Photo Credit: @peanut_the_squirrel12 on Instagram

PINE CITY, N.Y. (WENY) -- Mark and Daniela Longo, the owners of the internet-famous squirrel, Peanut, are speaking out after the New York State Department of Environmental Conservation (DEC) and Chemung County Department of Health released a joint statement on Friday afternoon announcing both Peanut, as well as Fred the raccoon were euthanized and set to be tested for rabies. This comes after Peanut and Fred were seized by the DEC from Longo's residence on Wednesday morning.

On Thursday afternoon, WENY News spoke with Mark Longo after Peanut and Fred were initially taken by NYSDEC officials. At that point, Longo and Peanut's fans were working diligently to try and bring him home, not knowing he would be euthanized.

The DEC and Chemung County Department of Health released a joint statement on Friday announcing Peanut and Fred's fate. Below is the full statement:

"Joint Statement from the New York State Department of Environmental Conservation and Chemung County Department of Health

The Chemung County Department of Health and the New York State Department of Environmental Conservation (DEC) are coordinating to ensure the protection of public health related to the illegal possession of wild animals that have the potential to carry the rabies virus. On Oct. 30, DEC seized a raccoon and squirrel sharing a residence with humans, creating the potential for human exposure to rabies. In addition, a person involved with the investigation was bitten by the squirrel. To test for rabies, both animals were euthanized. The animals are being tested for rabies and anyone who has been in contact with these animals is strongly encouraged to consult their physician. Please see About Rabies | Rabies | CDC for more information."

WENY News spoke with Mark and Daniela Longo shortly after the statement was released, who said they were not made aware by the DEC that the two animals had been euthanized. The Longos said they had attempted to make contact with the agency after their search, and had been met with no response.

"We did not get a statement from DEC," said Mark Longo. "We got another news station to call us to let us know that they euthanized Peanut and Fred on the same day that they left our place after they ransacked my entire house. I don't have feelings. I am utterly shocked. I'm disgusted."

The pair took to Instagram after they heard the news to let their fanbase know and thank them for the support.

In the video, Longo says, "... I want to continue to fight the fight as much as I can but we need all of you to come together and help us. Please continue to help us raise money for the ongoing legal battles and for our nonprofit so we can help keep Peanut's name alive."

 

A GoFundMe was started on Thursday to help with steep legal fees as well as repair the damages to the animal sanctuary that occurred during the search.

The Longos also spoke with WENY this afternoon at their nonprofit, P'Nut's Freedom Farm and Animal Sanctuary, to share some of their thoughts at this time.

To start with, Longo says he believes Peanut did not bite any officials during the investigation. In the joint statement, the DEC and the Chemung County Department of Health cite this as part of the reason the animals need to be tested for rabies.

"Peanut did not bite anybody," said Longo. "I have had people travel the world the world, not the neighborhood, the world to meet Peanut and he has never bitten anybody. I can 100% say that as a logical fact that he has never harmed a single person...there are a lot of unanswered questions that we demand an answer to and we are looking forward to the day that we get to present this to the courts so we can get explanations. "

Longo continued saying, "At no point did we think this was going to be as complicated as it is... you could come down on me and say I didn't have the proper paperwork, but then you need to give me an explanation as to why seven years of Peanut's life was okay in the world's eyes, in the state's eyes, it was okay. But out of one complaint, three complaints, anonymous complaints from people that don't live in this state was enough to conjure up an investigation for a squirrel...if these people would have met Peanut, they would have known why he was inside the house and was not releasable."

Moving forward, Longo says they are unsure how they are going to move forward and keep their sanctuary up and running to help other animals without its namesake. Daniela Longo says they are always looking for volunteers, however, and they hope to start there.

"So now we have to come up with an idea and a plan how to run P'Nut's Freedom Farm, a nonprofit animal sanctuary...Our biggest source of donation was Peanut's social media. Peanut himself brought so much joy to this life to people around the world, and not only did you take it away from people, you took it away from the animals we have already rescued and any potential animals we had opportunities to rescue in the near future. But without the funding, without what we had with Peanut, without anything like that, it's all gone. You destroyed a family and you destroyed an organization helping other animals."

The Longos say the outpouring of support from the community has helped a lot. This includes people right here in the Twin Tiers and even across the world.

On Friday, Congressman Nick Langworthy also spoke out on X, formerly known as Twitter. His statement is as follows.

“I join many of my constituents and people around the country who have contacted my office today, angry and demanding answers from Governor Kathy Hochul's Department of Environmental Conservation. Reports are that following their unannounced raid of a home in Chemung County, the DEC Agents have gone ahead and unnecessarily killed their animals. The pet owner has not been afforded due process, and now his pets are dead.

This action comes today as reports have emerged of an illegal immigrant raping a five-year-old on Long Island. This demonstrates the Hochul Administration's deranged level of misguided priorities. In New York State, we have sanctuaries for illegal immigrants while innocent pets are killed.

I demand answers and will push until the administration comes clean.”

The public had created a petition that originally called to bring Peanut home. Now, the petition's goal has changed and is entitled, "Call For Justice for Peanut the Squirrel and NYSDEC Reform." As of this writing, it is up to 32,000 signatures.

"It was amazing how many wanted to help," said Daniela Longo.

"The uproar of the community and the presence from the actual world that came together for Peanut. It just shows that, you know, social media can be used for good. He brought so much joy. Reading the comments from people just shattered me. You had so many people who loved this and you took them away for what? You got a search warrant to take a raccoon and a squirrel when we have bridges down the street being burned down. So explain to me why this was more important than this society that we have right now."