A wild pet transformed social media sites celebrity was taken from his New York house today, and followers are functioning to obtain him back home.
Peanut the Squirrel, that flaunts 534,000 fans on Instagram, was drawn from his home in Pine City, New York, by the New York Department of Environmental Conservation on Wednesday early morning. Peanut, additionally called PNUT, is the cherished pet dog of web content developerMark Longo In greater than 1,400 blog posts shared to Instagram, Peanut can be seen biting on waffles, leaping via hula-hoops, and welcoming Longo home from job.
In a blog post made to Instagram to Wednesday, including an image of Peanut showing off a stetson, Longo shared the information.
“Well internet, you won,” Longo created in the blog post. “You took one of the most amazing animals away from me because of your selfishness. Today at 10 a.m. Wednesday, Oct. 30, 2024, the NY state DEC showed up to my house and took Peanut. He was taken to (be) euthanized. I’m in shock, disbelief and disgusted to the people who did this to PNUT. For the last seven years, Peanut has been my best friend. He’s been the center of my world and many of yours for so long. I don’t know how to process this emotionally.”
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‘This is insanity’: Fans of Peanut the Squirrel distressed over his elimination
The New York Department of Environmental Conservation supplied the complying with declaration to U.S.A. TODAY regarding the seizure:
“Following multiple reports from the public about the potentially unsafe housing of wildlife that could carry rabies and the illegal keeping of wildlife as pets, DEC conducted an investigation. DEC’s investigation is ongoing and additional information will be provided as it becomes available.”
In feedback to Peanut’s seizure, an application was developed onChange org, asking the Department of Environmental Conservation to “re-evaluate their decision and return him (Peanut) to his family.” As of Friday early morning, the application had 24,772 trademarks.
“Dear lawmakers, please look into this situation and stop this. This is madness,” a petitioner stated in a video clip shared to the project. “Please give the guy his squirrel back. That little animal has brought so much love and so much joy to so many people in such a dark time in human history. This is wrong.”
In enhancement to the application, a GoFundMe project was begun to elevate funds “to cover legal fees for attorneys who will assist us in addressing the damage caused and ensuring Peanut’s return to his loving home.” $6,510 had actually been increased, since Friday early morning.
In a blog post made to Instagram on Thursday, Longo shared a video clip supplying an upgrade and saying thanks to Peanut followers.
“We have the understanding that the DEC will not tell us whether or not Peanut is alive or not,” Longo stated in the video clip. I can not offer you a clear-cut solution of whether he’s still below with us. I wish we have a chance to take him back and proceed this trip.”
Who is Peanut the Squirrel?
Peanut is a rescue squirrel that has 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 launched him in the yard, and a day and a fifty percent later on, I located him remaining on my veranda, missing out on half his tail. So below I am, balling my eyes out, like, I failed you as your human,” Longo told USA TODAY in 2022. “And I type of unlocked, he ran within which was the last of Peanut’s wild animals profession.”
For the first five years, Longo, Peanut and Longo’s cat Chloe lived together in harmony.
Last year, Longo established P’Nuts Freedom Farm Animal Sanctuary in Pine City. The nonprofit serves as a ” place where ignored and homeless pets get a 2nd opportunity at life,” according to its website. To date, 18 horses, one mini horse, four cows, three alpacas, one parrot, one pig and two geese call the sanctuary home, according to its website.
USA TODAY contacted Longo but was unsuccessful in connecting with him for an interview.
Is it legal for squirrels to be kept as pets in NY?
The New York Department of Environmental Conservation states that it is illegal for young wildlife to be kept as pets.
“Inappropriate treatment offered to young wild animals commonly leads to irregular accessory to people,” the Department of Environmental Conservation states. “After launch, some go back to areas where individuals live, just to be struck by residential pets or to be struck by vehicles. Some come to be annoyances entering kept food, trash bin or residences. And some might be propelled as undesirable trespassers right into the home series of an additional participant of their types.”
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 individuals legitimately enabled to get and deal with troubled wild animals.” 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.
This article originally appeared on USA TODAY: Peanut the Squirrel seized, removed from New York home
