The backlash against the killing of a pet squirrel in New York has extended to the halls of the state legislature.

A member of the New York Assembly has proposed changes to the state’s animal-seizure rules after Peanut the squirrel was taken from his home in Pine City and euthanized by the Department of Environmental Conservation last week.

Assemblyman Jake Blumencranz, Oyster Bay Republican, has introduced an amendment to the state’s environmental conservation law that he’s calling “Peanut’s Law: Humane Animal Protection Act.”

Elmira, New York, TV station WETM posted a link to a copy of the legislation and a letter that the Long Island lawmaker sent to Gov. Kathy Hochul.

“I urge you to take immediate action by launching a thorough investigation into the handling of this case and ensuring accountability,” Mr. Blumencranz said in his letter to the Democratic governor. “It is essential that we work together to safeguard both the welfare of animals and the values we hold as a compassionate society,” he said.

According to WETM, the proposed amendment would, among other things, impose a minimum 72-hour pause before euthanizing any sanctuary animal barring a licensed veterinarian certifying an imminent threat to human safety.

Multiple anonymous complaints about Peanut — also spelled P’Nut or PNUT — brought at least six officers from the DEC last week to the home of Mark Longo, the Chemung County man who turned the rescued squirrel into a social media star.

A spokesperson for the DEC said in a statement last week that the agency started an investigation after receiving “multiple reports from the public about the potentially unsafe housing of wildlife that could carry rabies and the illegal keeping of wildlife as pets.”

The officers left with Peanut, who had amassed hundreds of thousands of followers on Instagram, TikTok and other platforms during his seven years with Mr. Longo, and with Fred, a more recently adopted raccoon.

“The DEC came to my house and raided my house without a search warrant to find a squirrel!” said Mr. Longo, 34. “I was treated as if I was a drug dealer and they were going for drugs and guns.”

According to a Friday statement from the DEC, Peanut bit a person involved with the confiscation and Fred also acted against a human.
Both animals were euthanized to test for rabies, the agency said.