Peanut, the social media sensation squirrel that sparked a national controversy after being seized from its owner in upstate New York and subsequently euthanized, has tested negative for rabies, a county official revealed on Tuesday.
The State Department of Environmental Conservation (DEC) confiscated Peanut and a raccoon named Fred from Mark Longo’s home and animal sanctuary in Pine City, near the Pennsylvania border, on October 30. The agency acted upon complaints alleging that wildlife was being kept illegally and potentially in unsafe conditions. However, the seizure has incited a wave of public outrage, with officials reporting that they have since received violent threats.
According to DEC and Chemung County officials, both animals were euthanized to facilitate rabies testing after Peanut bit a DEC worker during the investigation. During a news conference, Chemung County Executive Chris Moss disclosed that the tests for both animals returned negative results. Moss emphasized that the county adhered to state protocols in handling the incident.
Longo, who had been caring for Peanut for over seven years after rescuing him when his mother was struck by a car in New York City, had amassed tens of thousands of followers on Instagram, TikTok, and other social media platforms, turning the squirrel into an online celebrity. He had been in the midst of obtaining certification to have Peanut recognized as an educational animal at the time of the seizure.
Reacting to the test results, Longo expressed no surprise and condemned the government’s actions. “It’s no real big shocker to me, considering I lived with Peanut for seven-and-a-half years and Fred for five months. I’m not foaming at the mouth,” he remarked. “I knew the test results were going to be negative.”
The DEC stated in a prepared announcement that an internal investigation is underway and that they are reviewing their policies and procedures.
