Peanut (squirrel)
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| Other name(s) | P'Nut |
|---|---|
| Species | Eastern grey squirrel |
| Sex | Male |
| Born | c. 2017 |
| Died | November 1, 2024 Pine City, New York |
| Cause of death | Euthanized by the New York State Department of Environmental Conservation |
| Years active | 2017–2024 |
| Known for |
|
| Owner | Mark Longo |
| Residence | Pine City, New York |
Peanut (also known as P'Nut) was a pet Eastern grey squirrel that had a popular Instagram account devoted to it. On October 30, 2024, it was seized from its owners' home by the New York State Department of Environmental Conservation and later euthanized, which caused a significant public outcry, initially in the US and later worldwide.
History
Peanut was an Eastern grey squirrel found and saved in 2017 by Mark Longo after its mother was killed by a car.[1] Longo tried to find a shelter to take Peanut but was unsuccessful. After taking care of him for eight months, Longo tried to release him into his backyard. Shortly after, Peanut returned with half his tail missing after which Longo decided to keep him. The animal lived under his care for seven years. 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.[2]
Since 2023, Longo and his wife have run the P'Nuts Freedom Farm Animal Sanctuary.[3] 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]
Death
In October 2024, Peanut was taken, along with a pet raccoon named Fred,[3] from his owner's home in Pine City, New York by the New York State Department of Environmental Conservation. It was later euthanized to test for rabies.[2][4][5][6] Longo said that they were in the process of filing paperwork to have the squirrel certified as an educational animal when Peanut was seized.[3] He later stated that the decision to euthanize "won't go unheard."[7]
References
- ^ 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. Retrieved November 2, 2024.
- ^ a b Cross, Greta. "Social media star Peanut the Squirrel has been euthanized after being seized from NY home". USA TODAY. Retrieved November 2, 2024.
- ^ a b c "New York authorities euthanize social media star Peanut the squirrel | New York | The Guardian". amp.theguardian.com. Retrieved November 2, 2024.
- ^ Howard, Jaqueline (2024), Instagram-famous squirrel euthanised by authorities, BBC News, retrieved November 2, 2024
- ^ Keleshian, Kristie (2024), Peanut, the Instagram-famous squirrel, euthanized by New York state authorities, CBS News, retrieved November 2, 2024
- ^ Walker, Julie (2024), The man who took in orphaned Peanut the squirrel says it's 'surreal' officials euthanized his pet, Associated Press, retrieved March 13, 2023
- ^ "Animal lover slams N.Y. for seizing, euthanizing Peanut the squirrel, a social media darling". cbc.ca. November 2, 2024. Retrieved November 2, 2024.