Former Hollywood madam Heidi Fleiss is contesting $500 in fines levied by Clark County Animal Protection Services, according to court documents obtained by TMZ.com. The dispute centers on her parrots, which a neighbor reported were perching on telephone wires outside her bedroom window and making noise before 6 AM.
The citation was issued earlier this year after the neighbor contacted officials to complain about Fleiss's animals roaming free at her property. According to the documents, Animal Protection Services officials were dispatched to the property on multiple occasions in response to the complaints.
At a hearing, Fleiss argued that the law itself is wrong and maintained that her birds should be permitted to fly. She requested that the court dismiss the $500 in fines she had received.
In its filings, the government conceded that it is "true that birds fly and they are probably happier and healthier when they fly free," according to documents obtained by TMZ.com. However, the government contended that the birds are not genuinely free, asserting that they have been captured, taken from their native environments, and kept as pets by Fleiss.
Clark County Animal Protection Services has argued that the fine should be upheld. The case is ongoing.