A New York man named Mark Longo, who rescued a squirrel and named him Peanut, is now pleading with state authorities to return his beloved pet after they seized it during a raid on his home near the Pennsylvania border. The raid also yielded a raccoon named Fred.
Multiple anonymous complaints about Peanut, who was also spelled P’Nut or PNUT, led at least six officers from the state Department of Environmental Conservation (DEC) to Longo’s house on Wednesday. Longo, who is 34, expressed his shock and dismay, stating that the DEC officers raided his house without a search warrant, treating him as if he were a drug dealer.
The officers took Peanut, who had amassed hundreds of thousands of followers on Instagram, TikTok, and other platforms during his seven years with Longo, and Fred, a more recent addition to the family.
A spokesperson for the DEC stated that the agency initiated an investigation after receiving multiple reports from the public about the potentially unsafe housing of wildlife that could carry rabies and the illegal keeping of wildlife as pets.
Longo, who runs an animal refuge inspired by his squirrel friend called P’Nuts Freedom Farm Animal Sanctuary, took to Instagram to mourn Peanut’s loss. He expressed his frustration and anger, stating that the internet had taken away one of the most amazing animals from him due to its selfishness. He also directed his anger towards the group of people who had reported the DEC, suggesting that they deserved a special place in hell.
Longo fears that Peanut has been euthanized. He expressed his uncertainty about Peanut’s well-being, stating that he did not know if he was alive or where he was. The DEC spokesperson did not respond to a question about whether Peanut had been euthanized.
Longo recounted witnessing Peanut’s mother being struck by a car in New York City seven years ago, leaving the tiny squirrel an orphan. He took Peanut home and cared for him for eight months before attempting to release him into the wild. However, a day and a half later, he found Peanut sitting on his porch, missing half of his tail with a bone protruding.
Convinced that Peanut lacked the survival skills to thrive in the wild, Longo decided to keep him as an indoor squirrel. Soon after posting videos of Peanut playing with his cat, he gained internet fame.
A perusal of Peanut’s Instagram account reveals that he is no ordinary squirrel. He leaps onto Longo’s shoulder, wears a miniature cowboy hat, and even enjoys eating waffles while adorned with crocheted bunny ears.
Over the years, Peanut’s story has been featured in various media outlets, including USA Today.
Longo, a mechanical engineer, previously resided in Norwalk, Connecticut, but he made the decision to relocate to upstate New York last year to establish an animal sanctuary. P’Nuts Freedom Farm Animal Sanctuary opened its doors in April 2023 and now houses approximately 300 animals, including horses, goats, and alpacas. Longo, who runs the sanctuary alongside his wife, Daniela, and other family members, is aware that it is against New York state law to own a wild animal without a license. He is currently in the process of obtaining paperwork to certify Peanut as an educational animal.
Longo expressed his desire to follow the rules and regulations, stating, “If we’re not following the rules, guide us in the right direction to follow them. Let us know what we need to do to have Peanut in the house and not have to worry about him getting taken away.”
As for Fred, Longo mentioned that he only had the raccoon for a few months and was hoping to rehabilitate the injured creature before releasing it back into the wild.
Longo is not the first animal owner to protest the confiscation of a pet by New York authorities. A Buffalo-area man whose alligator was seized by the DEC in March is currently suing the agency to regain custody of the 750-pound (340-kilogram) reptile.
