PINE CITY, New York — A squirrel who became famous on Instagram after it was rescued by its owner seven years ago has been seized by state authorities during a raid, reports say.
Peanut the Squirrel — also spelled P’Nut or PNUT — has 533,000 followers on Instagram. But at least six agents with the New York Department of Environmental Conservation went to the home of Peanut’s owner, Mark Longo, on Wednesday after the agency reportedly received “multiple anonymous complaints” about the squirrel.
“Well internet, you WON. You took one of the most amazing animals away from me because of your selfishness,” Longo, 34, wrote in a post on Instagram. “To the group of people who called DEC, there’s a special place in hell for you.”
Longo said he fears that Peanut has been euthanized. A DEC official would not tell the Associated Press if the squirrel had been euthanized.
“For the last seven years, Peanut has been my best friend,” Longo wrote on Instagram. “He’s been the center of my world and many of yours for so long, I don’t know how to process this, emotionally.”
WETM reports Longo is the owner and operator of P’Nut’s Freedom Farm, an animal sanctuary that cares for about 300 animals, including horses, goats and alpacas. He recently took in a raccoon named Fred inside his home, which agents also seized, reports say.
Longo tells WETM he had recently moved to New York from Connecticut and was in the process of getting the necessary permits to keep Peanut and Fred. He said he received no guidance from the state.
Longo said he saw Peanut’s mother get hit by a car in New York City seven years ago, leaving the tiny squirrel an orphan. Longo brought Peanut home and cared for him for eight months before trying to release the squirrel into the great outdoors. “A day and a half later I found him sitting on my porch missing half of his tail with his bone sticking out,” Longo said.
Longo decided to care for Peanut. After Longo posted some photos and videos on social media, the squirrel became an internet star.