The Squirrel That United New York: A Tale of Love and Loss

Meet Mark Longo, a man who loved his pet squirrel, P’nut, more than anything. Last Saturday, Mark took to TikTok with his wife, tears streaming down their faces. They were heartbroken over P’nut’s untimely death at the hands of New York State officials. "I’m angry, I’m sad, I’m disgusted, " Mark said, his voice choked with emotion. The tiny creature was seized and euthanized by the state, sparking a massive public outcry. The New York State Department of Environmental Conservation (DEC) faced a storm of criticism on their social media pages. Hundreds of comments flooded in from supporters who were outraged by P’nut’s fate. Mark, an animal rescuer, was grateful for the overwhelming support. A GoFundMe page set up in P’nut’s honor raised over $73, 000, and the couple received countless warm messages from fans. The story started on Wednesday when DEC agents raided Mark and his wife’s Pine City residence. They were searching for Fred the raccoon, an animal known to carry rabies. The search lasted five hours, with Mark and his wife waiting outside the entire time. They weren’t even allowed to use their own bathrooms without a police escort. On Friday, the DEC announced that both P’nut and Fred were euthanized to test for rabies. They claimed P’nut, who was known for his friendly and docile nature, had bitten an agent. Mark questioned this claim, recalling that the agents wore gloves upon entering their home. He demanded an investigation into the DEC’s actions and filed a motion to access the medical records of the officials involved.