Netizens were left devastated to hear about the tragic passing away of Peanut the Squirrel, a popular pet on social media. Peanut’s owner, Mark Longo, uploaded an Instagram post on November 1, 2024, and revealed that the New York State Department of Environmental Conservation had euthanized the squirrel.
Mark said that Peanut, and his another pet, a racoon named Fred, were seized from his house in Pine City on October 30, 2024, by the authorities following a raid at his house. According to NBC News, the Department of Environmental Conservation (DEC) and Chemung County Department of Health released a joint statement. They said that it's illegal to keep young wildlife as pets because they are "not well suited for life in captivity.”
Furthermore, they stated that the squirrel and the racoon, who were euthanized, can carry many diseases that can be passed on to other people. They added that the animal bit one of the officers during the investigation.
The authorities also mentioned:
“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 in the investigation was bitten by the squirrel. To test for rabies, both animals were euthanized. The animals are being tested for rabies and anyone who has been in contact with these animals is strongly encouraged to consult their physician.”
Peanut’s owner, Mark Longo runs an animal sanctuary. As per AP News, he had previously said that he brought the squirrel home more than seven years ago, when he saw his mother being hit by a car in New York City.
For the unversed, Instagram-famous Peanut the Squirrel had more than 602,000 followers on the platform, as Mark often posted his videos which were loved by the masses. Moreover, the owner opened up about the death of his beloved pet and criticized the authorities for the same.
“They treated me like I was a terrorist”—Peanut, the squirrel’s owner Mark Longo addressed the death of his pet
After the authorities euthanized the squirrel and the raccoon, Mark Longo spoke about it to The New York Post on Saturday, November 2, 2024. He elaborated on how a dozen officials walked into his house and conducted a five-hour-long raid.
Longo stated that the authorities alleged that they had received a number of complaints from the residents nearby. He claimed:
“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. They asked my wife, who is of German descent, what her immigration status was. They asked if I had cameras in my house.”
He continued:
“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. We rehabbed him for eight months, we released him for a day and a half, but he ended up getting attacked. He never developed the instincts to survive outside.”
Longo also mentioned how his phone was “blowing up” as several people were “saying how much they loved Peanut.” He expressed:
“I have people who call me and cry more than I do.”
Furthermore, the deceased squirrel and racoon's owner is now demanding the authorities to investigate the case. He denied the claims of the animals having rabies, as the officials mentioned the same.