NY Republicans push ‘Peanut's Law' after beloved pet squirrel was seized, killed by state agents
New York Republicans are pushing a new law to protect animals after a beloved pet squirrel and internet star named P'Nut was taken and killed by state environmental officers late last year.
The bill, called "Peanut's Law: The Humane Animal Protection Act," would require a 72-hour waiting period before the Department of Environmental Conservation (DEC) can euthanize any seized animal. It would also give animal owners the chance for a hearing before the state takes or puts down their animals.
P'Nut and another pet squirrel named Fred were taken from Mark and Daniela Longo's upstate farm last October after someone filed an anonymous complaint. Both animals were killed and tested for rabies, and both tests came back negative. The squirrel had a huge following on social media, with P'Nut accruing nearly one million followers to watch content of the critter and his family.OWNERS OF BELOVED PEANUT THE SQUIRREL PLAN TO SUE NEW YORK STATE OVER SEIZURE AND KILLING BY AUTHORITIES
Once news spread on P'Nut's Instagram page, backlash over DEC's actions spread like wildfire online. At the time, everyone from Elon Musk to President Trump weighed in on the killing of the dear family pets.Musk referred to the killing back in November as "the whole squirrel thing" while on Joe Rogan's podcast.
Assemblyman Jake Blumencranz (R-Nassau), who is sponsoring the bill, said it's about fairness. "This is about due process," he said, adding that animals should not be killed unless they're an immediate danger.
The Longos, who run an animal sanctuary, say they were never told why their pets were taken. They hope the new bill will stop similar cases from happening again. Mark Longo said of the new bill: "I sit here trying not to cry, but passing this law will be a movement to make sure that animal rights are not overlooked anymore."Peanut or "P'Nut" was only a baby when the Longos rescued him. The squirrel adapted to his adoptive human family after his real mother was run over by a car when he was just five weeks old.
"They were not dangerous. They were not sick. They were not wild threats roaming the streets," said Assemblyman Blumencranz. "They were rescues — loved, nurtured, and safe."
Supporters of the legislation say it's a common-sense move to protect both animals and their owners.
"Here is the cold, hard truth. It is too little, too late. Words don't save P'Nut and Fred, and words won't save the next animal, or the next family, unless we change the law."An attorney who represents the Longo family did not immediately respond to Fox News Digital's request for comment.
Hashtags
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
Associated Press
24 minutes ago
- Associated Press
Finding a strong candidate for governor in Pennsylvania may help GOP protect its US House majority
HARRISBURG, Pa. (AP) — Job No. 1 for Republicans in Pennsylvania is to scrounge up a candidate to contest next year's reelection bid by Democratic Gov. Josh Shapiro — if only to run interference for other Republicans on the ballot who are clinging to seats in Congress. In other words, the unalluring mission of next year's Republican gubernatorial nominee could be just to not get blown out by the relatively popular incumbent. That's because a lopsided victory by Shapiro could otherwise doom Republicans up and down Pennsylvania's ballot — and, with them, the GOP's narrow majority in the U.S. House that backs President Donald Trump's agenda. That's one more reason Pennsylvania could again find itself at the center of attention, even during the midterms and even if the GOP faces long odds against beating Shapiro. Democrats are targeting four GOP-held congressional seats in Pennsylvania alone — more than in any other state — and they need to flip only three seats nationwide to retake the majority they lost last year. Having a valuable standard-bearer is important, analysts say. That is the candidate who often sets the tone for the party in the state, delivers the party's message and drives the enthusiasm of the party's faithful to go out and vote. Republicans had Trump atop their ticket in 2024, and he proved formidable in Pennsylvania. Next year, it will be Democrats with a familiar name leading the way, and he, too, brings considerable heft. Shapiro has won three statewide races, is working to sustain his robust public approval ratings and carries a reputation as a disciplined messenger and powerhouse fundraiser who is on the party's shortlist for top White House contenders in 2028. He'll run at what could be a difficult time for Republicans. During a midterm election, the party of the president — in this case, Trump — typically loses seats in what pollsters describe as a political readjustment by an electorate that tends to punish the status quo. 