News anchors from a major New York news station were seen reacting unfavorably to the saga surrounding Peanut the squirrel.
Gus Rosendale and Pat Battle, both co-hosts of NBC 4 New York’s ‘Weekend Today in New York’ appeared to express disdain for state officials’ decision to euthanize the mascot.
Rosendale also seemed to make a sarcastic comment about Albany’s warped priorities, ahead of election week, when he said, “Okay, that’s what Albany is focusing on,” while letting out an incredulous smile and lowering his face.
The broadcast aired on Saturday, days after the animal was taken from its owner’s home in the north of the state. The story has since caught the attention of many due to Peanut’s popularity online. Owner Mark Longo saved him after his mother was hit by a car.
During Wednesday’s raid, Peanut bit an investigator, an act authorities used to justify euthanasia for “rabies testing.”
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Gus Rosendale, who has staffed his network’s newsrooms for more than a decade, couldn’t help but deviate from script and speak negatively about state government, letting out an incredulous smile.
The broadcast aired on Saturday, days after the animal was removed from the home of its owner, Mark Longo, in the north of the state. Longo took in the animal after its mother was hit by a car and recorded her exploits on social media.
The decision was made in lieu of a shorter quarantine, in which officials would have only observed the animal for signs of rabies. Instead, they not only killed him but also Longo’s raccoon, causing a reaction in Rosendale, in particular.
“You may have heard that this little guy has been in the headlines this week,” Rosendale began, before revealing how he and Battle had received on-air confirmation from the state government that the pet had been euthanized.
“Authorities confiscated Peanut from a home in Pine City, New York, a small town south of Elmira; there were apparently multiple complaints,” Rosendale continued.
‘Peanut’s owner says the squirrel’s mother was hit by a car and he has been caring for the animal ever since.
‘The owner runs an animal sanctuary and says he knows it’s illegal to own a wild animal without a license, and says he was working on getting Peanut certified as an “educational animal.”
“A raccoon captured during the same raid was also killed,” he continued, both he and Battle visibly somber.
‘The Department of Environmental Conservation said this was all done for “rabies testing.”‘
At that moment, the anchor who has manned his network’s news desks for more than a decade couldn’t help but deviate from the script.
“Alright, that’s what Albany is focusing on,” he said.
Gus Rosendale and Pat Battle, both co-hosts of NBC 4 New York’s ‘Weekend Today in New York’, appeared to express disdain for state officials’ decision to euthanize the mascot, perhaps considering it premature.
During Wednesday’s raid, Peanut bit an investigator, an act authorities used to justify euthanasia in the deadly rabies test. Instead, they killed him, sparking outrage across the country.
The segment ended there, but the outrage surrounding the Internet-famous squirrel, centered on the New York state government, continues to swirl.
‘What kind of people do these agencies employ?’ one observer wrote Saturday of the at least six state Department of Environmental Conservation officials responsible for the squirrel’s death.
—Who has the nerve to murder a damn pet squirrel?
This got a response from none other than Elon Musk, who gave a pretty blunt assessment of the recent sequence of events.
“The government is a mindless, heartless killing machine,” he said, as a series of memes emerged.
Even Musk weighed in, sharing an AI-generated image of a squirrel carrying a Star Wars lightsaber and a Peanut-related pun.
“President Trump will save the squirrels,” Musk wrote in another tweet that served as both a tribute and a resounding endorsement. ‘RIP P’Nut.’
In another creation satirizing the Keanu Reeves-directed John Wick, an AI-generated image stream in X showed Reeves brandishing a gun, referencing how, in the film, Reeves’ character goes on a killing spree after someone kills his dog.
Even Musk weighed in, sharing an AI-generated image of a squirrel carrying a Star Wars lightsaber and a Peanut-related pun.
“The government is a mindless, heartless killing machine,” he said in response to an angry influencer, as a series of memes emerged.
In another creation satirizing the Keanu Reeves-directed John Wick, an AI-generated image stream in X showed Reeves brandishing a gun, referencing how, in the film, Reeves’ character goes on a killing spree after someone kills his dog.
Others called for someone to take revenge on the squirrel, who had more than half a million followers (and had touched the hearts of many more) on social media.
Others called for someone to take revenge on the squirrel, who had more than half a million followers (and had touched the hearts of many more) on social media. Longo posted on Sunday to further remember his former breakfast companion, who had a penchant for waffles.
“Breakfast will never be the same without you,” he wrote, after issuing a statement earlier in the week describing how “heartbroken” he was.
The accompanying caption read: “Internet after hearing what they did to Peanut the squirrel.”
Others called for someone to take revenge on the squirrel, who had more than half a million followers (and had touched the hearts of many more) on social media.
At the center of the outrage, the state Department of Environmental Conservation said it removed the animals last Wednesday after receiving complaints, and the state requires people to obtain a license if they want to own a wild animal.
As Rosendale mentioned, Longo said he was working to get Peanut certified, but the animal’s life was snuffed out before he had the chance. Rabies tests on animals are always fatal.
Longo posted on Sunday to further remember his former breakfast companion, who had a penchant for waffles.
“Breakfast will never be the same without you,” he wrote, after issuing a statement earlier in the week describing how “heartbroken” he was.
“I love you mouse,” he added, as the anguish continues.