Peanut the Squirrel touches off social media firestorm after New York officials euthanize beloved rodent

Peanut the Squirrel, a beloved favored who was an net sensation earlier New York authorities officials confiscated and past killed it, is drafting adjacent much societal media attraction aft the rodent's death.

The authorities Department of Environmental Conservation (DEC) seized Peanut and a raccoon named Fred from proprietor Mark Longo's location and carnal sanctuary successful agrarian Pine City, adjacent the Pennsylvania border, earlier this week. The agency, which said it had received complaints that wildlife was being kept illegally, past euthanized the critters, to the fearfulness of Longo and astir 550,000 of Peanut's champion friends. As connection got out, the X memes went up.

"President Trump volition prevention the squirrels," Elon Musk wrote with a squirrel and a crying look emoji. "RIP P’Nut." The substance was accompanied by an representation of the rodent connected the backmost of his smiling owner, Mark Longo.

PEANUT THE PET SQUIRREL TAKEN AWAY BY NEW YORK STATE OFFICIALS FROM ADOPTED HOME, MAY BE EUTHANIZED

"Radicalized Squirrels In MAGA Hats Begin Uprising," work a Babylon Bee headline.

Another tweet depicted John Wick, Keanu Reeves' fictional movie quality who goes connected a sidesplitting spree aft his beloved canine is killed by a mobster, and warned that denizens of the web whitethorn respond similarly.

While immoderate memes expressed humor, others dripped with outrage that the DEC and Chemung County Health Department had enactment the animals down to trial them for rabies. State instrumentality requires radical to get a licence if they privation to ain a chaotic animal. Longo, who adopted Peanut immoderate 7 years ago, has said helium was moving to get certified arsenic an acquisition animal.

Peanut, oregon P'Nut the squirrel, had 532,000 followers connected Instagram. (peanut_the_squirrel12 via Instagram)

Peanut's popularity was nary joke. An Instagram leafage dedicated to the squirrel has much than 550,000 followers, and the mates uploaded their playful interactions with the rodent and different animals they attraction for.

Longo and his woman established the carnal sanctuary, called "P’Nut’s Freedom Farm," past year, inspired by the squirrel. Longo told his followers that helium had taken the rodent successful aft helium witnessed the squirrel’s parent being deed by a car. The squirrel refused to instrumentality to the chaotic and became attached to the couple. 

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Peanut the squirrel enjoys immoderate peanuts successful this photograph shared connected Instagram. (peanut_the_squirrel12 via Instagram)

The incidental was nary laughing substance for Longo. In an affectional interrogation with TMZ, helium elaborate the constabulary raid arsenic his woman wept beside him.

"It's not lone torn my household apart, but Peanut was the cornerstone of our non-profit carnal rescue," Longo said. "And 10 to 12 DEC officers raided my location arsenic if I was a cause dealer. I sat extracurricular my location for 5 hours. I had to get a constabulary escort to my bathroom," Longo said. 

"I wasn't adjacent allowed to provender my rescue horses meal oregon lunch. I sat determination similar a transgression aft they interrogated my woman to cheque retired her migration status." 

Longo said authorities went done "every cabinet, nook and cranny" of his location during the search.

"They got a hunt warrant. Four departments and a justice signed disconnected connected a hunt warrant for a squirrel and a raccoon. And past they took them and killed them," a visibly upset Longo said.  

Peanut was rescued astatine 5 weeks of property by his adoptive quality parents aft his parent was tally implicit by a car. (peanut_the_squirrel12 via Instagram)

Fox News Digital has reached retired to DEC and New York State Police for remark but did not instantly person a response. 

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In announcing the rodent’s death, and holding a framed drafting of the squirrel, a teary Longo told followers connected an Instagram video that "Peanut was the champion happening that ever happened to us."

"RIP MY BEST FRIEND. Thank you for the champion 7 years of my life," helium wrote successful the caption. "Thank you for bringing truthful overmuch joyousness to america and the world. I’m atrocious I failed you but convey you for everything."

The Associated Press contributed to this report.