Authorities in New York arrested social media star Peanut the Squirrel

A beloved squirrel that boasts thousands of followers online has been taken from its New York home by state authorities.

The peanut, also spelled P’Nut or PNUT, was seized by the New York State Department of Environmental Protection, according to statement its owner Mark Longo posted on the official Peanut Instagram account on Wednesday, October 30.

“Today at 10 am Wednesday, October 30, 2024… New York State EPA showed up at my house and took Pinata away. He WAS SENT FOR EUTHANASIA. I am in shock, disbelief and disgusted with the people who did this to PNUT,” the statement said.

In a statement provided to PEOPLE, the DEC said it launched the investigation after “numerous reports from the public about the potentially dangerous keeping of wild animals that may carry rabies and the illegal keeping of wild animals as pets.”

The statement added that “the HVAC investigation is ongoing and more information will be provided as it becomes available.”

According to Associated Pressin addition to Pinata, the DEC also captured an injured raccoon named Fred that Longo had had for several months and hoped to release back into the forest.

Peanut has thousands of views on all his social accounts, 533,000 followers Instagram and 423,000 followers Facebook.

According to the Associated Press, Longo took in Peanut seven years ago after seeing his mother get hit by a car. It was their connection that inspired him to found it P’Nuts Freedom Farm Animal Sanctuary in April 2023.

“Pinat has been my best friend for the past 7 years. He has been the center of my world and so many of yours for so long that I don’t know how to emotionally process it,” Longo wrote in a statement on Instagram on Wednesday. .

On Thursday, Oct. 31, he posted an update to Peanut on Instagram Stories, saying, “I still haven’t heard back from the state of New York. I don’t know where Peanut is or if he’s still with us.”

“I just want to say thank you from the bottom of my heart for all the support you have given me and my wife. This is an absolute tragedy and I pray we still have a chance,” he shared in another Instagram post the same day

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Longo has created a Change.org petition and a GoFundMe campaign to raise funds to help “cover legal costs for lawyers to help us deal with the damages and ensure Peanut is returned to his loving home.”