Instagram Star Peanut the Squirrel Seized by New York Environmental Authorities

After 7 years arsenic a societal media star, Peanut the Squirrel was seized by New York biology authorities, who said the carnal was being kept illegally. The squirrel’s dismayed quality proprietor is present trying desperately to get him back.

Mark Longo, a 34-year-old carnal sanctuary manager, says that biology authorities precocious came to his location and seized the squirrel. Peanut had lived with Longo for the amended portion of a decennary and has agelong starred successful his Instagram and TikTok videos. Longo’s videos often amusement the human-animal duo engaged successful a assortment of goofy antics, beryllium it cuddling, playing, oregon eating waffles. In much than a fewer videos, Peanut wears costumes.

Disgruntled viewers of these videos seemingly reported Longo to the New York Department of Environmental Conservation, and officials confiscated Peanut Thursday. The Associated Press reports that the officials besides took Fred, a raccoon.

“Well internet, you WON. You took 1 of the astir astonishing animals distant from maine due to the fact that of your selfishness,” Longo wrote, successful an Instagram post. “To the radical of radical who called DEC, there’s a peculiar spot successful hellhole for you.” “Im successful shock, disbelief, and disgusted to the radical who did this,” helium said, adding that helium thought Peanut would beryllium euthanized by officials.

Under New York law, it is illegal to support a chaotic animal arsenic a pet, squirrels included. When reached for remark by Gizmodo, the New York State Department of Environmental Conservation provided the pursuing comment:

“Following aggregate reports from the nationalist astir the perchance unsafe lodging of wildlife that could transportation rabies and the amerciable keeping of wildlife arsenic pets, DEC conducted an investigation. DEC’s probe is ongoing and further accusation volition beryllium provided arsenic it becomes available. New Yorkers who find a chaotic carnal successful request of assistance are advised to interaction a DEC-licensed wildlife rehabilitator.”

The DEC did not clarify whether the authorities planned to euthanize Peanut, arsenic Longo has claimed.

According to Longo, helium rescued Peanut astir 7 years ago, aft the squirrel’s parent died. Last year, Longo started an upstate carnal refuge, dubbed P’Nuts Freedom Farm Animal Sanctuary, that was named aft the squirrel. The sanctuary describes itself arsenic a “haven wherever neglected and stateless animals person a 2nd accidental astatine life,” and its website shows a assortment of animals that are housed astatine the farm, including horses, geese, a macaw, cows, and a potbelly pig. The refuge describes Peanut arsenic “the archetypal squirrel to amass implicit 1 million, and past 2 million, followers connected TikTok, with a combined societal media pursuing of implicit 3 million.”

Longo has started a petition asking that Peanut beryllium returned to the sanctuary. It presently has implicit 18,000 signatures. Linked successful the petition is simply a GoFundMe, which Longo has said volition beryllium utilized to “cover ineligible fees for attorneys who volition assistance america successful addressing the harm caused and ensuring Peanut’s instrumentality to his loving home.”