In a presidential race already rife with drama and tension, a series of bizarre animal-related incidents have captured the nation’s attention, leaving many voters scratching their heads and wondering what it all means for the future of American politics.
The Tragic Tale of Peanut the Squirrel
The most recent animal controversy to rock the campaign trail involves the untimely demise of Peanut, an Instagram-famous squirrel who had amassed over 720,000 followers with his charming photos in tiny hats. Last week, New York wildlife officials seized Peanut from the home of his owner, Mark Longo, after the squirrel allegedly bit an inspector’s finger. As it is illegal to keep a squirrel as a pet in New York, both Peanut and a raccoon named Fred were euthanized to be tested for rabies.
The incident has sparked outrage among conservatives, with Republican vice-presidential nominee JD Vance declaring that “Democrats murdered the Elon Musk of squirrels” and that the government’s actions show they don’t care about pets. Even Elon Musk himself, a prominent supporter of Donald Trump, weighed in on the controversy during a Joe Rogan podcast, urging voters to “go out there and vote, for Peanut, man, if nothing else.”
A String of Unusual Animal Incidents
Peanut’s tragic tale is just the latest in a series of odd animal-themed occurrences that have punctuated the fierce electoral battle between Trump and Kamala Harris:
- During the sole televised debate, Trump repeated debunked claims that Haitian migrants were eating people’s pets in Springfield, Ohio, prompting incredulity from Harris and moderators.
- South Dakota Governor Kristi Noem revealed in a book that she had shot her own dog, a “nasty and mean” goat, and three horses in a gravel pit.
- It came to light that Kevin Roberts, the controversial figure behind the right-wing Project 2025 manifesto, had admitted to killing a neighbor’s pit bull with a shovel around 2004.
Perhaps most bizarre of all, Robert Kennedy Jr., who is poised to take on sweeping powers over health and food policy if Trump wins, confessed that doctors had once found a dead worm in his brain. He also admitted to stashing a dead bear in his car, smuggling it into New York’s Central Park to make it look like a cyclist had killed it, and being investigated for sawing the head off a beached whale and taking it home strapped to his minivan roof.
Every time we accelerated on the highway, whale juice would pour into the windows of the car, and it was the rankest thing on the planet.
– Kick Kennedy, RFK Jr’s daughter, on the whale head incident
Animal Welfare Takes a Back Seat
While Americans care deeply about animals, especially their pets, veteran animal rights activist Wayne Pacelle argues that these bizarre campaign incidents haven’t been leveraged to advance any substantive animal welfare causes. Instead, they’ve been weaponized for other political priorities, like Trump’s invective against immigrants.
“These are all strange one-offs rather than forming a broader narrative that could be told about animal welfare,” Pacelle explained to a journalist. “It’s a missed opportunity by politicians to connect to animal welfare issues, which are a universal concern for voters. We have big problems like factory farming, trophy hunting, puppy mills, and animal fighting that urgently need to be addressed.”
Critter Controversies Sway Voters?
As the nation heads to the polls, it remains to be seen whether outrage over Peanut’s death and the other animal incidents that have roiled the campaign will actually translate into votes. After all, with pressing issues like the economy, public health, and foreign policy on most voters’ minds, do critter controversies really move the needle?
Nonetheless, in a bitterly contested race where even the smallest margins could tip the balance, both campaigns seem to believe that playing up animal-related gaffes and tragedies could help them gain an edge. The question is, in their zeal to score political points, are they trivializing animal welfare and missing an opportunity to tackle the immense animal cruelty challenges facing the nation?
As the dust settles after election day, the next president, whether it’s Trump or Harris, would do well to remember that Americans’ passion for animal well-being runs deep. Tackling issues like factory farming, animal testing, wildlife conservation, and the illegal pet trade would not only prevent immense suffering but also represent good politics. Voters may soon forget offbeat animal campaign moments, but being on the right side of animal welfare is always a winning platform.
