Peanut The Squirrel Owners Sue New York State Over ‘Execution’ Of Beloved Pets

The couple who owned Peanut the squirrel and Fred the raccoon, both of whom were euthanized by New York State officials after a resident complained about unlicensed pets, are suing New York State, Chemung County, and related agencies. The case sparked national conversations over the reach of bureaucracy and government overreach.

Peanut the Squirrel, a seven-year-old gray rescue squirrel whose exploits had gone viral on social media, was euthanized after the pet was seized by New York State officials in a raid earlier this month. Peanut, along with “Fred” the raccoon, was seized when a large group of officials searched owner Mark Longo’s property for more than five hours.

Longo had rescued the orphaned squirrel roughly seven years ago after its mother was killed by a car. Videos of Longo and his pet squirrel gained a large following on TikTok and Instagram, amassing more than one million followers.

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The Department of Environmental Conservation claimed that Peanut, who was known to be docile throughout his lengthy and publicly documented life in captivity, bit a state worker while he was being confiscated from his Elmira home. New York officials then euthanized Peanut, along with the raccoon, in order to test for the presence of rabies.

“In addition, a person involved with the investigation was bitten by the squirrel. To test for rabies, both animals were euthanized. The animals are being tested for rabies and anyone who has been in contact with these animals is strongly encouraged to consult their physician,” the DEC said in a statement.

Longo, founder of the nonprofit P’Nuts Freedom Farm, was in the process of setting up an animal rehabilitation center and sanctuary at the time of the incident.

On November 20, Longo and his wife, Daniela Bittner; their animal sanctuary, P’Nut’s Freedom Farm; and their entertainment company, D & M Longo Entertainment, LLC filed a lawsuit against New York State, the New York State Department of Environmental Conservation (DEC), the New York State Department of Health, Chemung County, the Chemung County Sheriff’s Office, the Chemung County Department of Health, the Elmira Police Department, and Elmira Animal Control.

The notice of claim says that Longo, Bittner, their sanctuary, and their entertainment company are seeking damages for the euthanasia of Peanut and Fred, as well as distress caused by the lengthy search process, according to a report from WETM 18.

The complaint alleges that the seizure and subsequent euthanasia were illegal and improper, denied the couple’s rights, and were an abuse of power. It further claims that euthanasia was not mentioned on the warrant and that state officials did not have the right to kill his pets, framing the claim that the animals needed to be tested for rabies as a convenient and cruel excuse.

According to the document, thousands of people from across the country had donated to the sanctuary thanks to Peanut’s popularity on social media. Additionally, the couple used Peanut to earn money on their online platforms, in addition to using peanut’s likeness for advertising, endorsements, sponsorships, marketing, and more through their LLC.

They further claim that Peanut’s loss has done irreconcilable damage to their business and wildlife rehabilitation efforts, which was in the process of returning Fred the raccoon to the wild.

The notice does not specify the exact amount Longo and Bittner are seeking in damages.

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