'The big question I have is, 'Would you as a Republican thinking about this office want to choose 2026 as the time you want to make that run?'' said Christopher Borick, a pollster and director of the Muhlenberg College Institute of Public Opinion. 'You're thinking, 'Well I want to be governor,' but you're thinking, 'I have to first take on a well-funded incumbent who's never lost a race in the state, and I have to do it in a period where my party is facing headwinds.'' The four Republican congressmen in Pennsylvania being targeted by Democrats are Rob Bresnahan, Brian Fitzpatrick, Ryan Mackenzie and Scott Perry. Fitzpatrick and Perry are survivors of repeated challenges. Bresnahan and Mackenzie are freshmen. Fitzpatrick is one of just three House Republicans nationally to represent a district won by Democrat Kamala Harris in last year's presidential election. He won by 13 percentage points. But Perry, Bresnahan and Mackenzie each won by 1.6 percentage points or less, putting their victories among the narrowest of 2024. Those victories came without political headwinds on a GOP ticket led by Trump, who carried battleground Pennsylvania by nearly 2 percentage points. Plus, Republicans lost a slew of seats in Pennsylvania the last two times an incumbent Democratic governor ran for reelection in midterms with a Republican president. There's also this to consider: Shapiro won all four districts when he won his 2022 contest by almost 15 percentage points. Republicans would rather forget that election, when the party nominated a relative political novice who ran an insular, ham-handed campaign — and got blown out. It's going to be 'super-important' for Republicans' down-ballot races to have a strong top-of-the-ticket candidate, said Bob Salera, a Republican campaign strategist who has worked on campaigns for governor in Pennsylvania. But, Republicans acknowledge, Shapiro enters the race from a position of strength. 'He's turning into a national figure, so he'll have all the money possible at his disposal to win in 2026,' Salera said. 'He's a formidable candidate, for certain, and it'll take a formidable Republican to beat him.' Defeating Shapiro is obviously the GOP's preference. But a competitive race could at least protect other Republicans and damage Shapiro's popularity in Pennsylvania enough to pay dividends in the next presidential contest. 'Josh Shapiro is a fairly strong candidate,' said Bill Bretz, the GOP chair of heavily Republican Westmoreland County. 'He's someone we need to identify the chink in the armor here and need to set back his candidacy for governor so that we can set him back in 2028.' In any case, it's a little early for that conversation, Bretz said. No Republican has declared a candidacy for the GOP nomination, and, for now, only two say they're considering it. One is U.S. Rep. Dan Meuser, who hails from a Trump-friendly congressional district in northeastern Pennsylvania. At Trump's rally at a U.S. Steel plant earlier this month, Trump singled out Meuser in the crowd and said nice things about him. 'He's been a great congressman, and if you run, you have my support totally, and you'll win,' Trump said. Meuser said he'll decide by July 1. The other is state Treasurer Stacy Garrity, a two-time statewide winner who has campaigned for other Republicans all over Pennsylvania but has raised only a fraction of the money Shapiro did while winning two low-profile races. All told, Democrats have put a target on 35 Republican-held House districts, needing to flip just three to transform a 220-215 majority into a minority. All four of the targeted Republicans in Pennsylvania voted last month for Trump's big tax cut and spending bill, helping it pass by one vote — a vote that Democrats say will cost them. For his part, Shapiro smashed Pennsylvania's campaign spending record in 2022, and he's running for reelection in a state that's friendly to incumbent governors. Shapiro's most recent public approval ratings resemble those of a candidate who'll cruise to reelection, said Berwood Yost, a pollster and director of the Center for Opinion Research at Franklin and Marshall College. Shapiro unified the party and its allies behind his candidacy in 2022, after winning two statewide elections for attorney general. Shapiro has ably managed the levers of state government and avoided any major scandal. He has raised his profile nationally, including making Harris' shortlist of vice presidential running mates, and kept his grip on party unity. For a candidate to run against Shapiro, there aren't many incentives, Yost said. Timing can be everything in a successful — or unsuccessful — political career, he said. 'You never know what's going to happen, but you're signing up for something you know will be incredibly challenging,' Yost said. 'You have to wonder, if you're an ambitious politician, timing is important. 'Maybe you wait this one out. There's always another statewide race.' ___ Follow Marc Levy on X at:
