The owner of a popular Instagram squirrel, which was euthanized following a raid by state authorities, suspects that the action taken against him was influenced by his career in adult entertainment.
On Friday, New York officials made the difficult decision to euthanize Peanut the squirrel and his raccoon companion Fred following multiple complaints. This action came after the Department of Environmental Conservation conducted a raid on their owner’s residence in Pine City.
Despite being the founder of P´Nuts Freedom Farm Animal Sanctuary, 34-year-old Mark Longo lacked the necessary licensing to legally care for the animals.
(Instagram/ @peanut_the_squirrel12)
Longo expressed his belief that the authorities conducted a raid on their residence due to the content his wife and he share on OnlyFans.
‘I suspect there might be a hidden agenda at play, particularly related to my vibrant social media activity. It’s noteworthy that aside from seizing the animals, no further measures were taken against me,’ he shared with TMZ.
He mentioned that when the officials arrived, one of their initial inquiries was whether there were any cameras located inside the house.
On Wednesday, a significant response unfolded as at least six officers from the state Department of Environmental Conservation arrived at Longo’s residence near the Pennsylvania border in rural Pine City. This action was prompted by numerous anonymous complaints regarding Peanut, which is also known as P’Nut or PNUT.
Officials removed the squirrel and raccoon from Longo’s residence following the execution of a search warrant authorized by four state agencies, disregarding appeals for leniency.
‘The DEC arrived at my home and conducted a raid without a search warrant in search of a squirrel!’ exclaimed Longo. ‘I felt like I was being treated as if I were involved in illegal activities, as if they were on a mission to find contraband.’
Longo operates an animal sanctuary alongside his wife Daniela, and both have significant social media followings that highlight their OnlyFans endeavors.
He mentioned that they successfully acquired their 350-acre property with the $800,000 earned in just one month from sharing their adult content online, which gained popularity following Peanut’s viral moment.
‘Maybe it’s someone who thinks I use this place to make a lot of money. Did this do wonders to my OnlyFans? Absolutely. It’s making a lot of money from this,’ Longo told the New York Post.
I just tagged my squirrel dad account in the P’nut video I posted, so it can get twice the views on the clip. Occasionally, there’s a shirtless photo [on P’nut’s page, too], but I have entirely distanced myself from this whole situation. Clearly, individuals were bound to discover both and attempt to link them.
A representative from the DEC announced earlier this week that the agency has initiated an investigation following numerous public reports concerning the potentially hazardous housing of wildlife that may carry rabies, as well as the unlawful keeping of wildlife as pets.
On Friday, the DEC and Chemung County Department of Health announced the outcome for both animals.
Key details following the euthanasia of social media personality Peanut by state authorities. article image
On October 30, DEC captured a raccoon and squirrel living in close quarters with people, raising concerns about possible rabies exposure. Furthermore, an individual connected to the inquiry was bitten by the squirrel. The agencies announced in a statement that both animals were euthanized for rabies testing.
‘Testing is underway for rabies in the animals, and individuals who have had contact with them are urged to seek advice from their healthcare provider.’
Peanut amassed over 500,000 followers across Instagram, TikTok, and various other platforms during the seven years since Longo took him in after witnessing his mother being struck by a vehicle in New York City.
The unusual circumstances surrounding his death turned into a peculiar topic during the election, following a viral fake post attributed to Trump that seemed to criticize the seizure and eventual demise of the squirrel.
The official Trump campaign responded swiftly to the rumors, stating that they were untrue.
Karoline Leavitt, a spokesperson for Trump, asserted to The New York Post, ‘It’s a fake statement.’ “That’s not what he actually said,” she added.
However, it wasn’t long before a member of the Trump family echoed sentiments akin to the fabricated statement.
On Saturday evening, Donald Trump Jr. utilized the passing of Peanut to emphasize a political stance on X.
‘It’s time to make a change and remove a government that prioritizes the life of a pet squirrel while knowingly permitting 600,000 criminals, including 13,000 murderers and 16,000 rapists, to enter the country.’
Don Jr. expressed that P’nuts murder could serve as a turning point for genuine change and a realization of our government’s flawed priorities!
Numerous memes emerged on social media as fans voiced their anger regarding the squirrel’s demise.
In a surprising twist, Elon Musk joined the conversation by posting an AI-generated image featuring a squirrel wielding a Star Wars lightsaber, accompanied by a clever play on words related to peanuts.
‘President Trump will save the squirrels,’ Musk tweeted, offering both a tribute and a strong endorsement. ‘Rest in peace, P’Nut.’
Feature Image Credit: (Instagram/ @peanut_the_squirrel12)
