Current:Home > InvestThe man who took in orphaned Peanut the squirrel says it’s ‘surreal’ officials euthanized his pet -StockPrime
The man who took in orphaned Peanut the squirrel says it’s ‘surreal’ officials euthanized his pet
View
Date:2025-04-15 04:47:29
NEW YORK (AP) — A man who took in an orphaned squirrel and made it a social media star vowed Saturday that New York state’s decision to seize and euthanize the animal “won’t go unheard.”
“We will make a stance on how this government and New York state utilizes their resources,” Mark Longo said in a phone interview.
He declined to specify his possible next steps but said officials would hear from him soon about what happened to Peanut the squirrel and Fred, a rescued raccoon that was also confiscated and put down.
AP AUDIO: The man who took in orphaned Peanut the squirrel says it’s ‘surreal’ officials euthanized his pet
AP correspondent Julie Walker reports the owner of a pet squirrel euthanized by New York officials after being seized wants justice.
The state Department of Environmental Conservation took the animals Wednesday from Longo’s home and animal sanctuary in rural Pine City, near the Pennsylvania border. The agency said it had gotten complaints that wildlife was being kept illegally and potentially unsafely.
State law requires people to get a license if they wish to own a wild animal. Longo has said he was working to get Peanut — also known as P’Nut or PNUT — certified as an educational animal.
The DEC and the Chemung County Health Department said Friday that the squirrel and raccoon were euthanized so they could be tested for rabies after Peanut bit someone involved in the investigation.
Longo said Saturday that he didn’t see Peanut bite anyone during what he described as an hourslong, heavy-handed search. The authorities haven’t spoken with him since they left the property, he said.
“Honestly, this still kind of feels surreal, that the state that I live in actually targeted me and took two of the most beloved animals on this planet away, didn’t even quarantine them. They took them from my house and just killed them,” he said.
A request for comment was sent to the DEC on Saturday.
Longo said he started caring for Peanut after the animal’s mother was hit by a car in New York City seven years ago. Tens of thousands of users of Instagram, TikTok and other social media platforms glimpsed the animal sporting tiny hats, doing tricks and nibbling on waffles clutched in his little paws.
Longo said Fred the raccoon was dropped off on his doorstep a few months ago. After helping the animal recover from injuries, Longo said, he and his wife were planning to release the creature into the woods.
___
Associated Press writer Jennifer Peltz contributed. Follow Julie Walker on X @jwalkreporter.
veryGood! (995)
Related
- Civic engagement nonprofits say democracy needs support in between big elections. Do funders agree?
- Jerry Springer’s Cause of Death Revealed
- Get Sweat-Proof Makeup That Lasts All Day and Save $25 on These Tarte Top-Sellers
- Tom Pelphrey Shares How He and Kaley Cuoco Stayed Connected to Baby Girl During Date Night
- Could Bill Belichick, Robert Kraft reunite? Maybe in Pro Football Hall of Fame's 2026 class
- All the Celebrity Couples Turning Met Gala 2023 Into the Ultimate Date
- Here's How James Corden Ended His Late Late Show Run—With Help From Harry Styles
- Pedro Pascal Shows Us the Way to Wear Shorts on Red Carpet at Met Gala 2023
- Tree trimmer dead after getting caught in wood chipper at Florida town hall
- The Truth About Emma Watson's 5-Year Break From Acting
Ranking
- Trump suggestion that Egypt, Jordan absorb Palestinians from Gaza draws rejections, confusion
- Kate Moss Twins With Her Look-Alike Daughter Lila Moss on Met Gala 2023 Red Carpet
- Migrant Crisis: ‘If We Don’t Stop Climate Change…What We See Right Now Is Just the Beginning’
- Why James Kennedy Wants Tom Sandoval and Raquel Leviss' Love to Survive Cheating Scandal
- Jamie Foxx reps say actor was hit in face by a glass at birthday dinner, needed stitches
- Shop the Best Silicone-Free Conditioners for All Hair Types & Budgets
- OnlyFans Models Honor Christina Ashten Gourkani, Kim Kardashian Look-Alike, After Death at 34
- The Hunger Games: Ballad of Songbirds & Snakes Trailer Will Transport You Right Back to Panem
Recommendation
Biden administration makes final diplomatic push for stability across a turbulent Mideast
The Truth About Emma Watson's 5-Year Break From Acting
Rachel McAdams Reflects on Her Totally Fetch Motherhood Transition—Onscreen and IRL
Meltdown May Is Around the Corner — Here’s What To Buy To Avoid Yours
Pregnant Kylie Kelce Shares Hilarious Question Her Daughter Asked Jason Kelce Amid Rising Fame
Today’s Climate: April 15, 2010
Zendaya and Tom Holland's Dream Date Night at Usher's Concert Will Have You Saying Yeah!
Maluma Brings the Heat in Must-See Met Gala 2023 Red Carpet Look