(Luis Cornelio, Headline USA) The leftist administration of Michigan Gov. Gretchen Whitmer is facing calls to spare the lives of two rescued animals nicknamed Peanut and Kota.
Peanut, a blind baby deer, and Kota, a rescued coyote, are both scheduled to be euthanized by the Michigan Department of Natural Resources despite opposition from the nonprofit currently caring for them.
The nonprofit, Detroit Animal Welfare Group, is a no-kill sanctuary and is working with GOP State Rep. Angela Rigas and a group of bipartisan lawmakers to urge Whitmer to save the rescued animals’ lives.
“These animals are not threats, they are survivors,” Rigas said in a statement, according to The Midwesterner. “Peanut and Kota have been cared for by licensed professionals and were intended to serve as education ambassadors.”
The ghouls in Gretchen Whitmer’s administration want to kill a blind baby deer. Why do Democrats hate rescue animals? 😢 Hochul must be proud.
Let’s tell @GovWhitmer to find her humanity and save Peanut! https://t.co/SgyqWidLEE
— Tudor Dixon (@TudorDixon) October 16, 2025
Rigas said that Peanut’s and Kota’s lives are threatened by what she described as “arbitrary deadlines and bureaucratic technicalities” and urged Whitmer to “commute the death sentences of these animals.”
The lawmakers are asking Whitmer to use her powers to grant a reprieve to both animals and direct her agency to allow educational and sanctuary placements.
The lawmakers also asked the Whitmer administration to stop prosecuting the nonprofit and grant permits for the care of rescued animals.
“The DAWG case illustrates how state agencies can exercise disproportionate authority, often to the detriment of citizens and organizations acting in good faith,” they wrote. “The lack of transparency, arbitrary deadlines, and aggressive enforcement tactics are deeply troubling and demand immediate attention.”
They added that Whitmer would have blood on her hands “if she does not act” and that this case was “not just about wildlife, it’s about compassion, common sense, and the proper role of government.”
