News anchors from a flagship news station in New York were seen reacting unfavorably to the saga surrounding Peanut the squirrel.
Gus Rosendale and Pat Battle, both co-anchors for NBC 4 New York’s ‘Weekend Today in New York’, appeared to express disdain over state officials’ decision to put the pet down.
Rosendale also seemed to make a snide comment about Albany’s warped priorities, ahead of election week, as he sniped: ‘All right – that’s what Albany is focusing on,’ while letting out an incredulous smirk and dropping his face.
Peanut, who had become a social media sensation, was killed after a raid on owner Mark Longo’s home on Wednesday. A raccoon was also seized and euthanized.
The pet squirrel has since become a bizarre election talking point for conservatives, with the Trump campaign slamming the Democratic New York government for ‘executing’ Peanut – but failing to crackdown on the migrant crisis.
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Gus Rosendale, who has manned his network’s news desks for more than a decade, couldn’t help but deviate from the script and speak negatively about the state government – letting out an incredulous smirk
The broadcast aired Saturday, days after the animal was taken from his owner Mark Longo’s home Upstate. Longo took in the animal after its mother was hit by a car, and had been recording their exploits on social media
During the Wednesday raid, Peanut bit an investigator, – an act authorities used to justify euthanizing him to ‘test for rabies.’
The decision came in lieu of a less lasting quarantine, which would have seen officials only observe the animal for signs of rabies. Instead, they killed not only him but Longo’s raccoon as well – spurring a reaction out of Rosendale, in particular.
‘You might have heard this little guy has been making headlines this week,’ Rosendale began by saying – before revealing how he and Battle had received confirmation on-air from the state government that the pet had been put down.
‘Authorities seized Peanut from a home in Pine City, New York- a little town south of Elmira – apparently there had been multiple complaints,’ Rosendale pressed on.
‘Peanut’s owner says the squirrel’s mother was hit by a car and he had been taking care of 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 to get Peanut certified as an “educational animal.”
‘A raccoon take during the same raid was also put down,’ he continued, both he and Battle visibly somber.
‘The environmental department of conservation said all of this was done to “test for rabies.”‘
At that point, the anchor who has manned his network’s news desks for more than a decade couldn’t help but deviate from the script.
‘All right – that’s what Albany is focusing on,’ he said.
Gus Rosendale and Pat Battle, both co-anchors for NBC 4 New York’s ‘Weekend Today in New York’, appeared to express disdain over state officials’ decision to put the pet down – painting it as perhaps premature
During the Wednesday raid, Peanut bit an investigator, – an act authorities used to justify euthanizing the fatal test for rabies. Instead, they killed him, spurring outrage nationwide
The segment ended there, but the outrage surrounding the internet-famous squirrel – centered around the New York State government – continues to swirl.
‘What kind of person do these agencies employ?’ one observer wrote Saturday of the at least six officers from the state Department of Environmental Conservation responsible for the squirrel’s death.
‘Who has it in them to murder a bloody pet squirrel?’
This earned a response from none other than Elon Musk, who had a blunt assessment of the recent sequence of events.
‘The government is a mindless and heartless killing machine,’ he said – as an array of memes ensued.
Even Musk took part, sharing an AI-generated image of a squirrel toting a Star Wars lightsaber and an accompanying Peanut-related play on words.
‘President Trump will save the squirrels,’ Musk wrote in another tweet that doubled as both a tribute and ringing endorsement. ‘RIP P’Nut.’
In another creation lampooning the Keanu Reeves-led John Wick, an AI-generated image circulation on X showed Reeves brandishing a gun – referencing how, in the movie, Reeves’ character embarks on a killing spree after someone kills his dog.
Even Musk took part, sharing an AI-generated image of a squirrel toting a Star Wars lightsaber and an accompanying Peanut-related play on words
‘The government is a mindless and heartless killing machine,’ he said in response to an angry influencer – as an array of memes ensued
In another creation lampooning the Keanu Reeves-led John Wick, an AI-generated image circulation on X showed Reeves brandishing a gun – referencing how, in the movie, Reeves’ character embarks on a killing spree after someone kills his dog
Others called for someone to exact vengeance on behalf the squirrel, who had more than a half a million followers – and had touched the hearts of many more – on social media.
Others called for someone to exact vengeance on behalf the squirrel, who had more than a half a million followers – and had touched the hearts of many more – on social media. Longo posted Sunday to further remember his old breakfast partner, who had a penchant for waffles.
‘Breakfast will never be the same without you,’ he wrote, after issuing a statement earlier in the weeks describing how he was ‘heartbroken’
An accompanying caption thus read: ‘The Internet after hearing what they did to Peanut the Squirrel.’
Others called for someone to exact vengeance on behalf the squirrel, who had more than a 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 took the animals this past Wednesday after receiving complaints, with the state requiring people to get a license if they wish to own a wild animal.
As Rosendale mentioned, Longo has said he was working to get Peanut certified, but the animal’s life was snuffed out before he got the chance. Tests for rabies in animals are always fatal.
Longo posted Sunday to further remember his old breakfast partner, who had a penchant for waffles.
‘Breakfast will never be the same without you,’ he wrote, after issuing a statement earlier in the weeks describing how he was ‘heartbroken’.
‘I love you mouse,’ he added, as the heartbreak continues.