Earlier this week, news that Peanut the Squirrel was euthanized shocked million of Americans and fans of the rescue pet. Peanut was captured along with a raccoon named Fred and both were put down by the New York State Department of Environmental Conservation (DEC) shortly after his caretaker’s Pine City home was raided. The entire operation, including the substantial use of resources involved in the ordeal, highlights the state’s stunning lack of awareness of how public money and resources should be used.

There are so many things wrong with how this all played out. The DEC had no issue raiding the home of a man who runs an animal sanctuary to confiscate and kill his pet squirrel at a time when real crime and public safety issues continue to destroy communities. Rightfully, questions about the use of state resources to conduct a raid considering New York’s existing fiscal challenges abound.

There were countless ways this situation could have been addressed differently, and the reality is the matter was handled with no regard for compassion and nuance. While the DEC’s official explanation comes down to a rabies test, it’s unclear if there was any evidence the pet was sick. Regulations calling for a quarantine period to observe the pet for symptoms seemed to have been ignored.

In response to the ordeal, Assemblyman Jake Blumencranz (R,C-Oyster Bay) has authored “Peanut’s Law: Humane Animal Protection Act” to prevent something like this from happening again. Some of the key provisions of the proposal are as follows:

• 72-hour waiting period: A mandatory minimum 72-hour pause before euthanizing any sanctuary animal, giving sanctuary operators time to respond, arrange veterinary care and appeal.
• Emergency appeal rights: A dedicated DEC review board of experts will evaluate appeals within 48 hours, ensuring each case receives immediate attention.
• Clear ‘Immediate Risk’ criteria: Euthanization can only bypass the waiting period if a licensed veterinarian confirms a direct, immediate risk to public safety.
• Transparent reporting: DEC would be required to publish quarterly reports on animal seizures and release testing results within seven days if euthanization occurs.
• Sanctuary recognition: Peanut’s Law defines animal sanctuaries as registered, tax-identified entities, upholding their rights.

Rules and regulations regarding pets and wildlife are important and exist for a reason. However, this was a brazen and baffling incident that quickly gained international attention – for all the wrong reasons. We can do much better than this going forward, and I sincerely hope the lessons learned from this unfortunate situation resonate with those making decisions about rescue animal care.