A New York man is fighting to get back the internet-famous squirrel seized by authorities

NEW YORK (TNND) — A New York man said he is trying to get his squirrel back after authorities removed the wild animal from his possession due to complaints.

An online petition was launched for Mark Longo on Change.org, with supporters rallying to reunite him with his beloved pet, Peanut.

Longo claimed there were multiple anonymous complaints about Peanut – also spelled P’Nut or PNUT – with at least six state Department of Environmental Conservation (DEC) agents raiding his home on Wednesday.

He said officers took Peanut, as well as Fred, a raccoon he was rehabilitating.

“Well internet, you won. You took one of the most amazing animals from me because of your selfishness. To the group of people who called DEC, there is a special place in hell for you,” Longo wrote on Instagram.

Longo, who runs an animal sanctuary inspired by Peanut called P’Nuts Freedom Farm Animal Sanctuary, said he was shocked and disgusted. He said he rescued Peanut seven years ago after seeing the squirrel’s mother fatally hit by a car.

He brought Peanut home, where he rehabilitated the animal for eight months before attempting to release the squirrel back into the wild.

“A day and a half later I found him sitting on my porch with half his tail missing and his bone sticking out,” Longo said.

Longo determined that Peanut didn’t have the survival skills to live in the wild and a squirrel would stay indoors – and soon an Instagram star was born.

Today, Peanut has more than 530,000 followers on Instagram. For Longo, he is much more than a social media sensation.

“He has been the center of my world and many of yours for so long, I don’t know how to emotionally process this,” Longo said.

Longo said he misses his little buddy and fears the animal has been euthanized.

“I don’t know if Peanut is still alive,” he told The Associated Press on Thursday. “I don’t know where he is.”

A DEC spokesperson said in a statement that the agency launched an investigation after receiving “multiple reports from the public regarding the potentially unsafe housing of wildlife that can transmit rabies and the illegal keeping of wildlife as pets. ”

The DEC spokesperson did not respond when asked whether Peanut had been euthanized.

The petition collected more than 18,000 signatures on Thursday evening.

“In the interest of Peanut’s well-being, we respectfully ask the Department of Environmental Conservation (DEC) to reevaluate their decision and return him to his family,” the petition said. “Peanut is a beloved squirrel who has been displaced from his home, and we need your support to advocate for his safe return.”

The petition also noted that a GoFundMe account had also been set up to help Longo with legal fees during his fight to get Peanut back.

“Your contributions will go directly toward these vital legal costs and help us return Peanut to the loving environment he deserves,” the petition said. “Every donation, no matter the size, makes a difference and brings us one step closer to reuniting Peanut with his home.”

Longo thanked everyone for the support and said he was focused on Peanut’s return, as well as the other animals in his care.

P’Nuts Freedom Farm Animal Sanctuary opened in April 2023 and is now home to about 300 animals, including horses, goats and alpacas, said Longo, who runs the sanctuary with his wife Daniela and other family members.

Longo is aware that it is against New York state law to own a wild animal without a permit. He said he was in the process of filing paperwork to have Peanut certified as an educational animal.

As for Fred, Longo said he had only had the raccoon for a few months and hoped to rehabilitate the injured creature and return him to the woods.

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EDITOR’S NOTE: The Associated Press contributed to this report.