Peanut the Squirrel Owners Are Suing New York

Key Takeaways

• Peanut the Squirrel‘s owners are suing New York after he was seized and euthanized by the state.
• The state claimed Peanut bit an agent, but the owners argue he exhibited no rabies signs.

As a long-time pet owner and animal lover, I find myself deeply saddened and outraged by the story of Peanut the Squirrel. This tiny creature, who brought joy to hundreds of thousands through his Instagram account, was taken from his loving home and unjustly killed by the state of New York.

The family who owns Peanut, the squirrel known as P’Nut, is planning to file a lawsuit against New York state, following the confiscation of their pets, including Peanut and their raccoon named Fred. The government alleges that Peanut had bitten one of its agents, which led to the unfortunate deaths of both animals due to euthanasia for rabies testing.

In 2017, Mark Longo and Daniela Bittner found themselves unintended caretakers of a young squirrel named Peanut, following the squirrel’s mother’s unfortunate death by car. Their attempts to place him in a shelter fell through, so the eastern gray squirrel wound up as their family pet instead. Over eight months, they bottle-fed him, and when he was ready, they released him back into nature. However, Peanut returned with an injured tail shortly after, leading them to nurse him back to health again. Eventually, Peanut gained a massive following on Instagram, amassing over 500,000 followers as a beloved internet celebrity.

As a passionate gamer, I’ve always dreamed of having a pet squirrel named Peanut. Unfortunately, living in New York, it’s against the law to keep one as a pet. Over six years, we formed an unbreakable bond with this little guy. However, our joy was short-lived when multiple complaints were filed by licensed wildlife rehabilitators, leading to an investigation by the state. On October 30, 2024, my family and I were heartbroken as Peanut was seized by the New York State Department of Environmental Conservation (NYSDEC). Two days later, he was brutally taken from us via decapitation. In a bid to seek justice for our beloved pet, we’ve filed a “notice of claim” against the state, which is a crucial step before filing a lawsuit in New York.

Peanut the Squirrel’s Owners Have Several Complaints in Their Lawsuit

As a passionate supporter, I’d like to rephrase some key points from Longo and Bittner’s claim notice. Initially, they assert that the state intentionally planned to take Peanut’s life as early as seven days prior to the raid, using the false pretense of rabies, a condition Peanut never showed signs of. Additionally, they argue that trained officials should have been able to handle Peanut without being bitten, given their expertise. Lastly, they contest the state’s claim that Peanut and his companion raccoon, Fred, were humanely euthanized. In their view, euthanasia involves a painless method of ending life, which they believe was not the case, as beheading does not meet this criteria.

In April 2023, Peanut’s family launched the P’Nuts Freedom Farm Animal Sanctuary, yet they hadn’t secured the necessary permits to legally house an eastern gray squirrel named Peanut. They assert that they were in the midst of getting Peanut recognized as an educational animal when he was confiscated. Meanwhile, the NYSDEC stated it had received multiple public complaints about the sanctuary, with as many as three on the day the squirrel was seized. It was also known that aside from Peanut, there were four raccoons living at the sanctuary.

Longo and Bittner contributed half of the costs for P’Nuts Freedom Farm Animal Sanctuary, but the squirrel’s substantial social media following additionally drew viewers to Longo’s OnlyFans account, generating an estimated $800,000 monthly. Some critics suggest that the income loss due to Peanut’s death may explain, in part, the owners’ strong reaction. Nevertheless, having had the squirrel as a family member for six years, it’s likely that their deep affection for him has contributed to their genuine sorrow over his passing.

Sources: New York Post, Vanity Fair, WIVB.com

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2024-12-04 15:37