Peanut, a beloved pet squirrel famous for his social media presence, was euthanized by New York state wildlife officials.
Peanut’s heartbroken caretaker, Mark Longo, has since stepped out, expressing his fury at the tragedy.
Peanut was taken in by Longo after being orphaned after his mother was hit by a car in New York City.
Longo expressed his emotional reaction to the news on social media, writing, “Peanut was the best thing that ever happened to us.”
Peanut’s fun activities, including climbing onto Longo’s shoulder, performing stunts, and wearing cute small hats, have earned him tens of thousands of fans on Instagram.Ezoic
The raid took place on October 30, 2024, at P’nuts Freedom Farm, an animal refuge that Longo and his wife, Daniela, established in April 2023.
The sanctuary now houses over 300 animals, which include horses, goats, and alpacas.
Longo described the raid as a five-hour nightmare with multiple officers searching his property.
He questioned the necessity of such a large police presence, asking: “You need that many officers to show up to my house to literally pull my closets apart?”
“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,” Longo added to The New York Post.
“They asked my wife, who is of German descent, what her immigration status was. They asked if I had cameras in my house. They wouldn’t allow me to go to the bathroom without a police escort, who then checked the back of the toilet to see if I was hiding anything there.”
The DEC reported that the seizure of Peanut and another pet raccoon named Fred was motivated by anonymous complaints about the animals.
In a formal statement, per The Guardian, the agency explained: “On Oct. 30, DEC seized a raccoon and squirrel sharing a residence with humans, creating the potential for human exposure to rabies. In addition, a person involved with the investigation was bitten by the squirrel. To test for rabies, both animals were euthanized.”
They also suggested that anyone who has come into contact with the animals should consult their doctor.
Longo stated that he was in the midst of obtaining permits to retain Peanut as an educational animal when the seizure occurred.
To properly rescue squirrels, New York law requires that you become a licensed wildlife rehabilitator, which can take several months.
Furthermore, any domesticated wild animal must be registered as an educational animal in order to be kept lawfully.
Longo stated that they were ready to comply with the regulations. “We were ready to comply… We needed a little bit of guidance from the DEC.”
Despite a massive online petition with tens of thousands of signatures advocating for Peanut’s return, the law in New York considers wild animals property.
This means that even popular outrage and support may not overturn the judgment made by wildlife authorities.
The DEC verified the euthanasia of both Peanut and Fred on November 2, 2024, leaving Longo and his family in sh0ck and sadness.
In a heart-wrnching post shared on Peanut’s social media account, Longo expressed his grief: “It is with profound sorrow that we share the heartbreaking news: on October 30th, the DEC made the devastating decision to euthanize our beloved Peanut the squirrel and Fred the raccoon.”
Accompanying the message was a video montage celebrating the joyful moments shared with the animals.
Longo has since indicated plans to pursue legal action regarding what he views as an excessive and unnecessary raid, highlighting the broader conversation about wildlife laws and animal welfare in New York.