fleiss also talked to the local paper and unleashed on the “sick fuck” that shot her bird. Here’s a portion of her very direct quote…
What kind of sick fuck would shoot her while she was flying with her brother? It’s going to be a horrible surgery for her… I want to castrate him. I want them to get the death penalty for shooting my little Chuey, who was just flying around doing nothing – and they shoot her. I want them to have the death penalty because everyone in the subdivision knows her and they love her.
The deeply upsetting incident, unfortunately, is not the only traumatic incident to happen to her birds of late. Last month, a neighbor’s pet bobcat got into her house. According to Fleiss, “there was a massacre.” It’s unclear how many birds were harmed, but after the two incidents, she has decided to push forward with a move for the safety of the birds.
Fleiss currently owns a bird sanctuary that is adjacent to a subdivision near Fort Churchill, Nevada. She's been passionate about keeping birds out of cages since her time in prison. Her new property in Missouri reportedly sits on fifty acres near the Ozarks and is right by the Little House On The Prairie Historical Museum. She said living in Nevada has been an incredible experience but she feels she has to move for the health and safety of her animals.
Heidi Fleiss rose to overnight fame in 1993 when she was arrested for running an expensive prostitution ring that catered to the rich and famous. Her little black book reportedly contained the names of numerous celebrities, but she mostly kept quiet about who she did business with. After serving time for tax evasion related to the escort service, she opened a boutique and made the occasional pop culture appearance. Since 2005, she’s lived a mostly low key existence in Nevada, running a bird sanctuary and getting involved in several businesses including a local airport.
