Beloved pet squirrel Peanut seized by New York state after 7 years in home
A rescued pet squirrel that sat atop a social media and charity empire has been seized by New York state — with its owner saying it’s slated to be euthanized, according to an Instagram post.
Peanut the Squirrel was taken from his Elmira, NY, home Wednesday by officials from the Department of Environmental Conservation, who served a warrant to Peanut’s guardians after receiving complaints of “unlawfully possessed” animals, according to the post.
“Well internet, you WON,” the caption from account Peanut_The_Squirrel12 reads. “You took one of the most amazing animals away from me because of your selfishness. To the group of people who called DEC, there’s a special place in hell for you.”
A DEC spokesperson confirmed to The Post that officers took away Peanut the Squirrel and a pet raccoon.
The squirrel’s owner, Mark Longo, claimed that he was in “shock” and “disbelief” that DEC was going to allegedly euthanize his pet and friend, according to the social media post.
The DEC said that the animals were seized in coordination with Chemung County Health department “due to the presence of a rabis vector species (raccoon) in the home.”
The state agency did not comment on whether the animals will be euthanized.
Longo took in Peanut seven years ago, when he was just a kit, after seeing its mother get hit by a car, according to social media accounts.
Peanut boasts 532,000 followers on Instagram, more than 423,000 followers on Facebook, and over 2 million views on TikTok.
Longo, a Connecticut native, moved to Elmira in 2023 to start an animal sanctuary named P’Nut’s Freedom Farm, a 501.C.3 approved nonprofit.
“Last year we moved to NY in hopes of starting a NONPROFIT animal rescue in PNUT’s Name. [P’Nuts Freedom Farm] will forever live in PNUT’s memory,” Longo wrote in the post announcing Peanut’s seizure.
“With over 350 rescues, we’ve relied heavily on PNUT and his internet family to father donations to help more animals. I don’t even know how will [sic] continue to fundraise for this nonprofit.”
P’Nut’s Freedom Farm is an organization made up of veterinarians and caregivers who are dedicated to rescuing animals from abusive or dire situations, according to the group’s website.
Following the announcement of Peanut’s capture, Longo posted several phone numbers for the Department of Environmental Conservation onto his feed – asking supporters to call in protest against the government’s actions.
There is also a petition to return Peanut to his rightful home.
This is not the first time the DEC is in public relations hot water over confiscating a beloved pet.
Earlier this year, the department confiscated a 750-pound alligator from a Hamburg, NY, home, which was outfitted with a massive room and pool for the reptile’s comfort.
“Albert” the alligator had lived in his home for 34 years and was raised from a hatchling by guardian Tony Cavallaro, who is now suing the department to regain custody of his longtime friend.
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