SQUIRREL TALE: Supreme Court justice refers to tragic killing of Peanut the pet squirrel

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Supreme Court Justice Neil Gorsuch highlighted Peanut the Squirrel’s story while discussing government overreach at the Federalist Society’s annual dinner.

According to The Hill, Peanut and Fred the Raccoon were seized and euthanized by New York authorities last month for rabies testing, drawing national attention.

“I’ve just seen too many cases like that. You have just the other day, some of you might have seen one in the newspaper, if the newspapers are to be believed,” Gorsuch told the crowd at the Washington Hilton’s ballroom. “Yes, I’m speaking of P’nut the squirrel.”

Chemung County Executive Christopher Moss told the New York Post that rabies tests for the seized squirrel and raccoon were negative after their October 30 euthanasia by the Department of Environmental Conservation (DEC). DEC claimed they acted on multiple complaints about the animals and obtained a warrant to search Mark Longo’s home, which Longo described as a “drug dealer-type raid.”

The Associated Press reported that the DEC seized Peanut the squirrel and a raccoon from the Longos’ home, citing complaints about illegally kept wildlife. The Longos, who rescued Peanut seven years ago, told TMZ they had cared for the squirrel since its mother’s death.

According to WETM, the DEC claimed Peanut bit an investigator during the seizure, necessitating rabies testing, which requires euthanasia and brain sampling. However, the New York Post revealed emails indicating state officials recommended euthanizing the animals as early as October 22, a week before the raid.

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