Who was Peanut the Squirrel? Owners of the rodent reportedly suing the state of New York of $10 million

Peanut the Squirrel, an eastern grey squirrel, was a popular social media sensation who had acquired several followers. Last year, Peanut the Squirrel and another pet raccoon owned by Daniela Bittner and Mark Longo were euthanized by DEC officials. According to The New York Post, the couple is now seeking $10 million from the state of New York for the mishandling of the case regarding their beloved pets that led to their deaths.

On October 30, 2024, several officers from the New York Department of Environmental Conservation visited the P'Nuts Freedom Farm and Animal Sanctuary in Pine City, New York. They had arrived there after someone tipped them off about the couple keeping a squirrel and a raccoon as pets. According to reports, both animals cannot be kept as pets according to the laws of the state of New York, leading to both being confiscated by the officials following their arrival.

More about Peanut the Squirrel, as the couple seeks $10 million from the state of New York for the death of their pets

Peanut the Squirrel was a social media star in his own right with over 930k followers on Instagram. He was rescued by Mark Longo back in 2017 after the death of his mother and had since been living with him. In a 2022 interview with USA Today, Mark Longo reminisced about how, despite his attempts to release Peanut into the wild, the squirrel kept returning to him. He said:

"I released him in the backyard, and a day and a half later, I found him sitting on my porch, missing half his tail. So here I am, balling my eyes out, like I failed you as your human. And I kind of opened the door, he ran inside, and that was the last of Peanut's wildlife career."

According to USA Today, the couple, who owned Peanut the Squirrel and Fred the Raccoon, issued a forty-four-page filing through their lawyer, Nora Constance Marino, stating that the incident was worsened by the Department of Environmental Conservation's refusal to return the bodies of their beloved pets or allow them the opportunity to grieve properly. The lawsuit read:

"We hope to obtain justice, not just for my clients and the violation of their rights, but for Peanut and Fred, and all animals. We hope that Peanut's and Fred's deaths will not have been in vain. Peanut and Fred were executed by the defendants, not euthanized."

It further added:

"I do have a lot of fight. It's fight and grief, and it's hard to grieve when you know you're being challenged on so many levels. But the outcome needs to be a positive one, and I don't want to sit here and be the victim anymore."

After Peanut the Squirrel and Fred the Raccoon were seized by the DEC agents, Peanut allegedly bit the agent who was holding him. This allegation prompted the decision to test both animals for rabies, something that can only be done after the animals are euthanized.

Their deaths sparked an outcry on social media, with many criticizing the harsh manner in which the case was handled. At that time, following the backlash, the acting commissioner of the Department of Environmental Conservation, Amanda Lefton, released a statement, accepting that the situation regarding Peanut the Squirrel's death should have been handled better. She said:

"We have carefully reviewed all the public feedback and we understand the distress caused to communities throughout the state. We know that we can do better moving forward."

The DEC has not yet released a statement regarding the lawsuit. Back in April this year, the couple also pushed for new legislation called "Peanut's Law: Humane Animal Protection Act" to be passed. If the legislation passes, it would establish a seventy-two-hour waiting period before an animal taken from a sanctuary can be euthanized.

×

Was this article helpful?

Thank You for feedback