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=== Death ===
=== Death ===
In October 2024, Peanut was taken, along with a pet raccoon named Fred,<ref name="TheGuardian2024"/> from his owner's home in [[Pine City, New York#History|Pine City]], New York, by the [[New York State Department of Environmental Conservation]], following anonymous complaints. Government officials alleged that after his seizure, Peanut had bitten one of the personnel involved,<ref>{{Cite web |last=Santucci |first=Jeanine |title=Is it legal to have a pet squirrel? Beloved Peanut the squirrel euthanized in New York |url=https://www.usatoday.com/story/news/nation/2024/11/02/peanut-squirrel-euthanized-legal/76009885007/ |access-date=2024-11-03 |website=USA TODAY |language=en-US}}</ref> and the pets were subsequently killed which, according to the Centers of Disease Control and Prevention, was necessary to test for [[rabies]].<ref name="Cross2024"/><ref name="Howard2024"/><ref name="Keleshian2024"/><ref name="Walker2024"/> Longo said that they were in the process of filing paperwork to have the squirrel certified as an educational animal when Peanut was seized.<ref name="TheGuardian2024"/> He later stated that the decision to kill the squirrel "won't go unheard."<ref name="CBC2024"/>
In October 2024, Peanut was taken, along with a pet raccoon named Fred,<ref name="TheGuardian2024"/> from his owner's home in [[Pine City, New York#History|Pine City]], New York, by the [[New York State Department of Environmental Conservation]], following anonymous complaints. Government officials alleged that after his seizure, Peanut had bitten one of the personnel involved,<ref>{{Cite web |last=Santucci |first=Jeanine |title=Is it legal to have a pet squirrel? Beloved Peanut the squirrel euthanized in New York |url=https://www.usatoday.com/story/news/nation/2024/11/02/peanut-squirrel-euthanized-legal/76009885007/ |access-date=2024-11-03 |website=USA TODAY |language=en-US}}</ref> and the pets were subsequently killed, which is necessary to test for [[rabies]].<ref name="Cross2024"/><ref name="Howard2024"/><ref name="Keleshian2024"/><ref name="Walker2024"/> Longo said that they were in the process of filing paperwork to have the squirrel certified as an educational animal when Peanut was seized.<ref name="TheGuardian2024"/> He later stated that the decision to kill the squirrel "won't go unheard."<ref name="CBC2024"/>
==== Reactions ====
==== Reactions ====
* [[Nick Langworthy]]: On an [[Twitter|X]] (formerly Twitter) post, Congressman Langworthy communicated his irritation with the NYS DEC, saying that "instead of focusing on critical needs like flood mitigation in places like Steuben County, where local officials have to struggle just to get permits from the DEC to clear debris-filled waterways, they're out seizing pet squirrels."<ref>{{cite web |title=Why was Peanut the squirrel euthanized? The controversy explained |url=https://www.yahoo.com/news/why-peanut-squirrel-euthanized-controversy-214808322.html?guccounter=1&guce_referrer=aHR0cHM6Ly93d3cuZ29vZ2xlLmNvbS8&guce_referrer_sig=AQAAALumyi1of4nFQBHW4r8h1DlTyUFthW5Wx9MW8nSNq83VBtCo6iV3_UXry8qZc9loYgPpR_InIIPgZ_9DiWcz-Mo-yrJD2ZCMP17m431MqJuyrTvVMH-NoCTPCKRL2GH4-w6HCsDqefsANiVNwmJ395_BAMc6-Au2OBTjKPEJAdJz |website=Yahoo News |access-date=3 November 2024 |date=2 November 2024}}</ref><ref>{{cite web |last1=Forbes |first1=Ahjané |title=Social media users weigh in on Peanut the Squirrel being euthanized: 'This can't be real' |url=https://www.usatoday.com/story/news/nation/2024/11/02/peanut-the-squirrel-euthanized-social-media-reacts/76010292007/ |website=USA Today |access-date=3 November 2024}}</ref>
* [[Nick Langworthy]]: On an [[Twitter|X]] (formerly Twitter) post, Congressman Langworthy communicated his irritation with the NYS DEC, saying that "instead of focusing on critical needs like flood mitigation in places like Steuben County, where local officials have to struggle just to get permits from the DEC to clear debris-filled waterways, they're out seizing pet squirrels."<ref>{{cite web |title=Why was Peanut the squirrel euthanized? The controversy explained |url=https://www.yahoo.com/news/why-peanut-squirrel-euthanized-controversy-214808322.html?guccounter=1&guce_referrer=aHR0cHM6Ly93d3cuZ29vZ2xlLmNvbS8&guce_referrer_sig=AQAAALumyi1of4nFQBHW4r8h1DlTyUFthW5Wx9MW8nSNq83VBtCo6iV3_UXry8qZc9loYgPpR_InIIPgZ_9DiWcz-Mo-yrJD2ZCMP17m431MqJuyrTvVMH-NoCTPCKRL2GH4-w6HCsDqefsANiVNwmJ395_BAMc6-Au2OBTjKPEJAdJz |website=Yahoo News |access-date=3 November 2024 |date=2 November 2024}}</ref><ref>{{cite web |last1=Forbes |first1=Ahjané |title=Social media users weigh in on Peanut the Squirrel being euthanized: 'This can't be real' |url=https://www.usatoday.com/story/news/nation/2024/11/02/peanut-the-squirrel-euthanized-social-media-reacts/76010292007/ |website=USA Today |access-date=3 November 2024}}</ref>
