Why was Peanut the squirrel euthanized? The controversy explained

Mark Longo, the owner of the Instagram-famous squirrel, Peanut or P-Nut, is mourning the loss of his beloved pet.

On Nov. 1, Longo took to Instagram to reveal Peanut had been euthanized, along with his pet raccoon named Fred, by the New York State Department of Environmental Conservation.

“Despite our passionate outcry for compassion, the agency chose to ignore our pleas, leaving us in deep shock and grief,” he said online.

In light of the news, Congressman Nick Langworthy took to X to express his frustration at how the DEC handled the situation.

He said, “The NYS DEC needs a serious reality check on their ridiculously mistaken priorities. Instead of focusing on critical needs like flood mitigation in places like Steuben County, where local officials have to struggle just to get permits from the DEC to clear debris-filled waterways, they’re out seizing pet squirrels. NY taxpayers deserve better.”

An internal investigation into the search and seizure of both Peanut and Fred is underway within New York's DEC, NBC-affiliate WETM reported Nov. 8.

Read on to find out what happened to Peanut the squirrel and why he was euthanized.

Who is Peanut the squirrel?

Peanut the squirrel is an internet sensation. He's the beloved pet of digital creator Mark Longo, who would occasionally share Instagram videos of Peanut eating treats, jumping on his clothes and scurrying around his house as he does various tasks throughout the day.

Peanut's Instagram account, run by Longo, currently has over 500k followers. On its profile is a link to P’Nuts Freedom Farm Animal Sanctuary, an animal refuge named after his little furry friend.

According to the sanctuary’s official website, Longo met Peanut seven years ago when Peanut was a baby. Having lost “half of his tail in a severe attack,” Peanut was not adept enough to live in the wild, so Longo decided to care for the squirrel at home.

Who is Peanut the squirrel’s owner?

Content creator Mark Longo is Peanut the squirrel's owner. In an interview he did on Elvis Duran and the Morning Show, Longo explained that he's also an engineer and does work in construction.

One of his passions is caring for animals as he runs an animal refuge in Pine City, New York, that helps injured or abused animals who are in desperate need of care.

Why was Peanut the squirrel confiscated?

On Wednesday, Oct. 30, Peanut the Squirrel and Longo's other pet, a raccoon named Fred, were seized from his home by the New York State Department of Environmental Conservation.

According to NBC News, the DEC received multiple anonymous complaints about Peanut and showed up to Longo's home with "at least six officers" to take Peanut and Fred away.

In a joint statement, the DEC and the Chemung County Department of Health say they are "coordinating to ensure the protection of public health related to the illegal possession of wild animals that have the potential to carry the rabies virus."

The DEC also notes that it is illegal to keep young wildlife as pets since they are "not well suited for life in captivity. Plus, they may carry diseases that can be given to people."

After Peanut and Fred were taken away, Longo took to Instagram to call out the individuals who made complaints to the DEC.

“Well internet, you WON. You took one of the most amazing animals away from me because of your selfishness,” he said online. “To the group of people who called DEC, there’s a special place in hell for you.”

Why was Peanut the squirrel euthanized?

Peanut and Fred were both euthanized and Longo said the DEC informed the media of the animals' death before his non-profit, P’nuts Freedom Farm.

He says, "this demonstrates a troubling lack of respect and empathy. Their lives were precious, and we refuse to accept this loss in silence."

According to the DEC and the Chemung County Department of Health, Fred and Peanut were euthanized after a person involved with the investigation was bitten by Peanut.

“To test for rabies, both animals were euthanized,” they said in a joint statement. “The animals are being tested for rabies and anyone who has been in contact with these animals is strongly encouraged to consult their physician.”

After learning about Peanut and Fred's death, Longo took to Instagram to say he was in "deep shock and grief."

Peanut the squirrel's death is being investigated

On Nov. 8, NBC-affiliate WETM reported that the New York State Department of Environmental Conservation has an active internal investigation into the search and seizure of P-Nut the squirrel and Fred the Raccoon from Mark and Dani Longo's animal sanctuary.

“DEC is committed to protecting the safety and well-being of wildlife across New York. An internal investigation into the matter is ongoing, and we are reviewing internal policies and procedures to ensure we continue serving this core mission,” the DEC told WETM in an email statement on Oct. 7.

WETM reported that the DEC and the Chemung County Health Department said Peanut had to be put down after he “bit an agent.”

The NBC affiliate noted that they had asked for the rabies test results of both P-Nut and Fred, and could not "find a verifiable case of rabies in a squirrel" in the New York state.

This article was originally published on TODAY.com