According to USA Today, both animals later tested negative for rabies. However, their bodies were never returned to Longo and Bittner.
“Government Abuse” Allegations
The lawsuit, filed in New York’s Court of Claims, names the DEC and DOH as defendants. Longo and Bittner call the incident an “obscene demonstration of government abuse” and a “senseless act of violence,” arguing that there was no legitimate rabies concern.
The couple’s filing, cited by the New York Post, says they suffered emotional trauma from the loss and financial harm because Peanut was a social media personality featured in monetized videos created by Longo.
A Second Lawsuit Filed
As reported by the Washington Times, Longo and Bittner also filed a separate lawsuit against New York State, Chemung County, and other agencies. In that filing, they rejected the term “euthanized,” asserting:
“Peanut and Fred were not ‘euthanized,’ which is the act or practice of killing… hopelessly sick or injured individuals. Peanut and Fred were healthy, young, thriving, happy animals. They were executed, not euthanized.”
