Peanut the Squirrel’s owners are preparing for a legal battle, filing a notice to sue the State of New York over the death of their beloved pet.
Mark Longo and Daniela Bittner have officially declared their intention to claim damages against the state for the deaths of Peanut and their raccoon, Fred. They allege unlawful search and seizure, violation of free speech, and other violations of due process.
REMEMBERING PEANUT THE SQUIRREL
Longo and Bittner argue that the incident was caused by negligence, carelessness, and recklessness on the part of New York State and its agents. They believe the state violated due process laws by not informing a judge of their intent to euthanize the animals following a raid on their home.
Another key issue they raise is that Peanut and Fred were legally considered companion animals, not wild animals. This claim was never addressed in court before the raid, which they view as a critical oversight.
According to the notice, Peanut and Fred were not euthanized due to illness. Instead, Longo and Bittner say the animals were “executed.” They also maintain they were acting in good faith by attempting to obtain the necessary licenses and permits for wildlife rehabilitation before the raid took place.
Since there was no credible reason to suspect the animals had rabies, Mark and Daniela argue that a 10-day quarantine would have been sufficient, with no need to euthanize the animals.
The couple plans to sue for emotional distress, pain and suffering, constitutional rights violations, and lost income, as Peanut’s online presence helped supplement their wages.
Peanut and Fred gained viral attention after news of the raid spread online, and their deaths have prompted some prominent politicians to call for a full investigation into potential government overreach.
One day after the raid, we spoke to Daniela and Mark, who described the incident as a blatant abuse of power, highlighting it as an example of the country’s broken system.
