Beloved pet squirrel Peanut seized by New York state after 7 years in home - There is no political solution. You are shooting your way out of this

Beloved pet squirrel Peanut seized by New York state after 7 years in home​

Published Oct. 30, 2024, 10:06 p.m. ET by Shane Galvin
Link (Archive)

A rescued pet squirrel that sat atop a social media and charity empire has been seized by New York state — with its owner saying it’s slated to be euthanized, according to an Instagram post.

Peanut the Squirrel was taken from his Elmira, NY, home Wednesday by officials from the Department of Environmental Conservation, who served a warrant to Peanut’s guardians after receiving complaints of “unlawfully possessed” animals, according to the post.


“Well internet, you WON,” the caption from account Peanut_The_Squirrel12 reads. “You took one of the most amazing animals away from me because of your selfishness. To the group of people who called DEC, there’s a special place in hell for you.”

A DEC spokesperson confirmed to The Post that officers took away Peanut the Squirrel and a pet raccoon.

The squirrel’s owner, Mark Longo, claimed that he was in “shock” and “disbelief” that DEC was going to allegedly euthanize his pet and friend, according to the social media post.

The DEC said that the animals were seized in coordination with Chemung County Health department “due to the presence of a rabis vector species (raccoon) in the home.”

The state agency did not comment on whether the animals will be euthanized.

Longo took in Peanut seven years ago, when he was just a kit, after seeing its mother get hit by a car, according to social media accounts.

Peanut boasts 532,000 followers on Instagram, more than 423,000 followers on Facebook, and over 2 million views on TikTok.



Longo, a Connecticut native, moved to Elmira in 2023 to start an animal sanctuary named P’Nut’s Freedom Farm, a 501.C.3 approved nonprofit.


“Last year we moved to NY in hopes of starting a NONPROFIT animal rescue in PNUT’s Name. [P’Nuts Freedom Farm] will forever live in PNUT’s memory,” Longo wrote in the post announcing Peanut’s seizure.


“With over 350 rescues, we’ve relied heavily on PNUT and his internet family to father donations to help more animals. I don’t even know how will [sic] continue to fundraise for this nonprofit.”


P’Nut’s Freedom Farm is an organization made up of veterinarians and caregivers who are dedicated to rescuing animals from abusive or dire situations, according to the group’s website.


Following the announcement of Peanut’s capture, Longo posted several phone numbers for the Department of Environmental Conservation onto his feed – asking supporters to call in protest against the government’s actions.

There is also a petition to return Peanut to his rightful home.


This is not the first time the DEC is in public relations hot water over confiscating a beloved pet.

Earlier this year, the department confiscated a 750-pound alligator from a Hamburg, NY, home, which was outfitted with a massive room and pool for the reptile’s comfort.

“Albert” the alligator had lived in his home for 34 years and was raised from a hatchling by guardian Tony Cavallaro, who is now suing the department to regain custody of his longtime friend.

 

[Hooked on phobics]

If you get bitten by a wild animal, that animal has to be tested for rabies more often than not. The definitive test for rabies is by isolating tissue from the obex of the brain, near the spinal cord. To get that tissue, after euthanasia, you have to decapitate the animal.

Or you can just WAIT 3 weeks for signs of rabies. The squirrel lived in his apartment, it DIDN'T have rabies . Stop acting like decapitating animals is the only way to be safe. What, BITE risk? gov employees will have vaccines anyway, and they can afford some sturdy leather gloves

Like I get it, thats """TECHNICALLY""" the policy, but the policy is shit. And besides that this information was already put in the thread, its not that we DIDNT KNOW, its that its unjustified by any metric, EVEN in terms of cost, since they dump the cost on the animals owner if the animal is taken in.
So GOUGING THE MAN with huge fees is literally the more moral decision here.

I’m not defending what happened, I’m the last person to ever defend a government agency, I’m simply trying to shed light on why two pets were seemingly randomly euthanized. I don’t agree with the decision to euthanize them, but what I’m saying is that you shouldn’t be surprised it happened because wildlife agencies are so scared of rabies that they will do indecent things to animals to prevent it.

I don't care how scared they are, they have fucking vaccines for it, and they are required for the job, this isn't fucking the 1800s. They get vaccines, and can have leather gloves. This wasn't "tragic but necessary", just tragic.

putting the info out there

Info was already posted in the thread before you. So best case you are late.

 

[Town Drunk]

In New York where this happened owning Squirrels and Raccoons is illegal.

