ELMIRA, NY (WENY) -- Chemung County officials are released additional information Tuesday regarding the seizure and euthanization of an internet-famous squirrel and raccoon last month. The county executive and public health director held a press conference to share details about the days leading up to the incident, and why the animals were euthanized to test for rabies. 

The press conference comes after the PBA of NYS, the union that represents Department of Environmental Conservation officers, released a statement on November 8th which addressed alleged threats and calls for violence made against DEC staff in the wake of the animals' deaths. The statement also alleged that the Chemung County Health Department made the determination to euthanize both animals; something Chemung County Executive Christopher Moss refuted Tuesday.

"So the statement from the union was a little bit surprising, so we thought we needed to set the record straight on the health department’s role in a case like this and what they did and didn’t do, so the public knows that," Moss said. 

Moss laid out a timeline of the health department's role, which began with an initial complaint to the department on October 19th. That complaint was forwarded to the NYS DEC, and Elmira Animal Control on October 21st, as the CCHD does not handle these types of complaints. Over the course of the next several days, correspondence from the DEC said it had also received three complaints about the owners of Peanut the Squirrel and Fred the raccoon, Mark and Daniela Longo, and the agency had already been investigating. According to Moss the DEC also inquired to the health department about testing the animals for rabies, and advised it would be seizing the animals on October 30th.

Below is the timeline shared by Moss at Tuesday's press conference: 

10/19/24: Chemung County Health Department’s Environmental Health Services (EHS) receives a complaint via e-mail regarding Mark and Daniela Longo, Town of Southport having a raccoon and squirrel in their home despite not having been granted licensure by DEC.

10/21/24: Complaint forwarded to the NYS DEC and Elmira Animal Control.

10/22/24: NYS DEC contacted CCHD advising them that “DEC is aware of an individual in Chemung County who is known to illegally possess an adult gray squirrel and at least 4 young raccoons. They may also be in possession of other illegal wildlife species”. DEC further inquired “We would like to know if the Health Department would recommend these animals be tested for rabies as a precaution for human safety”.

10/23/24: CCHD contacts New York State Department of Health (Zoonosis Program) who stated “wildlife cannot be confined like domestic animals, and if there was an exposure, the animals would need to be tested for rabies. Exposure is typically from a bite but can also be caused by saliva entering a wound or mucous membrane. NYS DEC stated that they had received (3) additional complaints that same day and that DEC was already in the process of investigating the Longos.

CCHD notified NYS DEC on guidance provided by NYSDOH Zoonoses and what would be needed if the animals were seized from the home. CCHD would need to know if there was an exposure and a list of those who had been exposed to animals. CCHD advised to look for potential wounds that may help make a determination. CCHD further advised residents to compile a list of people that may have had bite or mucous membrane exposure or significant direct prolonged contact, more than petting. CCHD offered to be contacted to discuss and evaluate findings to assist in making exposure determinations while being
removed.  

10/24/24: NYS DEC contacts CCHD requesting complainants phone number. DEC advised that CCHD did not have the complainants phone number. 

10/29/24: NYS DEC contacts CCHD advising that they will be seizing animals on Wednesday, 10/30/24, and inquired if CCDH uses the Elmira Animal Control for euthanization. NYS DEC contacts Elmira Animal Control to inquire about euthanization process.

10/30/24: NYS DEC conducts search warrant, contacts CCHD and advises that one squirrel and one raccoon were seized and during the execution of the search warrant and the squirrel bit someone, later identified as a DEC employee. Both animals were euthanized later in the day to be sent for rabies testing.

"On the 30th, the DEC contacts the health department and advises that one squirrel and one racoon were seized, and during the execution of the search warrant the squirrel bit someone, later identified as a DEC employee. Both animals were euthanized later in the day, to be sent for testing," Moss said. 

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According to Moss, euthanization orders are typically completed at the request of the agency, during animal-related investigations. The county said it followed state protocols in regards to rabies testing. The animals were taken for testing to Elmira Animal Control. Results of the testing for both the squirrel and raccoon were negative. 

The New York State DEC previously said that during the animals' seizure at the property, the squirrel had bitten a DEC agent through gloves. 

