I am sure the wildlife folks in New York State are just wishing that this whole thing would go away.

But it won’t, at least not until the people responsible, INCLUDING THE JUDGE that signed the warrant, are fired, and make some form of restitution.(although flogging is a good thought as well). Perhaps they should give Mr. Longo, the owner of the animals a chance to punch them in the face once each. Won’t bring Peanut and Fred back, but it would go a long way to making things right….

The overreach, the massive overkill in manpower for the raid, the subsequent list of fuckups is am example of State Gone Mad. Of Officials using their power to harm, rather than for good. The stated aim was for the welfare of the animals, the real reason was because someone had defied the states mandates. At the end of it, are Peanut and Fred better off than they were before the raid? Was their welfare really the reason? This isn’t the first time this sort of “welfare raid ” has happened...but unless and until the people involved are severely punished, it won’t stop happening……Be it wildlife officials or police officers in general.

Now we know some of the names of the people involved in the debacle, although not all of them. 

Joshua Crain obtained a search warrant for the animals

Judge Richard W. Rich Jr. authorized the search

“Crain, who was awarded Wildlife Officer of the Year in 2022, is known for his philosophy of prioritizing education over enforcement.”  Yep, pull the other one. It’s got bells.

We don’t know the names of the other officers involved, but they should be outed as well. Each and every one of them, named so their communities can choose to treat them as they should be.

The fact that these people are still employed in any position of power, where they can make any decisions that in any way affect any other people, is a crime…and it shows that , to the state, the bureaucracy matters more that the right thing.

Remember: The squirrel and the raccoon had been kept indoors, with no contact with other animals, for many weeks, even years in the case of Peanut….there was no reason to believe that they had rabies, in fact there was every reason to believe they DID NOT have rabies or any other diseases. Crain should have known this….normal protocol in this case should have been 10 days of quarantine and observation to confirm they did not have rabies, rather than slicing up their brains for a rabies test..

And, of course, the State (and the officer’s union) wants to remind us of this: “‘We ask that the public keep in mind that [DEC officers] are their friends, family, and neighbors and do not deserve to live in fear for upholding the law,”

Yeah, but like the rest of Law Enforcement……unless and until they and their fellow officers start cleaning house, start asking why they need such overwhelming force on a raid (or a Raid at all !), why they always treat people like they do when there is a better, less demeaning, less violent, way.. then maybe I will believe it.

You want respect, and to live in peace in the community you police, you should act like it,