New York's decision to seize, euthanize Peanut the Squirrel is a 'disgrace,' owner says

Mark Longo, who called Peanut the Squirrel his pet for this past seven years, described the New York's decision to seize and euthanize the wild animal turned social media star a "disgrace."

"What happened today and what transpired throughout this week has been nothing short of a tragedy and a disgrace to the New York state," Longo told NewsNation host Chris Cuomo over the weekend. "We used resources from this state to kill a squirrel and raccoon and raid my house as if I was a drug dealer. We have resources to kill a raccoon and a squirrel, but we can't fix the major bridges down the street? I am appalled."

On Nov. 1, Peanut the Squirrel, a social media star with now more than 692,000 Instagram followers — the account gained more followers after last week's events — was euthanized to test for rabies, according to a statement from the New York State Department of Environmental Conservation and Chemung County Department of Health. The statement also said a person involved in the confiscation investigation was bitten by the squirrel.

Two days before, the New York Department of Environmental Conservation confiscated Peanut from his home in Pine City, New York. This seizure occurred due to "multiple reports from the public about the potentially unsafe housing of wildlife that could carry rabies and illegal keeping of wildlife as pets," according to the department. A raccoon known as Fred was also seized from Longo's home and euthanized.

Over the weekend, Longo has shared several posts on Peanut's Instagram account, including interviews with news stations, fan art tributes and old videos of the pet.

"We did not hear from the DEC. We didn't even get a statement from the DEC. We heard it from another news station that they killed Peanut," Longo told NewsNation's Cuomo.

In response to Peanut's seizure, a GoFundMe campaign was created. Initially, the GoFundMe served as a means for fans to help fund legal fees that may accumulate to get Peanut back home. But over the weekend, the fundraiser's goal has changed to honor Peanut, with funding P'Nuts Freedom Farm Animal Sanctuary, a nonprofit dedicated to helping neglected animals. As of Monday morning, the GoFundMe had raised $162,955.

USA TODAY has made attempts to reach Longo.

What is the result from Peanut's rabies test?

The results from Peanut's rabies test have not been shared. USA TODAY contacted the New York State Department of Environmental Conservation and Chemung County Department of Health for an update on Monday morning but has not heard back.

According to the Centers of Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), the results of a rabies test are typically available within 24-72 hours after an animal is euthanized.

Can squirrels get rabies?

Though it is rare, squirrels can carry rabies and a squirrel can pass along the virus to humans.

According to Critter Control, a wildlife removal service, a saliva of a rapid squirrel contains a high concentration of the virus. Rabies is then contracted by direct contact, either by a bite, scratch or exposure to its salvia. Common symptoms of a rapid squirrel include walking in circles, falling over, drooling, aggression, and seizures and muscle spasms, Critter Control reports.

Why do animals have to be euthanized to test for rabies?

According to the CDC, animals showing signs of rabies must be euthanized for the submission of specimen to a qualified rabies laboratory for testing. This is because a rabies test includes a "full cross-section of tissue from both the brain stem and cerebellum." There are no approved methods for testing rabies in animals ante-mortem.

The New York State Department of Environmental Conservation and Chemung County Department of Health advised that anyone who has been in contact with the seized squirrel or raccoon consult a physician.

Was quarantine an option?

Though the CDC advises an animal to be euthanized, if rabies is suspected, stray dogs, cats and ferrets may undergo a "10-day observation if euthanasia is not preferred, particularly if there is the possibility to re-home the animal."

When it comes to other animals though, action is dependent on "the species, bite circumstances, rabies epidemiology in the area, the animal's health history and potential rabies exposure," according to the CDC.

Who was Peanut the Squirrel?

Peanut was a rescue squirrel who had lived under Longo's care for seven years.

Longo first connected with Peanut when he saw the squirrel's mom get hit by a car, per previous USA TODAY reporting. Unfortunately, the mother passed, leaving Peanut an orphan. Longo was unsuccessful in finding a shelter that would take him in. Longo ended up feeding baby Peanut for about eight months before attempting to release him back into the wild.

"I released him in the backyard, and a day and a half later, I found him sitting on my porch, missing half his tail. So here I am, bawling my eyes out, like, I failed you as your human," Longo told USA TODAY in 2022. "And I kind of opened the door, he ran inside and that was the last of Peanut's wildlife career."

For the first five years, Longo, Peanut, and Longo's cat, Chloe, lived together in harmony.

Last spring, Longo established P'Nuts Freedom Farm Animal Sanctuary in Pine City. The nonprofit serves as a "haven where neglected and homeless animals receive a second chance at life," according to its website.

"We moved to a small town to start a nonprofit animal rescue called P'Nut's Freedom Farm. We understood that this internet sensation was a wave and we wanted to turn it into something great, so we moved to New York from Connecticut. We ... have rescued over 300 animals, all in the name of Peanut," Longo told NewsNation's Cuomo. "Peanut is the center of our organization. I used his social media to gather the funding to continue to help animals."

Is it legal for squirrels to be kept as pets in New York?

The New York Department of Environmental Conservation states that it is illegal for young wildlife to be kept as pets.

"Inappropriate care given to young wildlife often results in abnormal attachment to humans," the Department of Environmental Conservation states. "After release, some return to places where people live, only to be attacked by domestic animals or to be hit by cars. Some become nuisances getting into stored food, trash cans or dwellings. And some may be thrust as unwelcome intruders into the home range of another member of their species."

If an individual finds a young wild animal that is injured or orphaned, the department recommends making a call to a wildlife rehabilitator, who "are the only people legally allowed to receive and treat distressed wildlife." The goal of rehabilitators is to safely release the animal, when healthy, back into the wild.

Greta Cross is a national trending reporter at USA TODAY. Follow her on X and Instagram @gretalcross. Story idea? Email her at gcross@gannett.com.