You’ve probably seen the hat. Or the tiny waffles. Or maybe that clip where he’s perched on a shoulder, looking more like a tiny, furry roommate than a wild animal. Peanut the squirrel videos weren’t just "content." They were a phenomenon that somehow managed to bridge the gap between silly internet fluff and a massive, heated national debate about government overreach.
It started simple. Mark Longo rescued a baby squirrel in New York City after witnessing the mother get hit by a car. He tried to release him back into the wild, but the squirrel—now famously known as P’Nut—refused to go. He came back with a bite injury, and that was that. A bond was formed. For seven years, they lived together, and the internet watched every second of it.
Why Peanut the squirrel videos went from cute to controversial
The appeal was obvious. We love a "wild animal thinks it’s a person" narrative. But the videos were different because they felt grounded. It wasn't a staged zoo encounter; it was just a guy and his squirrel living in a house in Pine City, New York. You’d see Peanut wearing little hats, snacking on walnuts, or interacting with Fred the raccoon.
The numbers were staggering. Hundreds of thousands of followers across Instagram and TikTok. People tuned in daily. It felt like a safe corner of the internet. Then, things got dark. In late 2024, the New York State Department of Environmental Conservation (DEC) raided Longo’s home. They didn't just take Peanut; they took Fred the raccoon too. The reason? Anonymous complaints about "unsafe housing" and the illegal keeping of wildlife.
The aftermath was a digital firestorm. When it was revealed that both animals had been euthanized to test for rabies after Peanut reportedly bit a DEC official during the raid, the internet didn't just get sad. It got angry. Peanut the squirrel videos suddenly transformed from lighthearted entertainment into a symbol of a massive grassroots movement.
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The legal reality of keeping wildlife
Honestly, the law is pretty black and white here, even if it feels incredibly cruel. In New York, squirrels are considered "protected wildlife." You can’t just keep one as a pet. You need a license. Longo had actually started a nonprofit, P'Nut's Freedom Farm, but he hadn't secured the specific permits required to keep a squirrel in a residential home as a "pet" vs. a "rehabilitation" situation.
This is where the nuance gets lost in the headlines. Most people see a cute video and think, "Why does the government care?" The state sees a potential public health risk. Rabies is 100% fatal in humans if not treated immediately. Because there is no "live" test for rabies in small mammals—you have to examine the brain tissue—the animals were killed.
It felt like a heavy-handed response to a low-risk situation. People were baffled. Why 10 agents? Why a five-hour raid? The scale of the response compared to the "crime" of keeping a squirrel sparked a conversation that went all the way to the halls of government.
The political ripple effect
It’s rare for a squirrel to become a talking point in a presidential election cycle, but that’s exactly what happened. High-profile figures like Elon Musk and various political commentators used the story of Peanut to argue against "regulatory sprawl."
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- Musk posted about it multiple times on X (formerly Twitter).
- The story became a rallying cry for those who felt the government was overstepping its bounds in private lives.
- The "justice for Peanut" hashtag reached millions of impressions within 48 hours.
The tragedy wasn't just about a pet. It was about the perception of a cold, bureaucratic system crushing an innocent bond. Whether you agree with the laws or not, the optics were a total disaster for the DEC.
What the videos taught us about the "Influencer Animal" era
There’s a weird pressure that comes with having a famous pet. You’re constantly performing. You’re trying to keep the "vibe" up while dealing with the reality that these are still living, breathing creatures with instincts. Peanut the squirrel videos were successful because they didn't feel like they were trying too hard. They were intimate.
But there’s a lesson here for anyone else with an unconventional pet. The internet is a double-edged sword. Visibility brings fans, but it also brings scrutiny. If you’re going to be the "squirrel person" or the "raccoon person" online, your paperwork has to be flawless. One disgruntled viewer making a phone call can end everything in an afternoon.
The legacy of P’Nut’s Freedom Farm
Despite the tragic ending, the story isn't over. Longo has used the platform—and the global mourning for Peanut—to double down on his animal sanctuary work. The public's emotional investment in those videos translated into significant financial support for the farm.
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It’s a bittersweet legacy. The videos that made Peanut a star are the same reason he was taken away. If he’d just been a squirrel in a house in rural New York that nobody knew about, he’d probably still be eating waffles today. But he wouldn't have inspired the massive push for changes in wildlife legislation that we’re seeing now.
Several New York lawmakers have since proposed "Peanut’s Law," aimed at requiring more transparency and humaneness in how wildlife seizures are handled. It’s an attempt to ensure that what happened in that Pine City raid never happens again.
Practical steps for supporting wildlife and sanctuaries
If you're still watching Peanut the squirrel videos and feeling that mix of nostalgia and frustration, there are actual things you can do. Don't just post an emoji.
- Support licensed wildlife rehabilitators. These are the people who have the permits and the training to actually help injured animals legally.
- Check your local laws before you "rescue" anything. Sometimes "saving" a baby animal is actually kidnapping it from a mother who is nearby.
- Donate to legitimate sanctuaries that focus on long-term care for non-releasable wildlife.
- Advocate for legislative clarity. If you think the laws in your state are too rigid or the enforcement is too aggressive, write to your local representatives.
The story of Peanut is a reminder that the digital world and the real world collide in ways we can't always predict. Those videos were a bridge between a man and a squirrel, and eventually, between a grieving owner and the entire world. They serve as a testament to the power of a simple story and the unintended consequences of living life in the public eye.
The most important thing to remember is that wildlife belongs in the wild whenever possible, but when a bond is formed, the human element shouldn't be ignored by the systems meant to protect us. That balance is what everyone is still fighting for.