The Issue: The euthanasia of P’Nut, a squirrel famous on social media for his various antics, in New York.

I just read the story about New York’s most wanted, P’Nut, and his caretakers (“State’s rodent rage,” Oct. 3).

I’m so proud to have the Department of Environmental Conservation and Gov. Hochul protecting us. They sent in government agents to raid a house and bring a couple to justice for “unlawfully possessing” a squirrel and raccoon — by giving the critters a room, meals and a pen.

On the raid, an agent claimed to have been bitten by one of the animals — so the DEC killed them both to test them for rabies.

I’ll sleep better knowing we can depend on Hochul to make everything worse.

Joe DiPino

Yonkers

These crazy cops and vets are worse than the animals they are willing to euthanize at the drop of a hat.

Amid dereliction and delinquency, P’Nut the Squirrel was euthanized because of an unnecessary mandatory forensic-dissection policy — one that needed more appropriate case-by-case enforcement.
P’Nut had lived with Mark Longo for over seven years, and became more prominent than those depraved enough to seek his euthanization.

New York could face a lawsuit for such barbarous cruelty to innocent animals.

Owen Ondoline

Atherton, Calif.

They’re worried about squirrels and raccoons?

Meanwhile, Gov. Hochul, following in former Gov. Andrew Cuomo’s footsteps, is closing down more New York prisons and letting dangerous felons back on the street without requiring them to complete their court-ordered sentences.

The prison closures aren’t because crime is down. Rather, New York state and Hochul want to use that money for other things.

And sometimes the state’s prosecutors won’t charge criminals, even violent ones, at the severity with which they should be charged. Other times, they downgrade felonies to misdemeanors — or even dismiss charges altogether.

Katherine Dhalle

Rome

This shameful situation should never have happened, and the confiscation and killing of these two healthy animals is horrific.

The two people running the sanctuary took excellent care of their rescued animals. This sweet squirrel and raccoon showed no symptoms of illness.

As a registered nurse of 44 years, I would not call their unnecessary killing “euthanasia.” Euthanasia is a mercy killing for someone who is suffering from chronic pain or illness. These were happy, healthy creatures, loved by their human companions.

This was killing, not euthanasia. Yes, the investigator was bitten by P’Nut. But who wouldn’t expect an animal to be petrified if strangers stormed in to take them away? The investigator should have worn gloves and been prepared for the transfer.

Rina Deych

Brooklyn

It took 10 government agents in upstate New York five hours to capture and kill a celebrity squirrel.

With crime stats rising in New York, you’d think the government could have used these agents more productively. Have we collectively lost our minds?

Ed Quinlan

New Hyde Park

A Michigan judge recently stopped plans to ship nuclear waste from the Niagara Falls Storage Site to Wayne County, Mich. — but New York state killed a squirrel and a raccoon to protect public health?

Alfred Brock

Wayne, Mich.

The executions of P’Nut, a squirrel, and Fred, a raccoon, mark a new low for society. The behavior of the DEC and the Department of Health is nothing short of barbaric.

Folks, P’Nut was not an endangered species, nor was he an exotic creature from the Amazon. He was a backyard squirrel who resisted returning to the wild after the traumatic death of his mother. But because he lived indoors, against state regulations, he had to be killed? Were there no other alternatives?

No wonder so many of us have less and less respect for institutions like the DEC. It lacks common sense and a soul.

Sallyanne Ferrero

Naples, Fla.

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