* [[Elon Musk]]: Musk commented on the incident; criticizing the killing of the squirrel, he stated the action was "deeply wrong".<ref>{{cite web |title=Elon Musk weighs in on euthanised squirrel row after social media famous pet put down |url=https://news.sky.com/story/elon-musk-weighs-in-on-euthanised-squirrel-row-after-social-media-famous-pet-put-down-13247397 |website=Sky News |access-date=3 November 2024 |language=en}}</ref> "The government is a mindless and heartless killing machine," Musk stated on a post on X.<ref>{{cite web |title=Elon Musk, fans rally for justice after Peanut the squirrel's controversial seizure, death |url=https://www.cnbctv18.com/world/elon-musk-peanut-the-squirrel-euthanised-donald-trump-mark-longo-19502999.htm |website=CNBC TV 18 |access-date=3 November 2024 |language=en |date=3 November 2024}}</ref><ref>{{cite web |title='President Donald Trump will save…': Elon Musk hits out at Biden govt post celebrity squirrel Peanut's euthanasia |url=https://www.livemint.com/news/us-news/president-donald-trump-will-save-elon-musk-hits-out-at-biden-govt-post-celebrity-squirrel-peanuts-euthanasia-11730631814885.html |website=LiveMint |access-date=3 November 2024}}</ref>
* [[Elon Musk]]: Musk commented on the incident; criticizing the killing of the squirrel, he stated the action was "deeply wrong".<ref>{{cite web |title=Elon Musk weighs in on euthanised squirrel row after social media famous pet put down |url=https://news.sky.com/story/elon-musk-weighs-in-on-euthanised-squirrel-row-after-social-media-famous-pet-put-down-13247397 |website=Sky News |access-date=3 November 2024 |language=en}}</ref> "The government is a mindless and heartless killing machine," Musk stated on a post on X.<ref>{{cite web |title=Elon Musk, fans rally for justice after Peanut the squirrel's controversial seizure, death |url=https://www.cnbctv18.com/world/elon-musk-peanut-the-squirrel-euthanised-donald-trump-mark-longo-19502999.htm |website=CNBC TV 18 |access-date=3 November 2024 |language=en |date=3 November 2024}}</ref><ref>{{cite web |title='President Donald Trump will save…': Elon Musk hits out at Biden govt post celebrity squirrel Peanut's euthanasia |url=https://www.livemint.com/news/us-news/president-donald-trump-will-save-elon-musk-hits-out-at-biden-govt-post-celebrity-squirrel-peanuts-euthanasia-11730631814885.html |website=LiveMint |access-date=3 November 2024}}</ref>
* [[Robert F. Kennedy Jr.]]: Robert F. Kennedy Jr., an independent candidate who endorsed Trump in the 2024 U.S. presidential elections, commented on the death of Peanut on X, making the following statement: "Are these the same guys that killed my whale and my bear? And, what happened to the head? Just asking for a friend."<ref>{{cite web |last1=Fernandes |first1=Jocelyn |title=Social media star, squirrel 'Peanut' euthanized, reactions rise, Musk attacks govt 'leave people, their animals alone' |url=https://www.livemint.com/news/us-news/social-media-star-squirrel-peanut-euthanized-reactions-elon-musk-attacks-govt-leave-people-their-animals-alone-us-news-11730604454172.html |website=LiveMint |access-date=3 November 2024}}</ref><ref>{{cite web |last1=Kennedy Jr. |first1=Robert F. |title=Robert F. Kennedy Jr. on X |url=https://x.com/robertkennedyjr/status/1852752998285312476 |website=X (Twitter) |access-date=3 November 2024}}</ref>
* [[Robert F. Kennedy Jr.]]: Robert F. Kennedy Jr., an independent candidate who endorsed Trump in the 2024 U.S. presidential elections, commented on the death of Peanut on X, making the following statement: "Are these the same guys that killed my whale and my bear? And, what happened to the head? Just asking for a friend."<ref>{{cite web |last1=Fernandes |first1=Jocelyn |title=Social media star, squirrel 'Peanut' euthanized, reactions rise, Musk attacks govt 'leave people, their animals alone' |url=https://www.livemint.com/news/us-news/social-media-star-squirrel-peanut-euthanized-reactions-elon-musk-attacks-govt-leave-people-their-animals-alone-us-news-11730604454172.html |website=LiveMint |access-date=3 November 2024}}</ref><ref>{{cite web |last1=Kennedy Jr. |first1=Robert F. |title=Robert F. Kennedy Jr. on X |url=https://x.com/robertkennedyjr/status/1852752998285312476 |website=X (Twitter) |access-date=3 November 2024}}</ref>
* The [[United States House Committee on the Judiciary|House Judiciary Committee]] GOP's official Twitter account tweeted "Justice for Peanut."<ref>{{cite web |url=https://x.com/JudiciaryGOP/status/1852847983009677529 |website=Twitter |access-date=4 November 2024}}</ref>
* The [[United States House Committee on the Judiciary|House Judiciary Committee]] GOP's official Twitter account tweeted "Justice for Peanut."<ref>{{cite web |url=https://x.com/JudiciaryGOP/status/1852847983009677529 |website=Twitter |access-date=4 November 2024}}</ref>


