Peanut the Squirrel, a social media sensation who captured the hearts of thousands of fans on social media, was euthanized earlier today (November 1).
“It has been a terrible nightmare for me,” said Mark Longo, Peanut’s owner, after uploading an update video on Instagram, where more than 534,000 fans of the squirrel joined him in expressing their sorrow over the pet’s untimely passing.
Peanut was taken from Longo’s house in Pine City, New York, on Wednesday (October 30), alongside another one of his pets, a raccoon, after a rabies diagnosis forced the New York Department of Environmental Conservation (DEC) to confiscate them for testing.
According to a statement released by the Chemung County Department of Health, the decision to put both pets down was made after a person involved in the operation was bitten by Peanut.
Peanut, the squirrel who became a social media sensation, was forcibly euthanized after being diagnosed with rabies by New York authorities
The squirrel had become a beloved figure online, delighting its fans by appearing in videos enjoying waffles, playing with hula hoops, and greeting Longo after a long day of work.
Mark and Peanut’s story began seven years ago when the former had found out that the latter’s mother had been struck by a car, unable to leave the baby squirrel to fend for himself. Mark took him home and gave him his now-famous name.
Despite Mark’s attempts to release the squirrel back into the wilderness, Peanut returned home every time, eventually becoming part of the family.
Upon Peanut’s seizure, his supporters launched a GoFundMe campaign petitioning for the squirrel to be brought home, and for the DEC to be reformed. As of today, the website has accumulated over 28,000 signatures and raised over $12,500 in funds.
Before the squirrel’s fate was confirmed, Mark expressed his concern and uncertainty on social media, hoping that his pet would be returned to him safely. After the news broke, he uploaded a tearful video holding a hand-drawn portrait of his pet, whom he referred to as his “best friend.”
“Thank you for the best 7 years of my life. Thank you for bringing so much joy to us and the world,” he wrote, confessing to feeling guilty about not being able to protect Peanut. “I’m sorry I failed you but thank you for everything.”
Both his owner and fans of the pet were left angry by the DEC’s decision, believing it to be unjust. The organization replied, stating it was acting in accordance with the law
Peanut’s followers reacted with a mix of rage and frustration, feeling that the squirrel’s life had been taken unjustly and shaming those responsible for reporting the pet’s illness to the authorities.
“I’m shell shocked by this. I hope those behind the reports don’t sleep at night,” one viewer stated. “I hope time heals as much of this pain as it can for you both, Peanut was wonderful, I loved watching his videos all the way from the UK.”
“This sweet squirrel was living his best life. What the f–k is wrong with people!?” another asked.
As Mark announced through his non-profit, P’nuts Freedom Farm is going to demand accountability from the DEC but gave no specifics as to which measures they intend to take.
“Despite our passionate outcry for compassion, the agency chose to ignore our pleas, leaving us in deep shock and grief,” Mark wrote. “To add to our anguish, they informed the media of their decision before even notifying P’nuts Freedom Farm, his loving home.”
For the DEC, the decision was justified due to the prevalence of rabies in raccoons across New York’s Southern Tier. Due to the high risk of contagion, animals displaying symptoms are euthanized to collect their brain tissue samples for testing.
The department also stressed that keeping wild animals as pets is illegal in New York and that they were acting in compliance with guidelines established by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC).
Bored Panda has reached out to Mark Longo and the P’nut Farm for comment.