Newsweek
32 minutes ago
- Newsweek
The Bulletin June 9, 2025
The rundown: After months of lagging poll numbers and internal party anxieties, Democrats are seeing signs of a rebound. Here's what the new polling reveals. Why it matters: YouGov's generic congressional ballot tracker, which tests which party voters would choose in a congressional election, shows that the Democrats are 2 points ahead of the Republicans, with 44 percent to the GOP's 42 percent. That is the biggest lead the Democrats have held over the Republicans in the poll since August. Between October 2024 and April 2025, the two parties were practically tied in the poll. But since April, support for the Democrats has started to trend upward, with their lead over the Republicans reaching 2 points this week. The upward trajectory for the Democrats coincides with Trump introducing his "Liberation Day" tariffs in April. The policy move rattled markets, prompting a sharp sell-off before an eventual recovery. Read more in-depth coverage: Trump Eliminates Democrats' Polling Advantage in Key Area TL/DR: YouGov's tracker also shows a downward trajectory in the Democratic Party's popularity, dropping from 40 percent favorability in December to 38 percent in May. What happens now? Democratic strategists say the party is beginning to gain momentum by aggressively countering Donald Trump's policies and offering a message of stability amid chaos. Former Obama adviser Peter Loge pointed to what he sees as the deep unpopularity of Trump's actual policies—even among some who support his rhetoric. Deeper reading Democrat Support is Finally Bouncing Back
Associated Press
43 minutes ago
- Associated Press
Republican enthusiasm for Musk cools after his feud with Trump, a new AP-NORC poll finds
WASHINGTON (AP) — Tech billionaire Elon Musk has lost some of his luster with Republicans since his messy public falling-out with President Donald Trump last week, a new survey finds. Fewer Republicans view Trump's onetime government efficiency bulldog 'very favorably' compared with April, according to the poll from The Associated Press-NORC Center for Public Affairs Research. Though most Republicans continue to hold a positive view of Musk, their diminished fervor suggests his vocal opposition to Trump's signature spending and tax cut legislation — and Musk's subsequent online political and personal taunts — may have cost him some enthusiasm within the party. 'Some things have happened lately that have changed how I feel about him a little,' said Alabama Republican Katye Long, whose feelings for Musk have cooled to 'somewhat favorable.' 'I liked what he was doing when he was helping. But now I feel like he's kind of hurting,' said the 34-year-old automotive component factory employee and mother of three from Woodstock, Alabama. 'I also don't feel like he matters that much. He's not actually part of the government. He's just a rich guy who pushes his opinions.' Musk's overall popularity hasn't shifted, the poll found, and most of the shift among Democrats and Republicans was between 'very' and 'somewhat' strong opinions. Americans are less likely to view him favorably than his electric vehicle company, Tesla. That said, about half of Americans have a negative opinion of Tesla, highlighting another challenge for Musk when the company has dropped in value and been the target of protests in the U.S. and Europe. About one-third have a favorable view of Tesla, while about 2 in 10 don't know enough to say. Republicans' enthusiasm waned, but so did Democrats' antipathy Even a subtle shift in the intensity of Republicans' feelings about Musk could be important as the electric car and aerospace mogul weighs a second political act after spending about $200 million in service of Trump's 2024 election effort. After decrying the GOP's massive tax and budget policy bill as 'a disgusting abomination,' Musk wrote on X, his social media platform, 'In November next year, we fire all