Latest news with #P'Nut
Yahoo
10-04-2025
- Politics
- Yahoo
New York lawmakers push ‘Peanut's Law' to reform wildlife enforcement
(NewsNation) — New York state Republicans have introduced a bill that would give animals seized by the government a stay of execution. The legislation comes after P'Nut, an Instagram-famous squirrel, was decapitated by the government last year. 'Peanut's Law: The Humane Animal Protection Act' would require the New York State Department of Environmental Conservation to wait 72 hours before any instance of euthanizing any seized animals. The only exception, according to the bill, would be instances in which there is an immediate risk to public safety, as determined by a licensed veterinarian. The 72-hour waiting period would allow families and sanctuaries to file an emergency appeal with the department, allowing the case to be reviewed by an emergency board including a licensed veterinarian, a public health official and a sanctuary representative to determine the best course of action. 5 takeaways from the Trump tariff drama 'It's veterinarians and families and individuals making these decisions as to the fate of these animals, and not bureaucrats and red tape that decide arbitrarily that these animals have to be killed,' New York Assemblyman Jake Blumencranz, R-Nassau, told 'Morning in America' on Thursday. While some have raised concerns the bill could put state environmental officers in danger if there is a rabies concern, Blumencranz said he's not worried. 'I don't think they would be in a situation where they'd ever be in danger, because if human life, or the life of the officer, or any instance in which humans may be in danger are at play, then they would not have to go through this similar due process system,' he said. New York authorities carried out a raid last year at Mark Longo's home after 'numerous complaints' about the squirrel, according to the Associated Press. Longo had rescued the squirrel seven years previously. On Oct. 30, 2024, the state euthanized P'Nut and Longo's pet raccoon, Fred, to test them for rabies after reports they had bitten someone. Longo disagreed with the decision and said that P'Nut had not bitten anyone. Maryland and Delaware fight over 'Orange Crush' cocktail Longo said he still has not received sufficient answers for exactly how the incident came to pass. 'Since Oct. 30, we have heard nothing. We've gotten zero answers, but we've been told we can do better by the state officials of the DEC, so we're really trying to understand what that actually means,' he said. Longo said passing Peanut's Law would be a step forward to ensure P'Nut and Fred 'didn't die in vain.' He added it would be an opportunity to advance animal rights and turn a tragedy into a positive moment. Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.
Yahoo
09-04-2025
- Politics
- Yahoo
NY bill would give critters due process after P'Nut the squirrel was seized, beheaded by DEC agents
Don't tread on P. State Republicans are pushing a bill that would give animals seized by the government a stay of execution after internet-famous P'Nut the Squirrel was decapitated by the government last year. P'Nut's grieving owners Mark and Daniela Longo joined with state Assemblyman Jake Blumencranz (R-Nassau) at the state Capitol Tuesday to unveil 'Peanut's Law: The Humane Animal Protection Act' — which would require the Department of Environmental Conservation to wait 72 hours before euthanizing any seized animals. '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,' an emotional Mark Longo told a large crowd gathered at the foot of the Capitol's Million Dollar Staircase. 'I loved those animals to death,' he added, referring to P'Nut and another pet named Fred the Squirrel that was seized in the same raid and also put down. 'And today is a day that we push forward to make sure that this tragedy never happens again.' The owner wore a tiny cowboy hat P'Nut had worn in social media posts pinned to his lapel. The critters were housed at the Longos' upstate farm before a DEC raid on Oct. 30, 2024 that officials said was sparked by anonymous complaints of animal mistreatment. The animals' heads were cut off by state officials within hours so their brains could be tested for rabies after the frightened squirrel allegedly bit a handler's leather glove — setting off a massive backlash to the DEC's behavior. 'His death stopped people in their tracks, from the president of the United States to the chief justice of the Supreme Court, to celebrities to everyday New Yorkers,' said Assemblyman Blumencranz, who pointed out that the tests which cost P'Nut and Fred their lives came back negative for rabies. 'They were not dangerous. They were not sick. They were not wild threats roaming the streets. They were rescues — loved, nurtured, and safe,' he said. '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.' The bill would also require an administrative hearing before any animals can be seized or euthanized from wildlife sanctuaries, unless their is hard proof of an immediate threat to the public. During the announcement Tuesday, Longo and other speakers stood before a lectern adorned with banner emulating the yellow Revolutionary War-era Gadsden flag — with the image of rattlesnake replaced by a squirrel perched atop the words 'Don't Tread on Me.' There was also a picture of Fred, and one of P'Nut in his tiny one-gallon cowboy hat.
Yahoo
09-04-2025
- Politics
- Yahoo
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 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 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. Peanut The Pet Squirrel Taken Away By New York State Officials From Adopted Home, May Be Euthanized Read On The Fox News App 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 article source: NY Republicans push 'Peanut's Law' after beloved pet squirrel was seized, killed by state agents
Fox News
09-04-2025
- Politics
- Fox News
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 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 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.
Yahoo
29-03-2025
- Yahoo
P'Nut the squirrel's grieving owner slams NY's months-late boilerplate apology — and still doesn't have beloved pet's remains
They finally realized they were nuts. New York officials issued a mea culpa Friday over the seizure and slaughter of beloved P'Nut the squirrel — but the months-late apology has rankled the tragic rodent's bereaved guardian, who is still waiting for his pet's remains to be returned. Amanda Lefton, acting director of the state Department of Environmental Conservation, issued a statement Friday apologizing to New Yorkers for last fall's heavy-handed — and heartless — treatment of beloved pets P'Nut the squirrel and Fred the raccoon. 'We know that we can do better moving forward,' Lefton said. 'We have carefully reviewed all public feedback and we understand the distress caused to communities throughout the state,' she added. 'I have prioritized a review of our current wildlife protection and enforcement process to protect New Yorkers and this agency from similar incidents in the future.' The tardy remarks did not satisfy Mark Longo, P'Nut's rescuer and owner, who told The Post the agency's platitudes ring hollow. 'Today hurt me really bad. To be honest, I'm still shocked and really upset with the response,' he said in a statement. 'It took DEC almost five months to respond, and they respond with, 'We can do better.' Five months of not knowing why Peanut was killed. Five months, and we still don't have the whereabouts of Peanut's and Fred's bodies.' 'No answers. There's no remorse. I'm just at a loss,' Longo added. As of December, the headless bodies of P'Nut and Fred were being preserved as evidence in a refrigerated room someplace upstate, a DEC spokesperson told The Post. P'Nut and Fred were seized from Longo's home by the DEC on Oct. 30 and euthanized by the agency one day later, after it received an anonymous complaint about an animal possibly infected with rabies at the Chemung County residence. DEC agents combed through Longo's house for hours — leaving with P'Nut and Fred, who the loving pet owner would never see again. Both of the animals had been rescued by Longo. The animal lover saved P'Nut, who was 6, from a New York City street after seeing the squirrel's mother get struck by a car. Little P'Nut was just a baby at the time. Fred was dropped at his doorstep, and he graciously took in the raccoon, who was about 4 months old when he was euthanized by DEC officials. Lefton was named acting head of state DEC last month, replacing Interim Commissioner Sean Mahar, who was at the helm of the agency during the P'Nut fiasco.
