We surely live in unprecedented times. The death of a squirrel made national headlines just before the election, setting off a whirlwind of criticism against overbearing government and furthering the idea that our justice system has become power-hungry with misplaced priorities.

On October 30, an upstate New York couple found themselves subject to an unexpected police raid. Several officers from the Department of Environmental Conservation showed up at their home, unannounced, in search of their beloved pet squirrel, “P'nut,” and his buddy, “Fred” the raccoon.

Peanut was well known on the internet as a domesticated squirrel taken in by Mark and Daniela Longo in 2016. They brought the baby rodent home after finding him orphaned by the death of his mother. The animal lovers took care of their new pet, trained him, named him, and domesticated him, making him a permanent addition to their home. Later, they would show off Peanut’s new tricks (like jumping onto the shoulders of his owners, wearing clothing, and enjoying waffles) and his curious personality on a TikTok account, which soon garnered a large audience of loyal fans. Countless followers truly found joy in watching him live the good life as a household pet.

His online popularity soon generated enough income, through his social media presence and donations from fans, to allow his owners to move to a new area of the state with the specific goal of starting a nonprofit animal rescue. Peanut’s internet fame made their dream a reality, and the organization came to life as “P'Nuts Freedom Farm and Animal Sanctuary.” Since then, their farm has saved more than 300 animals from bad situations, addressing everything from medical needs to simply providing a safe space for unwanted pets — including an abandoned raccoon named Fred, who joined their family earlier this year.

Though Fred has not gotten nearly the amount of attention in this case, he, too, was loved and adored by many, and he was also unfairly targeted in the unfortunate situation that played out.

Despite the countless fans these animals entertained, some seemed to be unable to bear the positivity and happiness that they brought to so many. Complaints made it to the DEC, triggering the raid of the Longos’ home and their pet rescue.

An investigation would be understandable to check in on these unconventional pets and their owners to confirm whether the concerns were warranted. Yet the level of force used against a squirrel and a raccoon, which were famous for being house-trained, docile, and clean, demonstrated a clear abuse of power.

Several agents of the DEC ransacked the couple’s home, held Mark Longo outside for several hours, questioned his wife about her immigration status (she is from Germany), and removed Peanut and Fred from the home. Soon after the furry duo was confiscated, the Longos were notified that their beloved little animals had been euthanized. The move was said to have been necessary to carry out testing for rabies.

Mark Longo expressed disbelief for how he and his wife were treated: “They treated me like I was a terrorist. They treated this raid as if I was a drug dealer. They ransacked my house for five hours.”

During a tearful interview with TMZ, Longo criticized the government orders that were given to come after their pets: “They got a search warrant. Four departments and a judge signed off on a search warrant for a squirrel and a raccoon. And then they took them and killed them.”

The whole situation played out fairly quickly, and the story quickly circulated across social media. The public expressed shock and disbelief, as many could not understand why so much force was used to pursue these rodents. Despite the DEC’s insistence that they were concerned about disease, most did not accept their defense.

Even Elon Musk and Joe Rogan spoke out on Peanut and Fred’s deaths. Joining Rogan on his Monday podcast episode, Musk asked, “How can it be that we live in America, supposedly the land of the free, and the government can barge into your home with guns? … If you resist, you’re gonna get shot.” The government can “then take your pets and execute them,” he added. Rogan directed his response to authorities: “What the f**k is wrong with you? Why are you killing that squirrel? It doesn’t make any sense.”

The astonishing nature of the whole scenario concerns not just the death of a squirrel but also the priorities of government agencies and the message sent with the overuse of power and force when the circumstances do not call for it.

New York has become known for its rampant crime, homelessness, and drug problems. Retail theft has skyrocketed in recent years, illegal immigrants are organizing and taking over pockets of the state, and billions of dollars are being used to house and provide for people who should not be in the country. The consequences for those perpetrators seem minimal.

Some New York City politicians are calling for the repeal of sanctuary city laws after a Chilean national, Fernando Andres Jiminez Meza, was, according to the New York Post, allowed “to remain free for years after a drunken driving arrest — despite being sought by federal immigration authorities.” Meza was arrested last month after allegedly shooting his girlfriend and her two teen sons. Representative Mike Lawler noted, “The suspect in this horrific crime … could have been deported long ago after his arrest for drunk driving in Yonkers in 2018.”

Perhaps if Meza possessed a pet squirrel, he would have been seen as the legitimate threat to public safety that he truly is.

Witnessing such blatant misuse of government resources in the case of Peanut and Fred while allowing so much crime and corruption to engulf the state suggests that these power-hungry squirrel-haters are sending a message to everyday citizens:

They have no problem ripping away the things that matter to us to remind us who is in charge.

However, most people have grown tired of government overreach, and these bullying tactics often have the opposite effect.

As Greg Gutfeld said following the horrific incident, this was likely a wake-up call for millions of people: “You want to red pill America? Raid their homes and murder their pets.”