==See also==
==See also==

Revision as of 03:05, 4 November 2024

Peanut
Other name(s)P'Nut
SpeciesEastern grey squirrel
SexMale
Bornc. 2017
DiedNovember 1, 2024 (aged 6–7)
Pine City, New York, U.S.
Cause of deathKilled by the New York State Department of Environmental Conservation
Years active2017–2024
Known for
  • Animal sanctuary fundraising
  • Social media presence
  • Wildlife law controversy
OwnerMark Longo
ResidencePine City, New York, U.S.

Peanut (c. 2017 – November 1, 2024), also known as P'Nut, was a pet eastern grey squirrel that was the subject of a popular Instagram account. On October 30, 2024, he was seized from his owners' home by the New York State Department of Environmental Conservation and killed, which caused a significant public outcry, initially in the United States and later worldwide.

History

Peanut was an eastern grey squirrel found and saved in 2017 by Mark Longo after his mother was killed by a car in New York City.[1][2] Longo tried to find a shelter to take Peanut, but was unsuccessful. He fed the squirrel with a bottle for eight months before determining Peanut should go back into the wild.[3] Longo set the animal free into his backyard, but about a day later, he found Peanut on his porch, missing half of his tail. Longo said he "opened the door, he ran inside, and that was the last of Peanut's wildlife career."[4] The animal lived under his care for seven years at his hometown in Norwalk, Connecticut.[2] During this time, Longo created an Instagram account sharing videos of Peanut, including of him eating waffles. By October 2024, the account had amassed 534,000 followers.[5]

In April 2023, Longo and his wife moved from Norwalk to upstate New York to found the P'Nuts Freedom Farm Animal Sanctuary.[2][6] The Longos contribute half of the sanctuary's expenses, most of which was raised through Peanut's social media presence. According to them, the sanctuary had rescued over 300 animals by November 2024.[1][2]

Death

In October 2024, Peanut was taken, along with a pet raccoon named Fred,[6] from his owner's home in Pine City, New York, by the New York State Department of Environmental Conservation, following anonymous complaints. Government officials alleged that after his seizure, Peanut had bitten one of the personnel involved,[7] and the pets were subsequently killed, which is necessary to test for rabies.[5][8][9][10] Longo said that they were in the process of filing paperwork to have the squirrel certified as an educational animal when Peanut was seized.[6] He later stated that the decision to kill the squirrel "won't go unheard."[11]