"One thing we will look at in the future is the expeditious manner in which these animals were euthanized, and could we have waited another day or two to see what was going on. Nobody was aware of the social media presence of either one of these animals, and whether that would have played a role or not, once the animal bit a human, it was only a matter of time before the testing needed to be conducted," Moss said. 

The Longos' social media accounts for Peanut the Squirrel have garnered millions of followers across TikTok and Instagram. News of the Peanut and Fred's seizure and euthanization sparked global outrage, resulting in threats against DEC staff, and members of the Chemung County health department. 

Moss said in the future, the county will review if time can be extended in potential future cases, as opposed to the wildlife being euthanized immediately for testing. In the case of domestic pets, there is typically a ten day hold; this does not apply to wild animals, according to Chemung County Public Health Director, Pete Buzzetti. 

"According to the state DOH, there is a lot of data on rabies incubation between the times of exposure, between humans and in our pets, dogs, cats, ferrets. That same scientific data does not exist for wildlife, thus rendering the confinement or isolation not applicable," said Buzzetti. 

"The protocol is what the protocol is. Had we known this was an alleged internet sensation, I don't think the outcome would be any different at the end of the day, to be honest with you," Moss said.

The county executive said they have been in contact with the acting DEC Commissioner, Sean Mahar, daily since the animals were seized, and the agency is doing an internal investigation into the matter. 

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The full statement by the PBA of NYS is below:

Albany, NY (November 8, 2024) – The union representing New York State’s Environmental Conservation Officers today called for calm in the wake of the recent seizure of a squirrel and raccoon in Chemung County. The misinformation propagated on social media has resulted in unconscionable threats against Environmental Conservation Officers and DEC staffers’ lives, along with threats to blow up regional DEC offices and employees’ homes and even targeting an elected Judge.

The public has been greatly misled by a barrage of social media messaging that painted a partial picture of the investigation and triggered violent threats fueled by misinformation. Our Environmental Conservation Officers understand and accept that they risk their lives every time they begin a shift, but they should never fear for their safety or that of their family for doing the job they have taken an oath to do. We ask that the public keep in mind that these people are their friends, family, and neighbors and do not deserve to live in fear for upholding the law.

While the investigation is on-going and certain facts cannot yet be disclosed, we can provide the following information.

The investigation was initiated in January of this year when several New York state licensed wildlife rehabilitators filed complaints with the agency that Mark Longo was operating an illegal “wildlife sanctuary.” Following-up on these complaints an Environmental Conservation Officer contacted Mr. Longo informing him that keeping a squirrel is illegal unless he was a licensed wildlife rehabilitator with the intent of preparing the animal to re-enter nature. Mr. Longo told investigators that the squirrel had been released to the wild.

After the warning was issued, complaints continued to be received by DEC, and DEC management ordered an investigation. A DEC Investigator conducted a review of Mr. Longo’s social media accounts which showed that Longo had lied to the investigator and had not released the squirrel into the wild. In addition to keeping the squirrel in violation of the law, Longo also had taken in a raccoon which appeared in social media postings as well. Mr. Longo’s social media posts were the basis for the search warrant issued by a judge.

Media reports portrayed the seizure as being carried out by “10-12 agents of the state” – making it sound as if it were a tactical raid. In truth there were three uniformed Environmental Conservation Officers who were responsible for securing an 80-acre compound, several plain clothes Investigators who carried out the search pursuant to the warrant, and three DEC wildlife employees who were not police officers.

After locating the squirrel, it bit one of the DEC civilian wildlife biologists through two pairs of protective gloves. Due to the injury the Chemung County Department of Health was contacted, and the squirrel and raccoon were turned over alive. The Chemung County Department of Health made the determination to humanely euthanize both as it is the only way to test for rabies as rabies testing requires taking a sample of brain matter. While squirrels do not typically carry rabies, the cohabitation with the raccoon (a species known to be a vector for rabies) opened the possibility of animal-to-animal transmission which placed the wildlife biologist in potential danger. This was unfortunate, but the decision was not made by the Environmental Conservation Officers, Investigators or DEC wildlife biologists participating in the service of this warrant.