Peanut, a squirrel made well-known by his giant and devoted Instagram following, has been euthanised simply days after being seized by New York authorities.
The state Division of Environmental Conservation (DEC) raided the house of Mark Longo on Wednesday following complaints of doubtless unsafe housing for the animal.
Earlier this week, Mr Longo pleaded with authorities for Peanut’s secure return, writing on Instagram that there was a “particular place in hell” for the DEC.
Authorities, nonetheless, mentioned that they put the animal down after he bit an official concerned in his seizure. The DEC additionally mentioned it had euthanised a raccoon named Fred that they took away through the raid from Mr Longo’s dwelling.
Information of Peanut’s dying got here as a petition calling for his return had garnered greater than 30,000 signatures by Friday afternoon.
On Thursday, Mr Longo had mentioned he was elevating cash for authorized charges in opposition to the DEC. A GoFundMe he arrange had raised about $13,500 (£10,400).
The ordeal, he mentioned in a Friday morning publish, had turn into a “horrible nightmare”.
After Peanut’s dying, Mr Longo posted the telephone variety of the DEC on-line and urged supporters to name the organisation to “categorical your emotions”.
“We won’t let this be Pnuts closing reminiscence,” he wrote.
In a separate Instagram story, he thanked Peanut’s followers for the “love and assist” his household had acquired and referred to as for donations to assist different animals saved in his “freedom farm”.
A DEC assertion mentioned an investigation had been launched after receiving “a number of stories from the general public in regards to the doubtlessly unsafe housing of wildlife that might carry rabies and the unlawful conserving of wildlife as pets”.
Mr Longo took Peanut in seven years in the past after he noticed the child squirrel by his mom, who had been hit by a automotive.
He cared for Peanut till he was robust sufficient to be launched, however mentioned he discovered the critter again on his porch the next morning with “a piece of his tail lacking”.
Peanut’s Instagram account has amassed greater than 500,000 followers within the time since.
The account options movies of Peanut taking part in out skits with Mr Longo, often wearing hats, usually climbing over him or being hugged, and usually consuming waffles.