 

[BrainSand63]

Or you can just WAIT 3 weeks for signs of rabies. The squirrel lived in his apartment, it DIDN'T have rabies . Stop acting like decapitating animals is the only way to be safe. What, BITE risk? gov employees will have vaccines anyway, and they can afford some sturdy leather gloves

Like I get it, thats """TECHNICALLY""" the policy, but the policy is shit. And besides that this information was already put in the thread, its not that we DIDNT KNOW, its that its unjustified by any metric, EVEN in terms of cost, since they dump the cost on the animals owner if the animal is taken in.
So GOUGING THE MAN with huge fees is literally the more moral decision here.

I don't care how scared they are, they have fucking vaccines for it, and they are required for the job, this isn't fucking the 1800s. They get vaccines, and can have leather gloves. This wasn't "tragic but necessary", just tragic.

Info was already posted in the thread before you. So best case you are late.

You’re acting like I’m defending this and I’m not. I clearly said I didn’t at all agree with what happened. I agree the policy is shit, I’m just trying to explain that that is the policy. I think their actions are abhorrent, but I’m trying to shed light on why they likely took those actions.

Sorry for trying to provide late info, I forgot this is A&N where all we do is seethe and foam at the mouth about stuff without any actual discussion. I’ll leave you to it.

 

[azure hours]

Donald Trump if you can hear me, please make an executive order on Day 1 to boil the judge and every cop of the raid in a vat of liquid shit. Out of curiosity, have their names and addresses been leaked yet?

 

[deerbeer]

Three letter goverment agencies and enormous PR disasters, name a better combo.

 

[clipartfan92]

Sorry for trying to provide late info, I forgot this is A&N where all we do is seethe and foam at the mouth about stuff without any actual discussion. I’ll leave you to it.

Sorry bro, the only acceptable viewpoint in A&N is that the DEC agents needed to be shot in their faces with multiple 5.56 rounds as soon as they tried to cross the threshold of the home.

 

[Forgot My Old Account :(]

Government moment

 

[BrainSand63]

Sorry bro, the only acceptable viewpoint in A&N is that the DEC agents needed to be shot in their faces with multiple 5.56 rounds as soon as they tried to cross the threshold of the home.

I mean I’d be ok with that, I literally agree with them, I’m just trying to lay out some objective info for why this happened the way it did. My mistake for trying to provide some info, I’m late anyway so I won’t bother further.

 

[Executive Petrel]

Footage of peanuts death

 

[clipartfan92]

My mistake for trying to provide some info, I’m late anyway so I won’t bother further.

Don't let that discourage you. There are some of us here who appreciate reasonable posts.

 

[Lach]

I know this is suppose to be horrific but the concept of government bureaucrats storming your house for a miniscule rodent you owned for seven years or something gets taken and have it's fucking head cut off "for rabies" despite it apparently not biting any one in the first place and common procedure and scientific process you wouldn't just immediately jump to cut it's head off but they did any ways as a fuck you is so morbidly hilarious. I mean I would be absolutely livid if some one did this to me but the fact that they did this to a fucking squirrel in this obtuse overhanded manner is just so funny that some one would go that far to be a dick.

 

[BrainSand63]

I know this is suppose to be horrific but the concept of government bureaucrats storming your house for a miniscule rodent you owned for seven years or something gets taken and have it's fucking head cut off "for rabies" despite it apparently not biting any one in the first place and common procedure and scientific process you wouldn't just immediately jump to cut it's head off but they did any ways as a fuck you is so morbidly hilarious. I mean I would be absolutely livid if some one did this to me but the fact that they did this to a fucking squirrel in this obtuse overhanded manner is just so funny that some one would go that far to be a dick.

It’s quite absurd. The government is so paranoid about rabies exposure that they would likely go full Waco on you if they found out you own a wild forest creature that may or may not have bitten you, and you refused to give that animal up.

Then again, our government will take any opportunity to invade our lives, so it’s really not that unbelievable when you think about it.

 

[Blewberry Nausea]

Sorry bro, the only acceptable viewpoint in A&N is that the DEC agents needed to be shot in their faces with multiple 5.56 rounds as soon as they tried to cross the threshold of the home.

When the mob wants a lynching, you give them a lynching or STFU.

Honestly I think A&N is showing symptoms of being rabid someone call the CDC.

 

[Hooked on phobics]

I’m trying to shed light on why they likely took those actions.

Sorry for trying to provide late info

I don't BELIEVE you are coming from a bad place, but its a touchy topic, and playing devils advocate (which you are to some capacity, even if you don't realize it) while also being late, WHILE discussing such a touchy topic is like a 3 strike combo for people to get agitated.

