Peanut (squirrel) facts for kids
Pictured in 2020
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| Other name(s) | P'Nut |
|---|---|
| Species | Eastern gray squirrel (Sciurus carolinensis) |
| Sex | Male |
| Born | c. 2017 |
| Died | November 1, 2024 (aged 6–7) Pine City, New York, U.S. |
| Years active | 2017–2024 |
| Owner | Mark Longo |
| Residence | Pine City, New York, U.S. |
Peanut (born around 2017 – died November 1, 2024), also known as P'Nut, was a famous pet eastern gray squirrel. Mark Longo found and rescued him in 2017. Peanut became very popular because of his Instagram account.
On October 30, 2024, officials from the New York State Department of Environmental Conservation took Peanut from his owner's home. He was sadly euthanized (put to sleep) two days later. Peanut's death caused a lot of sadness and anger on social media. Many people and even some lawmakers spoke out against what happened. This event led to a new law being suggested to stop similar things from happening in the future.
Peanut's Early Life and Fame
Peanut was an eastern gray squirrel who was found and rescued in 2017. His mother had been hit by a car in New York City. Mark Longo, who found Peanut, tried to find a shelter for him but couldn't. So, Longo bottle-fed the tiny squirrel for about eight months.
After that, Longo thought Peanut should go back to living in the wild. He let Peanut go in his backyard. But about a day later, Peanut showed up on his porch with part of his tail missing. Longo said Peanut "ran inside, and that was the last of Peanut's wildlife career." It's important to know that in New York state, it's against the law to keep squirrels as pets. Longo never got a special license to keep Peanut during the seven years they lived together in Norwalk, Connecticut.
While Peanut was with Longo, his owner started an Instagram account to share videos of him. By October 2024, this account had grown huge, with over 534,000 followers! In April 2023, Longo and his wife moved to upstate New York. There, they started an animal rescue place called P'Nuts Freedom Farm Animal Sanctuary. They used money from Peanut's social media fame to help pay for the sanctuary. By November 2024, they said the sanctuary had rescued more than 300 animals. However, Longo did not have a special license to be a wildlife rehabilitator, which is needed to care for wild animals.
Peanut's Final Days
On October 30, 2024, officials from the New York State Department of Environmental Conservation came to Peanut's home in Pine City, Chemung County, New York. They took Peanut and another pet, a raccoon named Fred. This happened after someone made anonymous complaints.
Government officials said that after Peanut was taken, he bit one of the people involved. Because of this, Peanut and Fred were euthanized two days later. This was done to test them for rabies, a serious disease.
Peanut's death caused a huge wave of public anger and sadness. Many people shared their feelings on social media. Several lawmakers also spoke out, criticizing the situation. As a result, a new bill has been suggested. This bill aims to prevent similar events from happening to other animals in the future.
