In the final days and weeks of the 2024 presidential election, it often seemed as if a motley crew of characters came together to help Donald Trump solidify his win. One of the most unusual election influencers may have been Peanut, aka P'Nut, an eastern gray squirrel whose mother was hit by a car in 2017. New York resident Mark Longo found him, raised, him and turned him into a little social media star with over half a million Instagram followers.
As Peanut's popularity grew, Longo and his partner moved to Pine City, New York and started P'Nuts Freedom Farm Animal Sanctuary, an animal rescue organization that they say has helped over 300 animals so far. However, they allegedly didn't yet have the proper licensing for a wildlife rehabilitation, and it's illegal to have a pet squirrel in New York. Because the nanny state insists you need a license for practically everything these days...
Of course, we all know by now that some nosy Karens reported Longo and Peanut to the New York State Department of Environmental Conservation (NYSDEC). I mean, who can blame them? I would never be able to sleep peacefully at night knowing my neighbor had...a pet squirrel. What a menace to society.
About a week before the election, the NYSDEC seized Peanut, along with a rescued raccoon named Fred, in a five-hour raid of Longo's home. The terrified squirrel bit an NYSDEC staff member, so both animals were killed "to test for rabies." Over the next few days, Peanut turned into a symbol of the big government overreach that people are tired of, and JD Vance even spoke about him at a Trump rally.
JD Vance says that Donald Trump is "fired up" over the death of P’nut the Squirrel. https://t.co/2w0t8FD1rx pic.twitter.com/C4YOC5cacY
— New York Post (@nypost) November 4, 2024
And now, thank goodness, Longo is seeking justice for his little furry friend. Earlier this week, he and his partner filed a claim stating that they intend to sue the state of New York for numerous violations, including unlawful search and seizure, violation of the freedom of speech, emotional distress, and lost wages.
"The killing of Peanut and Fred was not due to fear of rabies, but rather, was a senseless act of violence, perpetrated by government officials in an obscene demonstration of government abuse and an overreach of government power," the claim states, according to the New York Post.
The Post also says that Longo claims he was following all of the state regulations involved in setting up an animal sanctuary and was working on the final permit required. Longo took to social media to say "justice will be served," and he plans to bring his followers along while he avenges the death of his beloved animals. "You will get a lot of information moving forward, and it is going to shock all of you," he said.
JUST IN: Peanut the Squirrel's owners to sue the state of New York for executing Peanut and their pet raccoon, Fred.
— Collin Rugg (@CollinRugg) November 27, 2024
Mark Longo says justice is coming and he is ready to take on the state of New York.
Longo and his partner Daniela Bittner filed a notice, stating their… pic.twitter.com/zaDzrzdjw9
Personally, I can't wait to see Longo take on the nanny state. Everyone whose God-given rights are violated should. And there are few things I love more than the idea of a small government that stays out of my business, except maybe animals. I have numerous pets of my own — 23 at the moment — and while I've never dealt with anything like this, I'm infuriated on Longo's behalf. About a month ago, I was sitting outside with some of them one evening when a neighbor's unruly dog ended up on my property, wreaking havoc on my little hobby farm. While I managed to save most of my animals, I had to watch as that dog ate my favorite chicken, Esther, right before my eyes. It was horrifying. The neighbor's reaction was a bit infuriating, and it felt like such a violation of my private space, my sanctuary. I can only imagine what it feels like when someone whose salary you pay comes in and "executes" something so near and dear to you.
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