‘Peanut’s Law’ introduced in New York after death of social media squirrel

• A rescued squirrel named Peanut, who became a social media sensation and mascot for a New York animal sanctuary, was seized by state wildlife officials after complaints. Peanut was ultimately euthanized for rabies testing, which sparked public backlash.
• The New York Department of Environmental Conservation defended the seizure at the time, but later launched an internal investigation and acknowledged the need for improved procedures.
• In response to this incident, New York Assemblyman Jacob Blumencranz introduced “Peanut’s Law” to protect animal sanctuaries and establish more explicit rules for handling wildlife.

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The death of a viral social media squirrel has become a catalyst for new legislation in New York aimed at reforming wildlife enforcement procedures and protecting animal sanctuaries. The animal, named Peanut or P’Nut, was a rescued squirrel that was put down by state officials last year.

How did Peanut become so popular?

Peanut was originally found orphaned as a baby on a Manhattan street and later became a beloved figure at the Freedom Farm Animal Sanctuary, a nonprofit operated by the squirrel’s rescuer, Mark Longo. Videos of the animal garnered a large following on platforms like Instagram and TikTok, which helped fund the sanctuary’s operations.

What happened to Peanut?

In October 2024, the New York Department of Environmental Conservation (DEC) conducted a raid on Longo’s residence, seizing Peanut following public complaints about the legality of keeping wild animals as pets and concerns about potential rabies exposure.

During the seizure, Peanut reportedly bit one of the responding officers and was euthanized for rabies testing, the test results of which later came back negative.

Response from state officials

The DEC stated at the time that the agency acted in accordance with existing state regulations. However, the public response to Peanut’s death sparked widespread criticism, prompting the DEC to issue a statement during the week of March 30, acknowledging the incident and confirming an internal investigation had been launched into its wildlife enforcement procedures.

“We have carefully reviewed all the public feedback, and we understand the distress caused to communities throughout the state,” the agency said. “We know that we can do better moving forward.”

Will the legislation change animal welfare in New York?

In response to the incident, Republican New York Assemblyman Jacob Blumencranz introduced Assembly Bill 7388, also known as “Peanut’s Law” or the Humane Animal Protection Act. The proposed bill seeks to clarify legal protections for legitimate animal sanctuaries and set more transparent protocols for the seizure and euthanasia of wildlife.

“Compassion should not be controversial, and animal welfare should never be a partisan issue,” Blumencranz said when introducing the bill. “This bill gives sanctuaries the respect they deserve. It gives animals time and dignity and a fighting chance and it gives families hope and a voice.”

What happens next?

Longo has voiced his support for the bill, expressing hope that it will prevent similar cases like Peanut’s from happening in the future and will also “make sure that animal rights are not overlooked anymore.”

“Today is a day that we push forward to make sure that this tragedy never happens again,” Longo said during the legislation’s introduction.