Peanut the Squirrel, an Upstate New York pet beloved by numerous social media followers, was euthanized after being seized from his home by the Department of Environmental Conservation (DEC) on October 30, 2024. In the wake of the incident, outraged fans have taken to social media to slam the officials over the perceived inhumane treatment.
A GoFundMe campaign was also initiated to help fight the injustice of the system. The fundraiser, with a goal of $120,000, has raised over $90,000 at the time of writing this article.
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On November 1, 2024, Mark Longo, the owner of the Instagram-famous Peanut the Squirrel, announced the death of his beloved pet seized by DEC two days ago. He said:
"Despite our passionate outcry for compassion, the agency chose to ignore our pleas, leaving us in deep shock and grief."
What happened to Peanut the Squirrel?
Mark Longo, a 34-year-old mechanical engineer, who started P'Nuts Freedom Farm Animal Sanctuary in 2023, took in the squirrel seven years ago as a baby after he saw the mother get hit by a car and die.
Longo, who began occasionally sharing Instagram videos of Peanut the Squirrel on an account dedicated to the pet, amassed over 600k followers. Longo said Peanut lost his tail in a severe attack and couldn’t survive in the wild, impelling him to care for the squirrel at home. Longo’s P'Nuts Freedom Farm Animal Sanctuary, named after the squirrel, now reportedly cares for over 300 animals.
On Wednesday, Oct. 30, Peanut the Squirrel and Longo's other pet, a raccoon named Fred were seized from his home by DEC after receiving multiple anonymous complaints from neighbors. According to the DEC and the Chemung County Department of Health, an individual involved with the investigation was bitten by Peanut when they showed up at Longo’s home after receiving the complaint.
Officials said in order to test for rabies, both Peanut The Squirrel and Fred The racoon were euthanized.
Peanut The Squirrel GoFundMe will help cover legal expenses as Longo vows to fight the system
On November 1, 2024, Mark Longo took to Instagram to reveal Peanut The Squirrel and Fred The Raccoon were both euthanized before criticizing DEC over their misplaced priorities. Longo said:
"The NYS DEC needs a serious reality check on their ridiculously mistaken priorities. Instead of focusing on critical needs like flood mitigation in places like Steuben County, where local officials have to struggle just to get permits from the DEC to clear debris-filled waterways, they’re out seizing pet squirrels. NY taxpayers deserve better."
The post was met with outrage by thousands of social media users, who called out state officials for killing the beloved pets.
In the wake of the outrage a GoFundMe campaign initiated by a community member has raised over $90,400. The fundraiser said the money raised would go toward paying for lawyers to hold the DEC and the New York State government accountable for the pet's death.
The fundraiser alleged the DEC failed to follow proper law enforcement procedures and willfully neglected to use body cameras when entering a property. The fundraiser alleged Peanut The Squirrel's owner Mark Longo was also subjected to an “unjust and humiliating experience.” The fundraiser claimed:
“The agents repeatedly questioned whether there were security cameras located in their home and, inappropriately, asked one of their owners about their immigration status, treating them as if they were criminals over a beloved pet.”
DEC defends the decision to euthanize squirrel and raccoon
Meanwhile, DEC defended its decision to euthanize Peanut The Squirrel and Fred The raccoon stating the pets were removed from the home to “ensure the protection of public health related to the illegal possession of wild animals that have the potential to carry the rabies virus."
The DEC also noted it was illegal to keep young wildlife as pets. They added the animals are "not well suited for life in captivity. Plus, they may carry diseases that can be given to people."
Is it illegal to keep wildlife as pets?
According to the NYC government, it is illegal to keep wildlife as pets in New York unless people who are licensed as wildlife rehabilitators can legally care for them.
However, the rescuers are required to release them back into the wild once the animal is well. It is unclear if Mark Longo, who started an animal sanctuary last year, was a licensed wildlife rehabilitator.
Meanwhile, Donald Trump and supporter Elon Musk slammed the euthanization of Peanut The Squirrel.
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