Pasadena peacock Sugar has fully recovered following its August altercation with a mail carrier, but Sugar will not be returning to its old neighborhood.
The all-white peacock, which was known by residents along Mohawk Street in East Pasadena, was relocated on Tuesday, Sept. 29, to a private ranch in Northern California, said Kevin McManus, public relations and communications director at Pasadena Humane. Pasadena Humane, an animal shelter that provides animal control services in Pasadena, has been caring for the bird since Aug. 18, when a mail carrier who was delivering along Mohawk Street allegedly struck the peacock multiple times.
“After nursing him back to health, our veterinarians and wildlife experts determined that relocation offered Sugar the best quality of life and would reduce the risk of future negative encounters given the significant public attention surrounding his case,” McManus said in an email statement.
Pasadena Humane’s animal control division has also completed its investigation into the altercation. The team has sent the case to the District Attorney’s office for consideration of formal charges, McManus said.
The results of the animal control’s investigation were not shared as of Wednesday, Sept. 30.
A reporter reached out to the District Attorney’s office on Wednesday for further details regarding the conclusion of the investigation and potential charges.
The U.S. Postal Service also was reviewing the incident internally following the August attack, said Kristina Uppal, a strategic communications specialist with the USPS. As of Wednesday, Sept. 30, an active investigation with the Office of the Inspector General remains ongoing.
Uppal declined to comment further on the details of the investigation, but said that the Pasadena Post Office reached out to Pasadena Humane as early as April 2025 with the carrier’s concerns about the bird along that route.
Pasadena Humane previously said that it had no record of requests from USPS for assistance concerning peacocks in the last several years. It also had no record of any previous reports or complaints about Sugar from USPS or other members of the community.