Peanut the Squirrel’s Untimely Death Ignites Massive Outrage
Peanut the Squirrel, a beloved social media star owned by Mark Longo, was euthanized by the New York State Department of Environmental Conservation (DEC) following concerns of rabies transmission. The seizure of Peanut occurred after multiple complaints about the illegal keeping of wildlife as pets were filed anonymously.
Longo’s efforts to keep Peanut as a pet were complicated by state laws prohibiting private ownership of wild animals without proper licenses. Although he was in the process of submitting applications to register Peanut as an educational animal, this was not sufficient to prevent the DEC’s actions. During the raid, Longo described being treated like a criminal, explaining that officials arrived with a warrant signed by multiple agencies and imposed strict controls over the situation, including restrictions on his access to his home and animals.
The DEC failed to communicate the outcome of the euthanization directly to Longo. He learned of the situation through media contact rather than direct correspondence, adding to the emotional weight of the incident. Following the unfortunate turn of events, Longo is considering possible legal action against the DEC, seeking to challenge the decision and restore rights related to his sanctuary and animal care.
This incident has raised questions about the state’s role in regulating the ownership of exotic or wild animals as pets, and has caught the attention of animal rights advocates.
It also caught the attention of Donald Trump, who released this statement:
“There have been horrible reports out of New York, my former home state, where state environmental agents raided the home of Mark Longo and his wife. Mark was taken into custody for hours while officials searched his home and eventually took two of their pets, Fred the Raccoon and Peanut the Squirrel. These animals were later executed by the state of New York. New York authorities, under their terrible Governor, put more effort in finding an eliminating a squirrel, who was innocent by all accounts, than they do to control the unchecked illegal immigrants who have flooded their state. If Peanut could have told them he was from Mexico, they would have sent him on his way and given him a hotel room and a $500 gift card to Buddy Squirrel. Instead, he was taken from his family. Very sad, and a complete waste of resources! When we win, we will get our priorities in order and MAGA!”
Sources:
https://www.cbsnews.com/newyork/news/instagram-squirrel-peanut-seized-by-new-york-authorities
https://www.tmz.com/2024/11/01/peanut-the-squirrel-seized-killed-new-york-owner-rips-state
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