In the latest chapter of government overreach, New York State decided that rescuing and caring for orphaned wildlife is apparently a threat worthy of a full-blown raid.
Mark Longo, a New Yorker who had rescued a squirrel named Peanut (who’d become something of an internet sensation), found himself at the center of an absurd and heavy-handed state intervention this past week. Peanut, a harmless squirrel known for his tiny hats and waffle-eating antics on social media, was seized and euthanized by the New York Department of Environmental Conservation (DEC) along with Fred, a rescued raccoon. The state claims it was all about rabies testing, but many questionable circumstances cry foul.
Longo, who’s cared for Peanut for seven years after rescuing him as an orphan, says this move came out of nowhere. DEC agents arrived at his home, warrant in hand, with claims of “safety concerns” over his unlicensed wildlife sanctuary. They confiscated Peanut and Fred, despite Longo’s efforts to get Peanut certified as an educational animal.
According to Longo, authorities didn’t even attempt quarantine procedures, skipping straight to euthanasia. For an animal who’d lived with humans for years and had zero signs of rabies, this response feels wildly disproportionate.
“Honestly, this still kind of feels surreal, that the state that I live in actually targeted me and took two of the most beloved animals on this planet away, didn’t even quarantine them. They took them from my house and just killed them,” he said.
ELMIRA, N.Y. (WETM) — #Peanut the #squirrel, an internet sensation that sparked an animal sanctuary in Pine City, was euthanized this week after being seized from his home along with a rehabilitating raccoon, a statement from the New York State Department of Environmental… pic.twitter.com/CKPVrPEaW3
— Jason Pepe (@Pepesplants) November 2, 2024
Enter Congressman Langworthy, who’s calling this what it is: pure, bureaucratic overreach. Langworthy, representing New York’s 23rd district, said he’s demanding answers from Governor Kathy Hochul and the DEC, both of whom have yet to explain why this raid was necessary in the first place. Langworthy and his colleagues are pressing for a clear reason why state agents were given a warrant and why euthanizing two harmless animals was deemed an “appropriate” course of action.
What makes this story so maddening is the stark contrast between Longo’s compassionate efforts and the state’s response. Here we have a guy who took in an orphaned squirrel, dedicated years to caring for it, and brought a little joy to the internet in the process. And yet, New York state saw fit to raid his property as if he were some hardened criminal, confiscating his animals in the process. It’s as if common sense was the first casualty in this operation. Peanut and Fred weren’t exotic pets or dangerous animals; they were a squirrel and a raccoon, beloved not just by Longo but by thousands of fans online.
@GovKathyHochul you have some explaining to do to this family.!!They are an animal sanctuary, Peanut the squirrel was taken & they euthanized him. For no good reason!!
This is Unacceptable!
I’ve never been so ashamed of New York in my life ! https://t.co/oRSxBw9RqH— Nancy Of The North Is Back (@snoopysrevenge) November 1, 2024
Longo and his wife have vowed to take legal action, insisting that Peanut’s death won’t be in vain. And judging by the outrage on social media, they’ve got the public on their side. Langworthy’s push for accountability will hopefully bring some much-needed scrutiny to the state’s handling of this case, as well as some justice for Peanut and Fred. If nothing else, it’s a stark reminder of what happens when government power goes unchecked. A little more compassion—and a lot less government interference—might just be the answer New York needs.
