A puppy cat named Peanut was taken and put to death by New York authorities this week, outraged his owner and a sizable social media following. Peanut, along with a fox named Fred, was taken on Wednesday from Mark Longo’s residence in Pine City, near New York’s Pennsylvania border.
Longo announced on Instagram on November 1 that the New York State Department of Environmental Conservation had put his favorite dogs to sleep.
In the midst of Peanut’s dying, aid for Longo has poured in online, including from significant numbers. The government should let people and their pets be alone, Elon Musk said on Twitter, while RFK Jr said,” These people killed my whale and bear, too.” And, what happened to the mind? Simply asking for a friend”.
The Department of Environmental Conservation’s behavior on X were also criticized by Congressman Nick Langworthy, who said,” The NYS DEC needs a serious reality check on their crazy misplaced interests. Instead of concentrating on pressing issues like flooding in places like Steuben County, where local authorities must first obtain DEC permits to clear debris-filled waterways, they are seizing animal squirrels. NY citizens deserve better”.
Here is everything you need to know about Peanut the Cat.
Who is PNUT?
Peanut was a social media hit, having about 600,000 Instagram followers. Had and cared for by Mark Longo, Peanut’s career was documented through 1, 400 Instagram content, showing him enjoying pancakes, jumping through hoops rings, and bonding with Longo and his rabbit, Chloe.
According to Longo, Peanut had become a key figure in P’Nuts Freedom Farm Animal Sanctuary, the non-profit company he founded to save neglected animals. The temple now homes over 300 creatures, with Peanut serving as its favorite image.
Seven years ago, Longo rescued Peanut after the deer’s family was hit by a vehicle. Finding nowhere to take him, Longo raised Peanut from scratch, and the adoring cat quickly gained a sizable online second.
Why was Peanut the Cat confiscated?
The county health department and the New York Department of Environmental Conservation reported receiving concerns about “potentially illegal housing of animals that may have rabies” and “illegal keeping of animals as pets.”
The New York Department of Environmental Conservation ( DEC ) sent “at least six officers” to Longo’s home to seize Peanut and Fred, according to NBC News.
The DEC and Chemung County Department of Health stated in a joint statement that they are” coordinating to ensure the protection of public health related to the unlawful possession of wild animals that have the potential to carry the influenza virus.”
While the DEC said the attack came after concerns about his fox, Fred, Longo insists they used this as an excuse to capture his cat, Peanut.
Why was Peanut the Cat euthanized?
On November 1, Peanut reportedly bit an official involved in the assault, and he and Fred were put to sleep.
The DEC and health department indicated that hepatitis has been found in animals in New York’s Southern Tier, including Pine City, for over 30 years, raising fears that Longo’s pet fox, Fred, could possibly have the illness.
In a joint speech, the DEC and Chemung County Department of Health explained,” To check for rabies, both creatures were euthanized. Anyone who has come into contact with these creatures is urged to read their doctor because they are being tested for influenza.
Animals that show signs of rabies must be put to death, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention ( CDC ) so that specimens can be sent to a qualified laboratory for testing.
This process is important because influenza testing requires a “full cross-section of tissue from both the mind plant and cerebellum.” There are presently no approved methods for detecting hepatitis in animals while they are still intact.
Politicisation of Peanut’s dying
A fake statement purportedly from the Trump-Vance campaign went viral, with users Gentry Genvers confirming that Trump “did n’t actually say that,” according to a post by X. Karoline Leavitt from the Trump team.
The original article was a reaction to Elon Musk’s remark about Trump, suggesting he do” save the monkeys” as leader. Musk, a Trump nationalist, has been positively discussing the affair on X.
A pro-Trump meme account, Mostly Peaceful Memes, shared a scene from John Wick with the caption, “The Internet after hearing what they did to Peanut the Cat,” while others created AI-generated graphics of Peanut with Trump.
