New York planned to kill Peanut the squirrel even though he didn’t have rabies: Report

As a compassionate animal lover with a deep appreciation for unique creatures like Peanut the Squirrel, I find myself utterly disheartened by this tragic tale. The thought of a beloved pet, who brought joy to hundreds of thousands, being taken away due to unfounded allegations and a seemingly predetermined fate, is heart-wrenching. It’s as if we’ve lost a piece of ourselves in the process.


Initially famed on Instagram as Peanut, the beloved squirrel, was put to sleep by New York State authorities following reports of misconduct. However, fresh details suggest that the little creature’s fate had been sealed long before officials executed a search warrant at its owner’s residence in October.

On October 30th, Mark Longo, the owner of Peanut, shared some sad news with his 500,000 Instagram followers.

Longo stated, “Officers from the DEC unexpectedly searched my home, apparently seeking a squirrel instead of drugs or weapons.” He felt he was being treated like a drug offender during the search.

In New York’s Department of Environmental Conservation’s care, Peanut, along with his raccoon companion, Fred, were humanely put down. This was due to numerous concerns from the public about the housing conditions of these wild animals, which might have carried rabies, and also because they were kept as pets illegally.

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It’s been uncovered that the animals faced a death penalty prior to the October 30 raid, as per a recently discovered timeline from Chemung County, detailed in a report published by the New York Post in November.

Seven days before the raid on Longo’s house, state officials had asked for the animals to undergo rabies tests, as stated in a letter sent to the county on October 23. The Department of Environmental Conservation (DEC) was arranging for their euthanization by Elmira Animal Control on October 29, which happened to be the day before the raid.

As a dedicated gamer, I’d put it this way: “Just like my gaming characters roam freely in their virtual worlds, wild animals can’t be caged up like domestic pets. If there’s ever an encounter, it’s crucial to test these creatures for rabies.

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A post shared by Peanut The Squirrel (@peanut_the_squirrel12)

Rabies can’t be determined through avenues like blood testing; instead, subjects must be decapitated so their brains can be dissected and examined. This means that the State had already sealed the animals’ fates with their request — a discovery that left Longo stunned.

In reply to the Post’s discoveries, Longo expressed astonishment, saying something along the lines of “This is beyond belief,” or “I can hardly believe it.

Here’s an interesting twist: Neither Peanut nor Fred showed signs of rabies, a fact that was verified by Chemung County Executive Christopher Moss.

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A post shared by Peanut The Squirrel (@peanut_the_squirrel12)

As a gaming enthusiast, I was left stunned and disheartened by the news of Peanut’s passing, which ignited an outpouring of grief across the online community. It’s a loss that’s particularly felt by animal lovers like myself, and it has left Longo utterly devastated.

Longo admitted on Instagram, ‘The internet, it seems, has triumphed; it’s taken one of the world’s wonders away from me, due to self-centeredness. To those who reported this matter to DEC, I must say there is a reserved place in a less than desirable location for you.’

Online users continue their efforts to identify the individual behind the complaint, which unfortunately led to unjust accusations against TikTok content creator Monica Kessler. In response, she made a widely shared video where she declared her innocence and expressed her compassion towards Longo.

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2024-11-13 21:18