Peanut the squirrel, an Instagram star, was euthanized by New York state authorities

Christy Keleshian

NEW YORK (WCBS) — Peanut the squirrel, a pet that gained popularity on social media, was euthanized by New York State wildlife officials as part of a rabies test.

Mark Longo, Peanut’s owner, claimed excessive force was used to capture his pet squirrel earlier in the week. State wildlife officials said it is illegal to possess a wild animal.

Over the past seven years, Peanut the squirrel has become famous on social media thanks to Longo. In a video posted on his Instagram account, he tearfully said, “Peanuts was the best thing that ever happened to us.”

On Wednesday, the New York State Department of Environmental Protection seized the squirrel along with Longo’s pet raccoon named Fred.

“On October 30, DEC removed a raccoon and a squirrel that were living with humans, creating the potential for human exposure to rabies. In addition, the squirrel bit the person involved in the investigation. Both animals were euthanized to test for rabies,” the New York State Department of Environmental Protection and Chemung County Health Department said in a statement. “The animals are being tested for rabies and anyone who has had contact with these animals is strongly advised to consult their doctor.”

Longo said the raid on his home and farm, known as P’nuts Freedom Farm, lasted five hours.

“Do you need that many officers to come to my house to literally blow my closets apart?” Longo said.

Tens of thousands of signatures on an online petition demanded the return of Pinata by Friday afternoon, but wild animals are considered property in New York.

Under state law, the only way to legally rescue a squirrel is to obtain a wildlife rehabilitation license, a process that can take months, and to legally keep a domesticated wild animal, it must also be registered as an educational animal.

“We were ready to fulfill the requirements, we were ready to receive the documents, we were in the process of it. We needed a little guidance from the DEC,” Longo said.

He says he plans to sue over what he sees as excessive force during the raid.

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