NEW YORK (AP) — A man who adopted an orphaned squirrel and transformed it into a social media sensation has pledged to make his voice heard following the New York state’s decision to confiscate and euthanize the creature.
“We will take a stand against the way this government and New York state allocate their resources,” Mark Longo declared during a phone conversation.
While he refrained from detailing his future course of action, he assured that the authorities would soon be hearing from him regarding the fate of Peanut the squirrel and Fred, a rescued raccoon, both of whom were seized and euthanized.
The state Department of Environmental Conservation removed the animals from Longo’s residence and animal sanctuary located in the rural Pine City, near the Pennsylvania border, on Wednesday. The department cited complaints of illegal and potentially unsafe wildlife possession as the reason for their action.
According to state law, individuals are required to obtain a license to keep a wild animal. Longo had previously stated that he was in the process of getting Peanut — affectionately known as P’Nut or PNUT — certified as an educational animal.
The DEC, along with the Chemung County Health Department, announced on Friday that the squirrel and raccoon were euthanized to test them for rabies, following an incident where Peanut bit an individual involved in the investigation.
Longo, however, refuted this claim on Saturday, stating that he did not witness Peanut biting anyone during what he described as an excessively forceful, hours-long search. He also mentioned that the authorities have not been in contact with him since they left his property.
“To be honest, this whole situation feels unreal. I can’t believe that the state I live in would target me and take away two of the most loved animals on earth, without even quarantining them. They just removed them from my home and killed them,” he expressed.
A request for a comment was forwarded to the DEC on Saturday.
Longo began caring for Peanut after the animal’s mother was killed in a car accident in New York City seven years ago. The squirrel, often seen wearing miniature hats, performing tricks, and munching on waffles held in its tiny paws, had amassed tens of thousands of followers on Instagram, TikTok, and other social media platforms.
As for Fred the raccoon, Longo said the animal was left on his doorstep a few months ago. After nursing the creature back to health from its injuries, Longo and his wife had plans to release it back into the wild.
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Contributions to this report were made by Associated Press writer Jennifer Peltz. Follow Julie Walker on X @jwalkreporter.
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