Peanut’s Law Introduced After Government Murders Beloved Squirrel
The recent legislative amendment in New York aims to provide due process rights for animals seized by authorities, following the controversial euthanization of Peanut, a pet squirrel, and Fred, a raccoon, during a Department of Environmental Conservation (DEC) raid on the Longo family’s home. The amendment ensures that animals taken from sanctuaries, like those run by the Longos, will have a mandatory 72-hour waiting period before euthanasia can occur, unless they pose an immediate threat to public safety. It also mandates an emergency appeals process for pet owners and requires the DEC to report data on animal seizures and test results in a timely manner.
The case gained significant public attention and sparked discussions about government overreach in the treatment of pet animals. Influential figures, including Elon Musk, voiced support for the Longos, emphasizing the emotional toll on families from such actions. The incident has been leveraged in political narratives, particularly as it coincided with a pivotal election period in the U.S., illustrating broader themes of governmental control and animal rights.
this legislative effort seeks to balance the enforcement of animal regulation with the rights and welfare of domestic animals, reflecting a growing public sensitivity towards animal rights issues.
In the final days of the 2024 presidential campaign, the MAGA movement got its martyr: a squirrel named Peanut.
While it’s unclear whether his death was what pushed former President Donald Trump over the finish line, the Instagram-famous rodent was euthanized because of the type of government overreach voters would heartily reject on Election Day.
Now, Peanut, also known as P’nut or PNUT, will be immortalized in a proposed amendment to New York’s Environmental Conservation Law that will ensure something like this never happens again.
According to WROC-TV, Republican New York Assemblyman Jake Blumencranz announced on Saturday that he would propose “Peanut’s Law: Humane Animal Protection Act.”
It stipulates that animals like Peanut and Fred the raccoon, who were seized in a Department of Environmental Conservation raid on Mark and Daniela Longo’s home on Oct. 30 and later euthanized, will get due process rights in New York.
The amendment would also formally recognize sanctuaries like the one the Longos ran to help animals like the orphaned Peanut, who became the delight of hundreds of thousands of followers on Instagram.
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Any animals taken from such sanctuaries would be given a 72-hour waiting period before being euthanized unless a veterinarian deems them a “direct, immediate risk to public safety.”
The Long Island assemblyman’s amendment also includes rights for an emergency appeal, which the DEC must evaluate within 48 hours, and requires the agency to disclose quarterly data on such animal seizures.
Finally, the DEC would have to report test results within seven days of any animal euthanized in the process.
(The Longos’ pets were euthanized to test for rabies after Peanut bit someone involved in the investigation. The results of that test have still not been d, according to USA Today.)
As for Peanut and Fred, Blumencranz implored Democratic Gov. Kathy Hochul to “take immediate action by launching a thorough investigation into the handling of this case and ensuring accountability.”
“It is essential that we work together to safeguard both the welfare of animals and the values we hold as a compassionate society,” Blumencranz added.
I feel so sorry for this guy. The government came and took his squirrel “Peanut”, which he’s owned for 7 years, and another pet raccoon and euthanized them both, for no apparent reason.
“Peanut” was the mascot for his animal non-profit and had a social media following of over a… pic.twitter.com/5EfoOKqelE
— 🇺🇸↪️aptain Ⓜ️organ🇺🇸 (@CaptainMorganTN) November 2, 2024
It was no coincidence that this story about a squirrel and raccoon exploded just as Americans were about to decide whether to elect Trump or Vice President Kamala Harris as their next president.
It gained traction online because it demonstrated exactly how the big government’s regulatory machine can inflict harm on ordinary Americans like the Longos.
The couple’s home was raided while they waited outside for five hours after New York State dispatched its goons to collect their bushy-tailed buddy and his adorable raccoon companion after receiving complaints.
In the process, they mobilized people who were tired of seeing their fellow Americans abused by a tyrannical government.
One of those was billionaire Elon Musk, who weighed in on the situation during his interview on “The Joe Rogan Experience” on the eve of Election Day.
“Obviously, it was a beloved pet squirrel, and raccoon, too, and doing no harm. And the government comes in, barges into the guy’s house, and takes his pets and kills them,” the SpaceX mogul told host Joe Rogan.
“I think this should this should really get people out there mobilized,” Musk added.
Later, Musk said, “I hope people just go out there and vote for Peanut, man. If nothing else, just vote for Peanut.”
Trump has many supporters to thank for help along the way to the White House, including Peanut and Fred.
These two beautiful beings were killed by their cruel and heartless government, but perhaps Trump’s victory is another sign that Democrats overplayed their hand for the last time.
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