Peanut The Squirrel Marked For Death Days Before He Was Seized In Raid

Internet sensation Peanut the squirrel was reportedly marked for euthanasia along with his pal Fred the Raccoon more than a week before he was seized in a raid at his home by New York officials to be “tested for rabies.”

Chemung County Executive Christopher Moss told the New York Post on Tuesday that the rabies test for both animals came back “negative” after they were seized from their guardian Mark Longo’s home in upstate New York on October 30 by officials with the the Department of Environmental Conservation (DEC) and then euthanized.

DEC officials initially said they had received numerous calls about the animals living in the house. The department then got a warrant to search the home for the animals in what Longo described as a drug dealer-type raid at his home, as previously reported.

Peanut, the pet squirrel that was seized from its owner in upstate New York and euthanized about two weeks ago, has tested negative for rabies, a county official said Tuesday. https://t.co/5cpTkzmdw4

— CBS New York (@CBSNewYork) November 13, 2024

At the time, the Associated Press reported that the DEC took both animals from the Longos’ home. The agency reportedly said it received complaints that wildlife was potentially at risk and being kept illegally. The Longos told TMZ that they have had Peanut for seven years, after rescuing the squirrel when its mother was killed.

The DEC also said in a statement that Peanut bit an investigator on the hand while the squirrel was being confiscated, sparking the need to test for rabies and “both animals were euthanized…” according to WETM. In order to test for rabies, decapitation is required so subjects’ heads can be opened and their brains sampled.

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However, the Post reported that as far back as a week earlier, a timeline for euthanasia doesn’t match up and the animals were advised to be euthanized by state officials before the raid.

“DEC is aware of an individual in Chemung County who is known to illegally possess an adult gray squirrel and at least 4 young raccoons. They may also be in possession of other illegal wildlife species,” the DEC said in a message to the county on October 22. “We would like to know if the Health Department would recommend these animals be tested for rabies as a precaution for human safety.”

The State Department of Health letter to the county on October 23 then read,  “Wildlife cannot be confined like domestic animals, and if there was an exposure, the animals would need to be tested for rabies,” WBNG reported.

Days later, officials took steps for their raid — but the Post noted that the DEC was already coordinating the animals’ euthanasia with Elmira Animal Control.

The guardian of Peanut and Fred told the outlet he was in “utter shock” after seeing the timeline. “I’d like to give you a proper statement, but for now I’ll just say ‘Wow,'” he added.

On October 30, DEC raided Longo’s home and took the animals, which were both killed that day.

“Animal decap requested on: 10/30/24,” read a rabies report for Peanut and Fred, also released by Chemung County, who said an investigation into the matter was ongoing.