‘P’nut the Squirrel’ and Our Selective Interest in Animal Welfare
It’s great to see an outpouring of support for an animal that was cruelly killed, but this should apply to every animal
I spent my Monday morning in a foul mood after hearing news of the completely uncalled-for euthanization of a squirrel and raccoon, P’nut and Fred, at the hands of governmental authorities in New York State. For those that are unfamiliar with the story, P’nut, heralded as “the world’s most famous squirrel”, had a huge internet following. His caretaker, Mark Longo, rescued the animal as a baby, after his mother was hit by a car, and spent the last 8 years posting videos of him and his pet.
Longo used proceeds from the videos to help found an animal sanctuary, known as “P’Nut’s Freedom Farm”. After reports were made to The New York Department of Environmental Conservation, 12 agents raided Longo’s home, seized the squirrel and a raccoon, and two days later both animals had been killed. The story circulating online is that at least one of the animals bit a worker and was subsequently euthanized so it could be tested for rabies.
People are rightly outraged, as am I, but I can’t help but be taken aback by the hypocrisy of it all. A squirrel is a rodent, as is a rat. The main physical feature…
