Kyra Hall
There has been a tragic update in the case of Peanut the squirrel, who was euthanized last month.
The animal, who had thousands of followers on social media, was taken in by Mark Longo after the creature’s mother was killed by a vehicle in New York City.
Peanut lived with Longo for seven years and became a beloved star on platforms including Instagram and TikTok.
The squirrel, alongside an adopted raccoon named Fred, was euthanized after being seized by state authorities in a raid at the owner’s home and sanctuary – leading to a public outcry.
Now, a cruel twist has emerged in the story.
The raid occurred on October 30 at P’nuts Freedom Farm, a sanctuary with over 200 rescued animals owned by Longo and his wife, Daniella.
When the nightmare began, Longo took to Instagram and said: “Peanut has been my best friend. He’s been the center of my world and many of yours for so long.”
He continued: “The DEC came to my house and raided my house without a search warrant to find a squirrel! I was treated as if I was a drug dealer and they were going for drugs and guns.”
The Department of Environmental Conservation (DEC) said it received anonymous complaints that wildlife was being kept illegally and possibly unsafely, resulting in officers arriving at Longo’s home.
The DEC and the Chemung County officials added that the squirrel and raccoon were euthanized to test for rabies, as Peanut is claimed to have bit a DEC worker involved in the investigation, reports CBS News.
Only licensed wildlife rehabilitators can legally rescue squirrels in New York state. For a squirrel to be legally kept as a domesticated animal, it has to be registered as an educational animal.
Longo told CBS News: “We were ready to comply, we were ready to get the paperwork, we were in the process of doing that. We needed a little bit of guidance from the DEC.”
Rabies is a viral disease that causes brain and spinal cord inflammation. There are clinically two forms – furious rabies is characterized by hyperactivity and hallucinations while paralytic rabies is characterized by paralysis and coma.
The World Health Organization reports that the disease causes 59,000 deaths annually in over 150 countries.
The CDC states: “Animals showing signs of rabies should be immediately euthanized by a professional and specimens submitted to a qualified rabies laboratory for testing.”
To make the tragedy even more heartbreaking, it’s been revealed that both creatures tested negative for the disease, as reported by USA Today.
After being alerted to the results, Longo said it was ‘no big shocker,’ adding: “I knew the test results were going to be negative.”
The DEC is reportedly undergoing an internal investigation, with policies and procedures being reviewed.
A GoFundMe has been launched in honor of Peanut and Fred. Click here to donate.
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