It started with a knock. Mark Longo probably didn't think that a Wednesday morning in rural Pine City, New York, would end with a seven-hour search by the Department of Environmental Conservation (DEC). But it did. The target? A tiny, gray rescue squirrel named Peanut—or P'Nut, as his millions of followers knew him—and a raccoon named Fred. This wasn't just some random animal control call. It was a full-scale operation that eventually led to the squirrel's death, sparking a massive debate about government overreach, pet laws, and the internet’s power to turn a local incident into a global movement.
People are still incredibly angry about it.
Honestly, the details are a bit jarring. Mark Longo had rescued Peanut seven years prior after seeing the squirrel's mother hit by a car in New York City. Peanut couldn't survive in the wild; Longo tried to release him, but the squirrel came back with a chunk of his tail missing. So, Longo kept him. Over the next few years, Peanut became a social media juggernaut. He wore tiny hats. He ate waffles. He sat on Longo’s shoulder while he drank coffee. By the time the DEC showed up, Peanut was the face of P'Nuts Freedom Farm, a non-profit animal sanctuary Longo founded in 2023.
The Morning Peanut the Squirrel Was Seized
The raid happened on October 30, 2024. According to Longo, at least ten agents arrived at his home. They treated the situation with a level of intensity you’d expect for a high-stakes criminal investigation, not a search for a pet squirrel. They spent hours scouring the property. Longo claimed his wife, Daniela, was questioned about her immigration status during the ordeal. It was intense.
Why did this happen? The DEC stated they received "multiple reports from the public" regarding the illegal keeping of wildlife. In New York, it is technically illegal to own a wild animal like a squirrel without a specific license, such as a wildlife rehabilitator license. While Longo had been in the process of filing paperwork to get Peanut certified as an educational animal, he wasn't fully "legal" in the eyes of the state yet.
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The situation turned from a bureaucratic nightmare to a tragedy almost immediately. During the seizure, Peanut reportedly bit a DEC investigator. Because squirrels can technically carry rabies—though it is extremely rare for them to actually transmit it to humans—the state decided both Peanut and Fred the raccoon had to be euthanized to test for the virus. There is no way to test a living animal for rabies; it requires brain tissue. On November 1, the news broke: Peanut was dead.
A Massive PR Disaster for the DEC
The backlash was instant. And loud.
You’ve got to understand the timing. This happened right in the heat of a major election cycle, and the internet took the story of Peanut the squirrel seized by the state and ran with it. High-profile figures like Elon Musk and JD Vance commented on the situation. It became a symbol for what many saw as an intrusive government focusing on the wrong things.
- The Public Outcry: Millions of people signed petitions.
- The "justice for Peanut" hashtag trended for days.
- People started questioning why the state spent thousands of tax dollars on a seven-hour raid for a squirrel while other crimes went unaddressed.
Critics of the DEC’s actions pointed out that Peanut had been a "pet" for seven years without incident. If the concern was public health, they argued, surely there was a way to quarantine the animal rather than immediate execution. But the law is often rigid. The DEC and the Chemung County Health Department released a joint statement essentially saying they followed protocol to protect human life from the potential threat of rabies.
The Legal Reality of Owning Wildlife
New York's Environmental Conservation Law is pretty strict. It’s designed to keep people from picking up "cute" babies in the woods and trying to turn them into house pets, which often ends badly for the animal. Most people don't realize that wildlife "imprinting" on humans makes them unable to survive in nature. Longo knew this, which is why he kept Peanut after the initial failed release.
However, being a popular social media creator doesn't give you a pass on state regulations. That’s the hard truth of the matter. While the DEC's tactics were widely condemned as "heavy-handed," they were technically enforcing existing statutes. The problem was the lack of nuance. Could they have helped Longo finish his paperwork? Could they have issued a fine? Probably. Instead, they chose the nuclear option.
Misconceptions About the Case
There’s a lot of misinformation floating around. Let's clear some of it up.
First, some people thought this was a "random" raid. It wasn't. It was triggered by complaints. Whether those complaints were from concerned neighbors or "internet trolls" is still debated by the community, but the state didn't just wake up and decide to target a squirrel.
Second, the rabies issue. Many animal experts pointed out that there has never been a recorded case of a squirrel transmitting rabies to a human in the United States. While the CDC classifies squirrels as "small mammals" that are rarely infected, the state's policy is blanket: if a wild animal bites an official during a seizure, it gets tested. It’s a cold, clinical process that doesn't care about how many followers an animal has on Instagram.
Third, the scope of the raid. Reports of ten or more agents might sound like an exaggeration, but Longo has been very consistent in his account. He described feeling like a "terrorist" in his own home. This specific detail—the sheer scale of the response—is what really turned the public against the DEC. It felt like a massive waste of resources.
The Aftermath and P'Nuts Freedom Farm
Mark Longo has vowed that Peanut’s death won't be in vain. He’s used the momentum to raise awareness (and funds) for his sanctuary. The P'Nuts Freedom Farm continues to operate, though the loss of its mascot is a heavy blow. The sanctuary's mission is to rescue animals that have nowhere else to go, often those that are "unreleasable" due to injury or habituation.
The legal fallout is still simmering. There have been calls for "Peanut's Law" to change how New York handles non-traditional pets and wildlife rescues. People want more transparency. They want a middle ground between "illegal pet" and "immediate euthanasia."
What We Can Learn from Peanut
This story is a wild mix of social media fame, archaic laws, and a tragic lack of communication. It shows how quickly a private life can be upended by regulatory bodies. It also highlights the "influencer" era's impact on local government; thirty years ago, this would have been a tiny blurb in a local paper. Today, it’s a talking point for the richest man in the world.
If you are a wildlife lover or someone who finds an injured animal, there are specific steps you should take to avoid a situation like this.
- Don't DIY. Contact a licensed wildlife rehabilitator immediately. You can find lists on your state’s DEC or DNR website.
- Know the license requirements. If you plan on keeping an animal for educational purposes, start the paperwork before you become famous for it.
- Quarantine is key. If an animal bites someone, the clock starts ticking. Know the local health department’s rules on rabies testing.
- Advocate for change. If you think the laws are outdated, contact your local representatives. Peanut’s story has already led to several proposed legislative changes regarding how domestic wildlife is handled.
The story of Peanut the squirrel being seized isn't just about a squirrel. It’s about the tension between people who want to help animals and the systems designed to manage them. It’s a reminder that even the most well-intentioned actions can run afoul of the law if you aren't careful with the paperwork.
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Moving forward, the best thing supporters can do is support licensed sanctuaries and push for "common sense" wildlife reforms. Keep an eye on the New York State Legislature; "Peanut's Law" might actually become a reality, ensuring that no other family has to go through a seven-hour raid for a rescue animal. Check your local state's wildlife rehabilitation laws to ensure any rescue efforts you participate in are fully protected. Support organizations like the National Wildlife Rehabilitators Association (NWRA) to learn more about the proper way to handle orphaned or injured wildlife.