Instagram-famous squirrel is euthanized after heartbroken owner pleaded with New York state to get him back

An orphaned squirrel that became a societal media prima called Peanut was euthanized aft authorities authorities seized nan beloved pet during a ambush connected his caretaker's home.

Multiple anonymous complaints astir Peanut - besides spelled P'Nut aliases PNUT - brought astatine slightest six officers from nan authorities Department of Environmental Conservation to Mark Longo's location adjacent nan Pennsylvania separator successful agrarian Pine City connected Wednesday, Longo said.

DEC officials took nan squirrel and a raccoon named Fred from Longo's location aft they carried retired a hunt warrant signed by 4 authorities agencies, each ignoring calls for clemency.

'The DEC came to my location and raided my location without a hunt warrant to find a squirrel!' said Longo, who is 34. 'I was treated arsenic if I was a supplier trader and they were going for narcotics and guns.' 

Longo runs an animal sanctuary pinch him wife, yet it appears to person made nary difference. 

Longo penned a sorrowful connection to his followers connected Friday: 'Well internet, you WON,' he posted. 

'For nan past 7 years, Peanut has been my champion friend. He’s been nan halfway of my world and galore of yours for truthful long, I don’t cognize really to process this, emotionally. 

'You took 1 of nan astir astonishing animals distant from maine because of your selfishness. To nan group of group who called DEC, there's a typical spot successful hellhole for you.' 

A spokesperson for nan DEC said earlier successful nan week really nan agency started an investigation aft receiving 'multiple reports from nan nationalist astir nan perchance unsafe lodging of wildlife that could transportation rabies and nan forbidden keeping of wildlife arsenic pets.'

On Friday, nan DEC and Chemung County Department of Health confirmed some animals' fate.

'On October 30, DEC seized a raccoon and squirrel sharing a residence pinch humans, creating nan imaginable for quality vulnerability to rabies. In addition, a personification progressive pinch nan investigation was bitten by nan squirrel. To trial for rabies, some animals were euthanized,' nan agencies said successful a statement. 

'The animals are being tested for rabies and anyone who has been successful interaction pinch these animals is powerfully encouraged to consult their physician.'

Peanut had much than half a cardinal followers connected Instagram, TikTok and different platforms during nan 7 years since Longo took him successful aft seeing his mother get deed by a car successful New York City.

Longo brought Peanut location and cared for him for 8 months earlier trying to merchandise nan squirrel into nan awesome outdoors. 

'A time and a half later I recovered him sitting connected my structure missing half of his tail pinch his bony sticking out,' Longo said.

He quickly wished that Peanut lacked nan endurance skills to unrecorded successful nan chaotic and would stay an indoor squirrel.

Soon aft Longo posted videos of Peanut playing pinch his cat, net fame followed.

A scroll done Peanut's Instagram relationship confirms he was nary mean squirrel. 

Peanut would leap connected to Longo's shoulder, deterioration a miniature cowboy hat, and eat a waffle while wearing crocheted bunny ears.

Over nan years Peanut's communicative has been featured connected TV and newspapers including USA Today.

Longo, who useful arsenic a mechanical engineer, was surviving successful Norwalk, Connecticut, until he decided to move to upstate New York past twelvemonth to commencement an animal sanctuary.

P´Nuts Freedom Farm Animal Sanctuary opened successful April 2023 and now houses astir 300 animals including horses, goats and alpacas, said Longo, who runs nan sanctuary pinch his wife, Daniela, and different family members.

He was alert that it was against New York authorities rule to ain a chaotic animal without a licence and claimed he was successful nan process of filing paperwork to get Peanut certified arsenic an acquisition animal.

'If we're not pursuing nan rules, guideline america successful nan correct guidance to travel nan rules, you know?' Longo said. 'Let america cognize what we request to do to person Peanut successful nan location and not person to interest astir him getting taken.'

As for Fred, Longo said he only had nan raccoon for a fewer months and was hoping to rehabilitate nan injured animal and merchandise him backmost to nan woods.

'It is pinch profound sorrow that we stock nan heartbreaking news: connected October 30th, nan DEC made nan devastating determination to euthanize our beloved Peanut nan squirrel and Fred nan raccoon. Despite our passionate outcry for compassion, nan agency chose to disregard our pleas, leaving america successful heavy daze and grief,' an Instagram station publication connected Friday, accompanied by a video montage of nan animals interacting pinch their smiling caretakers.