7 Shocking Facts About Peanut The Squirrel’s Seizure And Death That Sparked New York Legislation

The heartbreaking saga of Peanut the Squirrel, the beloved, Instagram-famous pet, continues to be a point of fierce public debate and legal action in New York as of late December 2025. What began as a heartwarming rescue story—an orphaned squirrel saved from a New York City street—culminated in a controversial state seizure and immediate euthanasia in late 2024, an event that has since inspired new legislative efforts in Albany and a high-profile lawsuit against the state. The controversy surrounding the New York State Department of Environmental Conservation’s (DEC) actions has turned the tiny rodent into a martyr for pet owners and a symbol of perceived government overreach, making his story a crucial case study in the complex intersection of wildlife law and modern pet culture. The incident, which saw Peanut and his companion, a pet raccoon named Fred, seized and put down, has dominated headlines across Upstate New York and the nation. The core of the issue lies in the legality of keeping wild animals as pets in New York State, a law the DEC strictly enforced despite the animals’ long-term domesticity and social media fame. The owner, Mark Longo, is now fighting back, demanding answers and accountability for the death of his companion of nearly seven years.

The Key Entities and Timeline of Peanut’s Tragic Story

The story of Peanut is not just about a squirrel; it involves a dedicated owner, a state agency, and a controversial legal framework. Here is a brief profile of the central figures and the critical timeline of events:

• Peanut the Squirrel (2017–October 30, 2024): An Eastern Gray Squirrel (Sciurus carolinensis) rescued as an infant after his mother was struck by a car in New York City. He became an internet sensation with a significant following on social media, known for his domestic life and close bond with his owner. He was euthanized by the DEC at the estimated age of 6-7 years.
• Mark Longo: Peanut’s devoted owner, a resident of Pine City, near the Pennsylvania border in Upstate New York. He rescued Peanut and Fred the Raccoon and raised them as domestic pets. He is currently pursuing legal action against the state for the seizure and death of his animals.
• Fred the Raccoon: A pet raccoon also kept by Mark Longo. Fred was seized alongside Peanut on October 30, 2024, and was also euthanized by the DEC.
• New York State Department of Environmental Conservation (DEC): The state agency responsible for enforcing New York's environmental and wildlife laws. The DEC conducted the seizure based on complaints that Longo was illegally keeping wild animals, citing the risk of rabies transmission.
• Pine City, New York: The location of Mark Longo's farm and the site of the controversial DEC raid and seizure.

Critical Timeline:

• 2017: Peanut is rescued by Mark Longo as an orphaned baby squirrel.
• October 30, 2024: DEC agents arrive at Longo’s home and seize Peanut and Fred the Raccoon.
• Soon After Seizure (October 2024): Both Peanut and Fred are euthanized by the DEC.
• November 2024: Media frenzy erupts; Mark Longo announces his intention to file a lawsuit.
• Late 2024/Early 2025: The incident inspires new legislation in the New York State Assembly aimed at addressing the legal ambiguities of rescued wildlife.

The Rabies Controversy and Post-Mortem Findings

The primary justification cited by the DEC for the immediate euthanasia of both Peanut and Fred was the risk of rabies. New York State law is notoriously strict regarding the possession of "rabies vector species" (RVS)—wild animals that are common carriers of the rabies virus, which includes raccoons and squirrels. Because Peanut and Fred were kept illegally, the DEC claimed they could not verify the animals' health history and thus had to eliminate the potential public health risk.

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However, the DEC’s decision was immediately met with skepticism and outrage. Longo maintained that both animals were healthy and had been isolated from the wild for years. The subsequent post-mortem findings only fueled the public's anger and the owner's legal battle. Testing revealed that Peanut the Squirrel was negative for rabies. This critical finding led many to question the necessity and urgency of the DEC's actions, suggesting that a less drastic measure, such as quarantine or relocation to a licensed sanctuary, should have been considered, especially given Peanut's non-aggressive nature and domestic history.

The DEC, however, defended its actions by pointing to the letter of the law. State regulations prohibit the rehabilitation of RVS unless they are released back into the wild within a specific timeframe, which Peanut and Fred were not. Furthermore, the DEC stated that even if an animal tests negative for rabies, the illegal possession of a wild animal is a violation that must be addressed, and euthanasia is a standard protocol when the animal’s exact history and potential exposure cannot be fully documented. This legal rigidity is what has drawn the most criticism.

The Legal and Political Fallout: A Squirrel’s Legacy

The death of Peanut the Squirrel quickly transcended a simple animal welfare story, morphing into a major political and legal flashpoint in New York. The public outcry was immediate and intense, with thousands of social media users demanding accountability from the DEC. This widespread sentiment has had two major, ongoing consequences:

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1. The Longo Lawsuit: Mark Longo is taking legal action against the state of New York. His lawsuit aims not only to seek justice for Peanut and Fred but also to force a public accounting of the DEC’s internal procedures and decision-making process. Longo and his legal team argue that the seizure was an overreach of authority and that the immediate euthanasia was an unnecessary and cruel action, particularly since Peanut was found to be rabies-free. The case is expected to be a landmark test of the state’s strict wildlife laws versus the rights of citizens who rescue and care for orphaned animals.

2. Legislative Inspiration: Perhaps the most enduring legacy of Peanut is the push for new legislation in Albany. State lawmakers, responding to the public's outrage and recognizing the legal ambiguities, have begun drafting new bills. These proposed laws aim to create a more nuanced approach to the possession of rescued, non-releasable wildlife. The legislation seeks to establish a pathway for individuals who have genuinely rescued and domesticated an orphaned animal—especially one that cannot survive in the wild—to apply for special permits, thereby avoiding the automatic seizure and euthanasia fate that befell Peanut and Fred. This legislative effort is directly inspired by the tragedy and is an attempt to modernize New York’s outdated wildlife codes.

The incident also became a talking point for political candidates, who used the DEC's actions as an example of excessive government bureaucracy and a lack of common sense. Peanut effectively became a political martyr, a tiny symbol of the frustration many New Yorkers feel toward opaque and rigid state regulations.

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The Debate Over Wildlife Possession and Ethics

The Peanut the Squirrel story has reignited a critical debate among animal rights activists, wildlife rehabilitators, and pet owners: When is it acceptable to keep a wild animal, and who gets to decide?

• The Legal Stance: The DEC’s position is clear: wild animals belong in the wild. Keeping them as pets, regardless of how they were acquired, is illegal and poses a public health risk, which is why enforcement must be swift and absolute.
• The Ethical Stance: Mark Longo and his supporters argue that when an animal is orphaned and non-releasable, a humane exception should be made. They contend that Peanut was a domestic animal in all but name, and his seizure was a death sentence for a creature that had only known human care.

This conflict highlights the difficulty of balancing public safety (rabies control) with compassion for individual animals. The outcome of Longo’s lawsuit and the success of the proposed "Peanut's Law" legislation will determine whether New York State moves toward a more flexible system that acknowledges the reality of human-wildlife interaction in the modern era or maintains its current strict, zero-tolerance policy. The memory of Peanut the Squirrel continues to drive this crucial conversation forward, ensuring his short life was not in vain.

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