Postal Worker Pleads Not Guilty in Peafowl Attack
Charanjit Singh, a U.S. Postal Service worker, entered a not guilty plea to a misdemeanor animal-cruelty charge tied to the attack on a Pasadena white peafowl.
Updated on Nov. 7, 2026 in Wildlife
Live Poll
Do you think local courts treat animal cruelty cases seriously enough?
A U.S. Postal Service worker, Charanjit Singh, pleaded not guilty Friday to a misdemeanor animal-cruelty charge. Prosecutors allege he attacked Sugar, a white peafowl that had long roamed a Pasadena neighborhood, on Mohawk Street on Aug. 18.
Why it matters
The case centers on the treatment of a bird that had become a familiar presence in a Pasadena neighborhood. Its outcome may shape how residents and officials view responsibility for harm to community animals.
The Pasadena Humane Society treated Sugar's injuries and relocated the bird to Northern California after the alleged attack. Sugar suffered swelling but no broken bones, and the charge is a misdemeanor.
The players
Charanjit Singh
A U.S. Postal Service worker charged with misdemeanor animal cruelty over the alleged attack on a white peafowl.
Pasadena Humane Society
A local animal welfare organization that treated Sugar's injuries and arranged the bird's relocation to Northern California.
The details
Video of the incident was recorded and circulated among Pasadena residents. Singh was charged Oct. 1 and is scheduled to return to court Jan. 26 for a pretrial hearing.
Timeline
Aug. 18: Alleged attack on Sugar on Mohawk Street.
Oct. 1: Singh charged with misdemeanor animal cruelty.
Friday (Nov. 6, 2026): Singh pleaded not guilty in court.
Jan. 26: Scheduled pretrial hearing for Singh.
Wildlife in the City
Sugar had long roamed a Pasadena neighborhood, a status that made the bird a familiar presence for residents before the alleged attack. The case shows how urban wildlife that lives among people can become the subject of legal and humane-society intervention.
Residents who share streets with free-roaming birds may see increased attention to how wildlife is treated in their neighborhoods. The case may prompt renewed discussion about the responsibilities people hold toward animals that live near them.
The takeaway
Animals that live among people depend on community attention and fair enforcement when they are harmed. Readers who encounter urban wildlife can report injuries to local humane organizations for prompt care.
What happens next
Singh is scheduled to return to court Jan. 26 for a pretrial hearing.
Further reading
For more stories on animals living alongside people, explore Wildlife coverage.
Source note: This article includes information reported by My News LA.
Live Poll
Do you think local courts treat animal cruelty cases seriously enough?