politicians who betrayed the American people.' The poll suggests the messy feud with Trump may have rubbed some Republicans the wrong way, as the share of Republicans viewing Musk as 'very favorable' has dropped from 38% in April to 26% now. At the same time, antipathy toward Musk among Democrats has waned a little. About two-thirds, 65%, of Democrats have a very negative view of Musk, down slightly from about three-quarters, 74%, in April. Musk's bitter back-and-forth with Trump has business implications, too. Tesla was already struggling with a backlash against Musk's association with Trump. Sales across Europe plunged by half in May, even as growth in the electric car market accelerated. Then the company's shares plunged in value when Musk began sparring publicly with the president. Victoria Brown, of Kansas City, Kansas, rated Tesla 'somewhat unfavorable' because she objects to how Trump is conducting his administration and links the company's owner with the president's agenda. 'I don't favor Trump. So, pretty much the fact that they have been working together means I don't care too much for Tesla,' said Brown, 63, a political independent and an insurance agent. Musk's overall approval remains unchanged While the intensity of people's feelings about Musk may have changed, their overall opinions have not. About one-third of U.S. adults have a favorable opinion of Musk, compared with about 6 in 10 who hold an unfavorable view, while about 1 in 10 don't know enough to say. That's unchanged from the April poll. The new poll was conducted June 5-9, after Musk left his government role and began attacking Trump's marquee legislative priority. Musk's public clash with Trump began four days after Trump honored Musk effusively during an Oval Office event discharging him from duties as the head of the Department of Government Efficiency. After first tearing down the budget bill, Musk two days later complained he had never seen the language, and he aimed his fire at Trump, suggesting the president didn't sufficiently appreciate the role Musk assumed as the chief benefactor to Trump's reelection effort. 'Without me, Trump would have lost the election, Dems would control the House and Republicans would be 51-49 in the Senate,' Musk wrote. 'Such ingratitude.' Musk went on to claim without evidence that the federal government was concealing information about Trump's association with infamous pedophile Jeffrey Epstein. Musk deleted the post, and early Wednesday he stepped back from his attacks on Trump, writing on X that he regretted some of his posts and they 'went too far.' Views of Tesla are far more negative than other car companies Tesla endured a difficult first quarter in 2025, with its sales falling while the world's leading electric car manufacturer faced protests in showrooms. The new poll also shows that Tesla is viewed far more negatively than some of its peers — notably, Ford, Toyota and General Motors. Only about one-third of U.S. adults have a 'very' or 'somewhat' favorable view of Tesla. About half of U.S. adults have an unfavorable opinion of Tesla, including 30% of Republicans. Democrats, at 66%, are more than twice as likely as Republicans to have a negative view of Tesla. But even among Republicans, Tesla is viewed less favorably than the other brands. Marisa Mills is no Musk fan. The 41-year-old teacher from Oakland, California, objects to his association with Trump and what the Democrat sees as their misguided notion that government is always well served by operating like a business. And yet she was once proud to have Tesla building cars in her own county. She soured on the company in 2020, when Musk sued Alameda County over its workplace restrictions during the coronavirus pandemic, before he moved the company to Texas in 2021. 'My government is supposed to serve the people, not his company. We were all glad to see him go,' Mills said. 'I do regret that we now have feelings of regret for the Tesla car product. We were once so proud.' ___ Beaumont reported from Des Moines, Iowa. ___ The AP-NORC poll of 1,158 adults was conducted June 5-9, using a sample drawn from NORC's probability-based AmeriSpeak Panel, which is designed to be representative of the U.S. population. The margin of sampling error for adults overall is plus or minus 4 percentage points. ___ The Associated Press' climate and environmental coverage receives financial support from multiple private foundations. The AP is solely responsible for all content. Find the AP's standards for working with philanthropies, a list of supporters and funded coverage areas at