Its fine, but its one of those situations where reading the thread more, both text wise and gauging the feelings in the room might prevent people getting agitated like that, for future reference.

you wouldn't just immediately jump to cut it's head off but they did any ways as a fuck you is so morbidly hilarious.

This DOES feel a lot like how people talk about the salem witch trials in a way.
Like the whole idea then was "BURN THE WOMAN!!!! IF SHE SURVIVES. SHES A WITCH!!!"

and the idea now is "DECAPITATE AND SCRAMBLE THE SQUIRREL BRAINS, IF IT COMES UP CLEAN IT SHOULD OF LIVED!!!!"

I normally hate people sperging about salem witch trials, but the parallels here ARE kinda hilarious in a fucked up, dark way.

 

[Xarpho's Return]

The fundamental problem is that common law considers pets to have a value of $0. Make statutory law that makes the unlawful death of an animal be something like $20,000 for a civilian and $100,000 for a government official (or make it a felony) and watch the problem fix itself.

This happens a lot more at shelters than anyone wants to admit. ‘Woops we accidentally mixed up your licensed and microchipped Yorkie with some gangbanger’s giant pitbull and euthanized it. Sorry.’

No, that's a terrible idea because you're opening the door for every activist to fuck you over for not swerving to avoid an opossum, and not solving the real problem because the government can just go "well according to statute 4.24.5.5.3.55, you were never supposed to own a squirrel to begin with and statute 9.2.5.56.2.245 makes it legal to put down an animal suspected of rabies, get bent".

 

[BrainSand63]

I don't BELIEVE you are coming from a bad place, but its a touchy topic, and playing devils advocate (which you are to some capacity, even if you don't realize it) while also being late, WHILE discussing such a touchy topic is like a 3 strike combo for people to get agitated.

Its fine, but its one of those situations where reading the thread more, both text wise and gauging the feelings in the room might prevent people getting agitated like that, for future reference.


This DOES feel a lot like how people talk about the salem witch trials in a way.
Like the whole idea then was "BURN THE WOMAN!!!! IF SHE SURVIVES. SHES A WITCH!!!"

and the idea now is "DECAPITATE AND SCRAMBLE THE SQUIRREL BRAINS, IF IT COMES UP CLEAN IT SHOULD OF LIVED!!!!"

I normally hate people sperging about salem witch trials, but the parallels here ARE kinda hilarious in a fucked up, dark way.

I mean I’ll play devil’s advocate if it means providing objectively correct info, like on what the policy is and how rabies vaccines work, because I think the discussion is better when more facts are laid out there. There’s no point sitting in a big circle jerk seething about this when we could be discussing why they did what they did and how that could be changed. At least that’s my opinion. If it’s devil’s advocate to lay out objectively true info, then so be it. I understand your viewpoint.

 

[RedDelicious]

This probably wasted more taxpayer dollars and human manhours than the stoat in New Zealand. I want to see the email chain that was like 'yeah so this e-celeb squirrel is illegal so we need to send in the doorkickers to retrieve it so we can behead it and test it for rabies.' Like how many people did this have to go through without someone saying "this might be retarded we should just talk to the guy."

 

[Squid Bitch]

Now Trump's got two angels looking out for him

 

[ReasonablyRetarded]

Can glowies just go to a shelter and pick up some shitbulls to use as their soul exchange ritual or something? That way they're actually contributing something good to the greater picture.

Because this reminds me of when the fish and wildlife comission of Florida came onto a guys property and just started nail-gunning his snakes to the head. Even though they were supposedly there for one or two specific ones, they fucking killed them all.

 

[George Lucas]

Those pansy bitches chose this line of work, get the rabies shot. My cats have to get one every year. Dumb cunts get bit being careless stealing people's pets, they deserve to go through a series of uncomfortable shots. If they don't like it, take a desk job.

Either the animals won't have rabies, but now they will be safe next time they dumbly get bitten by animals, or they would have been rabid and they would need the shots to not die. Imagine if every dog or cat that snapped at a vet tech got euthanized just for the safety of the person who chose to handle animals for a living.

They weren't wild animals. They were exotic pets that lived indoors. A stray cat is far more likely to be source of rabies, but cat ladies keep picking those up off the street and getting bitten without people thinking twice and that's an actual slight risk.

They don’t want to give people rabies shots. There is a huge conspiracy about it and I have no idea why. Maybe it’s because it’s like three or four shots and there’s no patent on it so the pharmacy that makes it makes no money. I honestly don’t know but it’s weird.