People love animals.
That's why the story of Peanut (or P'Nut) the Squirrel drew so much attention; not only was it a heartwarming tale of a beloved pet and its human owner, but it also ended up being an example of staggering government overreach. Now, at a Federalist Society event on Thursday, a Supreme Court justice weighed in — none other than Neil Gorsuch, in fact.
Supreme Court Justice Neil Gorsuch referenced the case of Peanut the Squirrel as a classic example of government overreach.
— Ian Miles Cheong (@stillgray) November 15, 2024
Speaking at a Federalist Society event yesterday, Gorsuch stated: “I’ve just seen too many cases like that. You have just the other day, some of you might… pic.twitter.com/UD06KfqKOo
The Justice said:
Supreme Court Justice Neil Gorsuch referenced the case of Peanut the Squirrel as a classic example of government overreach.
Speaking at a Federalist Society event yesterday, Gorsuch stated: “I’ve just seen too many cases like that. You have just the other day, some of you might have seen one in the newspaper, if the newspapers are to be believed,” “Yes, I’m speaking of Peanut the squirrel.”
This is a classic case, as Justice Gorsuch points out, of overweening government overreach, and it's great to see a member of the nation's highest court agreeing. The sad part is that none of this had to happen. Here's why.
First: New York, like most states, doesn't allow the keeping of wildlife as pets without a special permit. That, in and of itself, isn't unreasonable; but the reaction by the New York authorities was. The proper response to the Gladys Kravitz-style scold's complaint about Mark Longo's pet would have been to have someone drop by and say, "Hey, Mark, you know, you need a permit to keep Peanut. Now I can see that Peanut is healthy and happy here, so I brought along the proper paperwork to get you the permit you need to keep him legally, and I'm here to help you get the process properly started so that you can have Peanut here legally."
Second: The claim of rabies risk is overblown. Rodents and lagomorphs (rabbits and hares) have a very low incidence of rabies, although it's important to note that raccoons are frequent rabies vectors. Squirrels, in particular, have a low incidence of rabies as their agility and arboreal lifestyle tend to prevent transmission.
Third: Even if rabies was a factor, the authorities could have simply quarantined Peanut until it was determined that the disease wasn't a factor.
Previously on RedState: Squirrel Guy Speaks Out—Is Peanut Still Alive?
In short, Peanut shouldn't have been killed, and Mark Longo should still have his pet. Justice Gorsuch is correct; this is a perfect example of an overbearing government run amok.
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