Reactions

  • Nick Langworthy: On an X (formerly Twitter) post, Congressman Langworthy communicated his irritation with the NYS DEC, saying that "instead of focusing on critical needs like flood mitigation in places like Steuben County, where local officials have to struggle just to get permits from the DEC to clear debris-filled waterways, they're out seizing pet squirrels."[12][13]
  • Elon Musk: Musk commented on the incident; criticizing the killing of the squirrel, he stated the action was "deeply wrong".[14] "The government is a mindless and heartless killing machine," Musk stated on a post on X.[15][16]
  • Robert F. Kennedy Jr.: Robert F. Kennedy Jr., an independent candidate who endorsed Trump in the 2024 U.S. presidential elections, commented on the death of Peanut on X, making the following statement: "Are these the same guys that killed my whale and my bear? And, what happened to the head? Just asking for a friend."[17][18]
  • The House Judiciary Committee GOP's official Twitter account tweeted "Justice for Peanut."[19]

See also

References

  1. ^ a b Mather, Victor; Jiménez, Jesus (November 1, 2024). "After 7 Years, P'Nut the Squirrel Is Taken Away and Then Put Down". The New York Times. Archived from the original on November 3, 2024. Retrieved November 2, 2024.
  2. ^ a b c d Associated Press (November 1, 2024). "New York state officials seize Instagram-famous squirrel named Peanut from owner". NBC News. Archived from the original on November 1, 2024. Retrieved November 3, 2024.
  3. ^ "Greenwich Guy's Viral Squirrel Videos Lead to Marriage, Sprawling Animal Sanctuary". Greenwich Free Press. August 6, 2024. Retrieved November 3, 2024.
  4. ^ Moses, Allison. "Orphaned squirrel lives in New York home with a cat and the man who raised him". USA Today. Retrieved November 3, 2024.
  5. ^ a b Cross, Greta (November 1, 2024). "Social media star Peanut the Squirrel has been euthanized after being seized from NY home". USA Today. Archived from the original on November 2, 2024. Retrieved November 2, 2024.
  6. ^ a b c Associated Press (November 2, 2024). "New York authorities euthanize social media star Peanut the squirrel". The Guardian. Archived from the original on November 2, 2024. Retrieved November 2, 2024.
  7. ^ Santucci, Jeanine. "Is it legal to have a pet squirrel? Beloved Peanut the squirrel euthanized in New York". USA TODAY. Retrieved November 3, 2024.
  8. ^ Howard, Jacqueline (November 2, 2024) [November 1, 2024]. "Instagram-famous squirrel euthanised by authorities". BBC News. Archived from the original on November 3, 2024. Retrieved November 2, 2024.
  9. ^ Keleshian, Kristie (November 2, 2024). "Peanut, the Instagram-famous squirrel, euthanized by New York state authorities". CBS News. CBS New York. Archived from the original on November 2, 2024. Retrieved November 2, 2024.
  10. ^ Walker, Julie (November 2, 2024). "The man who took in orphaned Peanut the squirrel says it's 'surreal' officials euthanized his pet". U.S. News. Associated Press. Archived from the original on November 2, 2024. Retrieved November 3, 2024.
  11. ^ Associated Press (November 2, 2024). "Man slams 'surreal' decision by N.Y. to seize, put down social media darling Peanut the squirrel". Canadian Broadcasting Corporation. Archived from the original on November 3, 2024. Retrieved November 2, 2024.
  12. ^ "Why was Peanut the squirrel euthanized? The controversy explained". Yahoo News. November 2, 2024. Retrieved November 3, 2024.
  13. ^ Forbes, Ahjané. "Social media users weigh in on Peanut the Squirrel being euthanized: 'This can't be real'". USA Today. Retrieved November 3, 2024.
  14. ^ "Elon Musk weighs in on euthanised squirrel row after social media famous pet put down". Sky News. Retrieved November 3, 2024.
  15. ^ "Elon Musk, fans rally for justice after Peanut the squirrel's controversial seizure, death". CNBC TV 18. November 3, 2024. Retrieved November 3, 2024.
  16. ^ "'President Donald Trump will save…': Elon Musk hits out at Biden govt post celebrity squirrel Peanut's euthanasia". LiveMint. Retrieved November 3, 2024.
  17. ^ Fernandes, Jocelyn. "Social media star, squirrel 'Peanut' euthanized, reactions rise, Musk attacks govt 'leave people, their animals alone'". LiveMint. Retrieved November 3, 2024.
  18. ^ Kennedy Jr., Robert F. "Robert F. Kennedy Jr. on X". X (Twitter). Retrieved November 3, 2024.
  19. ^ Twitter https://x.com/JudiciaryGOP/status/1852847983009677529. Retrieved November 4, 2024. {{cite web}}: Missing or empty |title= (help)
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