Overview

• Longo and Bittner filed the suit August 9 in the New York Court of Claims seeking $10 million in damages for emotional trauma and lost income tied to P’Nut’s social media fame.
• The lawsuit names the Department of Environmental Conservation and the Department of Health as defendants over the October 2024 seizure and euthanasia of P’Nut and Fred.
• Court documents describe the killings as a “senseless act of violence” and an “obscene demonstration of government abuse” unrelated to rabies fears after negative test results.
• A separate suit filed June 27 in Chemung County Supreme Court targets more than 30 state and local officials for unspecified damages from the same incident.
• Lawmakers enacted “Peanut’s Law” to require due-process reviews and waiting periods before euthanizing sanctuary animals in New York.