November 2nd 2024.
Mark Longo, a compassionate man who took in an orphaned squirrel and created a social media sensation out of it, has expressed his frustration over New York state's decision to seize and put down the animal. In a recent phone interview, he vowed that his voice will not go unheard in this matter.
Longo, who runs an animal sanctuary in rural Pine City, near the Pennsylvania border, stated that he will take a stand against the government's use of resources in this situation. However, he did not divulge any specific plans but assured that officials will soon hear from him about what happened to Peanut, the beloved squirrel, and Fred, a rescued raccoon who was also taken and euthanized.
The state Department of Environmental Conservation (DEC) took the animals from Longo's home on Wednesday following complaints about illegal and potentially unsafe wildlife keeping. According to state law, a license is required to own a wild animal. Longo claimed that he was in the process of getting Peanut, also known as P'Nut or PNUT, certified as an educational animal.
The DEC, along with the Chemung County Health Department, released a statement on Friday, mentioning that the squirrel and raccoon were euthanized for rabies testing after Peanut bit someone involved in the investigation. However, Longo disputes this claim and states that he did not witness Peanut biting anyone during the intense and invasive search conducted by the authorities. He also added that he has not been contacted by them since they left his property.
"This whole situation still feels unreal to me. The state that I call home has targeted me and taken away two of the most beloved animals in the world, without even quarantining them. They just killed them," expressed Longo, clearly emotional about the loss of his beloved animals. A request for comment sent to the DEC on Saturday has not yet received a response.
Longo shared that he started taking care of Peanut seven years ago after the squirrel's mother was tragically hit by a car in New York City. The little critter quickly gained popularity on various social media platforms, with thousands of users following his adventures, including wearing tiny hats, performing tricks, and nibbling on waffles with his tiny paws. Just a few months ago, Longo's wife found Fred, the raccoon, injured on their doorstep. After nursing the animal back to health, they had planned to release him into the woods.
In the midst of this heartbreaking situation, Longo holds on to the loving memories of Peanut and Fred, hoping that their story will bring attention to the flaws in the system and prevent similar incidents from happening in the future.
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