Peanut is dead..are you next?
On 30 October, Peanut the squirrel and Longo’s other pet Fred the raccoon were taken by the New York State Department of Environmental Conservation (DEC). The DEC reportedly allegedly received anonymous complaints, resulting in “at least six officers” showing up at Longo’s door to take the animals away. The family described the New York’s decision to seize and euthanize the wild animal turned social media star a “disgrace.” “What happened today and what transpired throughout this week has been nothing short of a tragedy and a disgrace to the New York state,” “We used resources from this state to kill a squirrel and raccoon and raid my house as if I was a drug dealer. We have resources to kill a raccoon and a squirrel, but we can’t fix the major bridges down the street? I am appalled.”
Over the weekend, Longo has shared several posts on Peanut’s Instagram account, including interviews with news stations, fan art tributes and videos of the pet. Mark and Daniela Longo suspect someone jealous of their success may have called the New York Department of Environmental Conservation (DEC) to have the animal removed from their sanctuary. “Maybe it’s someone who thinks I use this place to make a lot of money,” Mark told The New York Post after Peanut was put down on November 1. “They treated me like I was a terrorist. They treated this raid as if I was a drug dealer. They ransacked my house for five hours.”
Peanut’s seizure and murder has created a political firestorm. Even the politicians of NY state got involved. Many pet owners are now concerned their dogs, cats and other animals will be next. NY state legislators have authored a bill to protect future animal lovers from the Gestapo and the presidential race has used the Peanuts murder as an example of what big government will do to all citizens.
Squirrely government:
Bureaucracy: A system that enables ten men to do the work of one.
An enterprise employing more than 1000 people becomes a self-perpetuating empire, creating so
much internal work that it no longer needs any contact with the outside world.
A sure sign of bureaucracy is when the first person who answers the phone can’t help you.
I don’t have a solution, but I do admire the problem.
November 5th Birthdays
1963 – Tatum O’Neal, 1983 – Alexa Chung, 2001 – Alex Hook, 1940 – Elke Sommer
1982 – Odell Beckham, 1941 – Art Garfunkel 1994 – Zack Henri, 1952 – Bill Walton