New York state could owe $10 million for internet famous P'Nut the Squirrel's execution
Peanut, also known as P'nut, and a raccoon named Fred, lived at a New York sanctuary run by Mark Longo and Daniela Bittner at their home in Southport, Chemung County.
Both animals were executed after local and state officials took them away in a raid last year.
The couple has filed a lawsuit in the New York Court of Claims, arguing that the execution of their pets was a 'senseless act of violence' and 'obscene demonstration of government abuse,' according to court documents obtained by the New York Post.
Peanut gained tens of thousands of followers on Instagram, TikTok and other platforms. Online videos show the squirrel skittering on Longo's shoulders, holding and eating waffles and wearing a tiny cowboy hat.
In October last year, the Department of Environmental Conservation raided the couple's home to seize Peanut and Fred. According to the agency, they had received several complaints about illegally keeping animals in an unsafe environment.
Officials seized the animals, when Peanut bit a state wildlife biologist through a thick leather glove, prompting rabies concerns. Both animals were subsequently euthanized and later tested negative for rabies. News of their deaths made headlines around the world.
Longo and Bittner filed a separate suit on June 27 in Chemung County Supreme Court against the county and more than 30 individuals from local and state government over the incident.
The couple argues they have suffered emotional trauma and financial losses since the deaths of their pets, according to both lawsuits, the Post reports.
Longo said he found Peanut years ago in New York City after the animal's mother was hit by a car. It's against New York state law to possess a wild animal without a license, though Longo and Bittner took steps last year to become wildlife rehabilitators.
On October 30, Longo claimed he was trying to get the proper licensing for Peanut to be certified as an educational animal. However, he had failed to comply with state laws that require owners to get a license for a wild animal in time.
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