An animal lover is lashing out on Instagram after his pet, an orphaned baby squirrel turned social media sensation, was seized by authorities in a raid of his property.
Mark Longo, who operates an animal sanctuary in upstate New York, is fighting to get back his beloved pet squirrel, Peanut, after state authorities seized the internet star during a recent raid.
The Department of Environmental Conservation (DEC) seized Peanut and a raccoon named Fred following anonymous complaints about Longo's wildlife rescue, which sparked the investigation.
"The DEC came to my house and raided my house without a search warrant to find a squirrel!" Longo, 34, told AP News. "I was treated as if I was a drug dealer and they were going for drugs and guns."
Longo runs Instagram and TikTok accounts for Peanut — who has hundreds of thousands of followers — since rescuing the squirrel as a baby seven years ago. Peanut's antics, including wearing tiny hats and playing with Longo's cat, have drawn a large following.
Longo turned to Instagram to express his devastation: "Well internet, you WON. You took one of the most amazing animals away from me because of your selfishness...There's a special place in hell for you," he posted. He fears Peanut may have been euthanized but has received no confirmation.
While Longo admits it's technically illegal to keep wild animals as pets in New York, he was in the process of getting certification for Peanut as an educational animal. "If we're not following the rules, guide us in the right direction," he pleaded.
Longo and his wife run P'Nuts Freedom Farm Animal Sanctuary, which houses around 300 animals. The sanctuary, which relies on donations and social media support, was inspired by Peanut's fame and opened last year.
Longo plans to set up a memorial fundraiser in Peanut's name to keep the sanctuary going, pledging, "I'll never give up on this nonprofit or those who fell in love with Peanut."
"For the last 7 years, Peanut has been my best friend," Longo posted. "He's been the center of my world and many of yours for so long, I don't know how to process this, emotionally."
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