Peanut the Squirrel, popular on Instagram, was put to sleep by authorities.

It's a sad day for fans of social media star Peanut the squirrel, as authorities made the difficult decision to put him down in order to test him for rabies. Peanut, who had gained fame on Instagram and TikTok with over half a million followers, was living in the home of his caretaker, Mark Longo, along with a raccoon named Fred.

Longo had taken Peanut in ten years ago, after the squirrel's mother was tragically hit by a car in New York City. Since then, the two had formed a special bond, with Peanut even sharing waffles and snuggling up to Longo in videos posted to their popular social media accounts. Their fans were always delighted to see Peanut dressed up in human clothes, posing with Longo for holiday-themed photos.

Unfortunately, their happy life together was cut short when authorities received anonymous complaints and raided Longo's home on October 30th. Peanut and Fred were taken away and later euthanized in order to test for rabies. The Longo family was devastated by the loss of their beloved animals, and they accused the authorities of not following proper procedures.

A spokesperson for the state Department of Environmental Conservation defended their actions, citing the potential for human exposure to rabies and a bite incident involving one of the animals. They urged anyone who had come into contact with Peanut or Fred to consult their physician. This news came as a shock to Peanut's fans and supporters, who had been following his journey with Longo at their animal sanctuary.

Heartbroken by the loss of his best friend, Longo launched a GoFundMe campaign to challenge the DEC's actions and demand reform. The donations poured in, reaching over £34,000 in just a few days. Longo and his wife Daniela had opened P'Nuts Freedom Farm Animal Sanctuary in 2023, and Peanut was in the process of being certified as an educational animal. The sanctuary is now home to 300 animals, all of whom are a part of their family.

Despite their grief and disappointment, the Longos are determined to continue their work at the sanctuary and honor Peanut's memory. They hope that their story will bring about change and prevent similar tragedies from happening to other beloved animals. Peanut may be gone, but he will always be remembered as a beloved social media star and a cherished member of the Longo family.

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