Should the government come in a raid a person's home over a possible illegal pet?

Government out of control. 

The New York Department of Environmental Conservation states that it is illegal for young wildlife to be kept as pets.

If an individual finds a young wild animal that is injured or orphaned, the department recommends making a call to a wildlife rehabilitator, who "are the only people legally allowed to receive and treat distressed wildlife." 

https://www.usatoday.com/story/news/nation/2024/11/01/peanut-the-squirrel-seized/75986462007/

Therefore, since Mr. Longo is not a wildlife rehabilitator, there is no paperwork that would have permitted him to keep P'nut.  

Is it your position that only some laws need to be followed?

I think a legal animal sanctuary should be allowed to house the squirrel or any other animal legally as long as the animals are cared for.  Mr. Longoria did indeed own a legal animal sanctuary in Pine City NY. 

There is an 8 hr course to be an licensed animal rehabilator. And yes there was  paperwork to register P'Nut as an educational animal.  

Rather than doing a raid as the DEC did, they could have simply explained, you are required to take this course
 And file this paperwork.   But no they chose to be aggressive and go in like they were busting a drug dealer. A department drunk on power.

• An animal sanctuary is a facility where animals are brought to live and to be protected for the rest of their lives.

• Rehabilitators are compassionate wildlife advocates who believe that saving even a single injured, ill, or orphaned wild animal is a worthy cause. The ultimate goal is to return every patient to the wild, to allow them to carry out a free life, in nature.

Do you see the difference?  The sanctuary keeps them for life; the rehabilitator prepares them to return to the wild.  

***

"Wildlife rehabilitators need proper certification through the International Wildlife Rehabilitation Council, which offers the Certified Wildlife Rehabilitator certification. To earn this certification, applicants may pass an exam and renew their credentials every two years. Many rehabilitators also choose to specialize in a specific type of animal, such as mammals or reptiles."
https://www.indeed.com/career-advice/career-development/how-to-become-a-wildlife-rehabilitator

Clearly, this man wasn't certified as a rehabilitator - flouted the law and got caught.  The government did what it was supposed to do.  I'm sure if someone had gotten rabies from P'nut you would have said that the man should have been jailed.

Again, he was already legal animal sanctuary.   And in order to be a licensed animal rehabilitator in NY, it is an 8 hr class.  And he was already in the process of the paperwork to designate the squirrel as an educational animal.   

They should have handled this peacefully  working with the people rather than treating them like drug dealers.  

As if law enforcement in NY does not have anything more pressing to do than worry about a pet squirrel at an animal sanctuary.   

Pnut did not have rabies.   Animal control could look at an animal and know if they have rabbies. And can wait to make sure by isolating and observing the animal for 10 days. 

There has never been a documented case of any squirrel to human transmission of rabies in the US. 

Clearly, you still don't understand the difference between an animal sanctuary and an animal rehabilitation facility.  I can write the words, but I can't make you understand them.  The fact is - HE DID SOMETHING ILLEGAL AND GOT CAUGHT.  

THAT'S THE LAW.

You realize my question is not about the law.   It is about HOW they chose to enforce the law.   Why raid and destroy their home? Why be their for 5 hrs not even allowing these people to go to the bathroom without an officer....like they are some big time drug dealer? 

This is a government drunk on power.  They could have treated these people respectfully.  The government chose not to.

What if the DEC in your new state decided they did not like a plant you moved into their state? And instead of coming to you respectfully they chose to raid and destroy your home?  Same thing and they shouldn't opt for a raid if it can be handled peacefully.   This post was edited by my2cents at November 5, 2024 4:12 PM MST

Do you know the circumstances that led up to the police taking the action they did?  Do you know if they had prior dealings with this guy?  If you do, perhaps you would share them with us.

There are interviews with owner of Pnut and video showing the house after the raid.  
DEC has not claimed they tried to speak or even that they sent a letter about the animal's.  They simply sent at least 6 armed officers to this house without a warrant, treated these people like violent criminal drug/gun dealers, seized 2 animals and then killed the animals. 

This should never to the way our government treats is citizens. 

So, the answers to my questions are, "No," you don't know the circumstances that led up to the police taking the action they did and, "No," you don't know if they had prior dealings with this guy.  Got it. This post was edited by Spunky at November 5, 2024 7:56 PM MST

There were complains. And instead of talking to the people,  they performed a raid and ransacked their home.  And took and killed the animals.  

If DEC NY had done anything other than the raid, they would have told it to the press when the story hit the news.   

The law fine.  But don't you think they should have came peacefully rather conducting it like a raid on a drug dealer? 

Given that this is EXACTLY the kind of police brutality Trump called for scant weeks ago, count on it happening a lot more often after January.

No it is not.  This was a state government agency...not Federal. 
Fearmongering about Trump  did/will not change anything. This post was edited by my2cents at November 6, 2024 3:56 AM MST