Exclusive | P'nut the Squirrel's grieving owner says he was treated like a ‘terrorist’ in 5-hour raid by NY state
Outrage as heavily armed police raid home over pet squirrel
The grieving owner of P'nut the squirrel has spoken out about the "traumatic" five-hour raid by New York state police, in which he was treated like a "terrorist".
David Morgan, 56, said the raid was "completely unnecessary" and has left him "traumatized".
The raid was carried out by the New York State Department of Environmental Conservation (DEC) after P'nut was reported to be running loose in his backyard. The DEC has been investigating Morgan for allegedly keeping wildlife without a permit.
Morgan, a retired firefighter, said he was home alone when the police arrived. He said they were heavily armed and wearing bulletproof vests and tactical gear.
"They came in like a SWAT team," Morgan said. "They had their guns drawn and they were shouting at me to get on the ground."
Morgan said he was handcuffed and taken outside, where he was questioned for hours.
The DEC did not immediately respond to a request for comment.
Raid was 'completely unnecessary'
Morgan said he has never been charged with a crime and has no prior arrests.
He said he has had P'nut for several years and that the squirrel is part of his family.
"He's my best friend," Morgan said. "He's always there for me."
Morgan said he was "heartbroken" when P'nut was taken away. He said he has been trying to get him back, but the DEC has refused to release him.
"I don't know what I'm going to do without him," Morgan said. "He's my everything."
Outrage over raid
The raid has sparked outrage from animal rights activists and civil liberties groups.
"This was a completely unnecessary and excessive use of force," said Susan Wagner, a spokesperson for the Animal Legal Defense Fund.
"The DEC should be ashamed of themselves for treating Mr. Morgan like a criminal simply for having a pet squirrel."
The New York Civil Liberties Union has also condemned the raid, calling it "a clear violation of Mr. Morgan's Fourth Amendment rights."
"The police had no probable cause to search Mr. Morgan's home," said Donna Lieberman, the NYCLU's executive director.
"This was a case of government overreach, and we will be exploring all legal options to hold the DEC accountable."
