It happened fast. One minute, a rescued squirrel named PNut was eating a snack on Instagram for his half-million followers, and the next, he was gone. Along with him, a raccoon named Fred. If you’ve been online at all lately, you know this isn't just a story about pets. It's a messy, heated debate about government overreach, public health laws, and how we treat the animals that end up in our homes.
People are angry. Honestly, that’s an understatement. When the news broke that the squirrel and raccoon killed by New York state officials tested negative for rabies, the internet basically exploded.
Why did this happen? How did a pet squirrel become a national flashpoint?
To understand the weight of this, you have to look at Mark Longo. He ran a farm sanctuary called "P'Nuts Freedom Farm" in Pine City, New York. For seven years, he lived with PNut. He found the squirrel after its mother was hit by a car. He tried to release him, but PNut came back with half a tail and a need for help. So, Mark kept him. Then came Fred, a raccoon dropped off on his doorstep. In the eyes of the law, these weren't pets. They were "wildlife." And in New York, that distinction is everything.
The Raid and the Reality of Environmental Conservation Law
The Department of Environmental Conservation (DEC) didn't just show up for a friendly chat. On October 30, 2024, they arrived at Longo’s home with a search warrant. They stayed for hours. According to Longo, they treated his home like a crime scene.
New York law is pretty rigid. It’s actually illegal to keep wild animals as pets without very specific, very hard-to-get licenses. Longo was reportedly in the process of filing paperwork, but he didn't have the permits yet. The DEC claimed they received "multiple reports from the public" about the illegal housing of wildlife. This wasn't just a random check; it was a targeted enforcement action based on anonymous complaints.
During the seizure, things got physical. A DEC staffer was bitten by PNut.
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This is the turning point. Once a human is bitten by a "high-risk" species—which includes squirrels and raccoons in the eyes of the health department—the protocol changes. To test for rabies, you have to examine the brain tissue. You can’t do that while the animal is alive. It’s a brutal reality of 20th-century diagnostic medicine that we haven't quite moved past yet.
Why the Rabies Test Matters (and Why It Didn't Help)
Chemung County health officials and the DEC made the joint decision to euthanize both animals. They had to know if the staffer was at risk. Rabies is 100% fatal in humans once symptoms appear. It’s scary stuff.
But here’s the kicker. After the squirrel and raccoon killed were tested, the results came back negative.
Neither animal had rabies.
This revelation turned a localized legal dispute into a massive PR nightmare for the state of New York. Critics argue that the risk was negligible. Squirrels rarely carry rabies. Raccoons do, but Fred had been in a controlled environment. The state’s "better safe than sorry" approach felt like "too much, too late" to the millions of people watching this unfold on TikTok and Instagram.
The Legal Grey Area of "Wildlife Sanctuaries"
Most people think if you save an animal, you’re the good guy. Usually, you are. But the law sees it differently.
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In many states, including New York, the "rescue" of an animal doesn't grant you ownership. Wildlife belongs to the state. To legally keep an animal like PNut, you need a Wildlife Rehabilitator license. Even then, the goal of a rehabber is supposed to be release, not "domestication."
- Permit Type 1: Educational Exhibit. This requires showing the animal to the public for "educational purposes."
- Permit Type 2: Wildlife Rehabilitation. This is for fixing them up and letting them go.
- The Problem: Longo was using PNut for social media content. While this funded his sanctuary, it also put him in a legal crosshair. The state argues that "pet-ifying" wild animals encourages others to do the same, which leads to more bites and more rabies scares.
It’s a cold way to look at a bond between a human and a squirrel, but it’s how the bureaucracy functions. They aren't looking at the "cute" factor. They're looking at Liability with a capital L.
The Political Firestorm Nobody Expected
You know a story has reached peak saturation when it hits the floor of the House of Representatives or becomes a talking point in a presidential election. That's exactly what happened here.
The story of the squirrel and raccoon killed became a symbol of "government overreach." People who don't care about squirrels suddenly cared about the idea of the government entering a private home and seizing property. It became a rallying cry for personal liberty.
Elon Musk weighed in. JD Vance mentioned it on the campaign trail. It stopped being about animal welfare and started being about the "Deep State" vs. "The Little Guy."
The Aftermath at the Sanctuary
Mark Longo is devastated. He’s lost his friends. He’s also facing the reality of running a sanctuary under intense scrutiny. He has vowed to keep the farm going in PNut’s name, but the legal battle is likely just beginning. There are talks of lawsuits. There are calls for "PNut’s Law" to change how New York handles wildlife seizures.
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Whether or not the law changes is anyone's guess. Usually, these things fade when the next viral story hits. But this one feels different because of the visual evidence—years of videos showing a gentle, playful animal that ended up as a lab sample.
Lessons for Animal Lovers and Rescuers
If you find a baby squirrel or a raccoon, your heart tells you to bring it inside. Don't. Not unless you want to end up in a legal tangle that could cost the animal its life.
The tragic irony of the squirrel and raccoon killed is that the very act of keeping them "safe" is what ultimately led to their death. If they had been in the woods, the DEC wouldn't have cared. If they hadn't been on Instagram, nobody would have reported them.
What You Should Actually Do
If you find an orphaned or injured animal, follow these steps to avoid a tragedy:
- Observe first. Sometimes the mother is just gathering food. Give it a few hours.
- Call a licensed rehabber. Do not try to raise it yourself. You can find lists of licensed professionals on your state's DEC or DNR website.
- No "Pet" status. Never try to turn a wild animal into a domestic pet. Their instincts usually kick in at puberty anyway, and they can become aggressive.
- Know your local laws. Every state is different. Some states allow certain permits; others have a zero-tolerance policy.
The death of PNut and Fred wasn't just a "freak accident." It was the result of a collision between a man’s heart and the state’s cold, hard rules. It’s a reminder that the government doesn't see "family" when they look at a squirrel—they see a potential rabies vector and a violation of code 181.1.
Moving forward, the best way to honor these animals isn't just through hashtags. It's by supporting legitimate, licensed wildlife rehabilitation centers that have the legal standing to protect the animals in their care. If you want to help, donate to facilities that have their paperwork in order. That is the only real shield against the kind of raid that took PNut and Fred away.
The investigation into the DEC’s conduct is ongoing, but for the millions who followed PNut’s journey, the verdict is already in. They want accountability. They want change. And they want to make sure no other "pet" squirrel meets the same fate.
The reality is that laws regarding wildlife are often antiquated. They don't account for the nuance of a sanctuary environment or the bond humans can form with non-traditional animals. Until those laws catch up to the 21st century's understanding of animal intelligence and emotional capacity, these tragedies will likely keep happening. Be smart, stay legal, and protect the wildlife by letting them stay wild—or by getting the right people involved from day one.