P’Nut The Squirrel Is A Casualty Of Government Overreach [WATCH]

Chemung County officials confirmed that P’Nut the Squirrel and Fred the Raccoon, well-known animal companions with a substantial social media following, did not have rabies.

This news comes days after state agents seized and euthanized the animals from a Pine City, New York home in a controversial raid that led to public outcry.

The animals, which belonged to Pine City resident Mark Longo, were taken by state officials on October 30 in response to complaints about Longo keeping them without a license.

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After the seizure, state agents euthanized both P’Nut and Fred to conduct mandatory rabies tests, which required the animals to be decapitated.

“Results are negative,” Chemung County Executive Christopher Moss told The New York Post on Tuesday, confirming that the animals were free of rabies.

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Peanut, the squirrel that became the symbol of the Trump campaign’s finale, was innocently killed.

Peanut, the social media star squirrel who became the center of a national scandal after she was seized from her owner in… pic.twitter.com/2IP6Kx3nmO

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A recently disclosed timeline shows that state officials had recommended euthanizing the animals as early as October 23, seven days before they were taken from Longo’s home.

According to an email from the State Department of Health to Chemung County on October 23, the department recommended euthanization to allow for rabies testing, as rabies tests require brain samples.

“Wildlife cannot be confined like domestic animals, and if there was an exposure, the animals would need to be tested for rabies,” the department stated.

This message effectively sealed the fate of P’Nut and Fred, as the testing process involves decapitation.

The New York Department of Environmental Conservation (DEC) coordinated with Elmira Animal Control to arrange the euthanizations.

This sequence contradicts the DEC’s initial explanation, which suggested that P’Nut had bitten an agent during the seizure, prompting the need for rabies testing.

In reality, documents reveal that the plan to euthanize the animals was in place before the alleged bite incident.

“I’m in utter shock,” Longo said in response to the timeline. “I’d like to give you a proper statement, but for now I’ll just say, ‘Wow.’” Longo maintained that he had never been informed by officials about the fate of the animals until now.

The DEC began investigating Longo’s property following four complaints that he was keeping wild animals without proper licensing.

On October 22, the agency informed Chemung County of the situation, stating, “DEC is aware of an individual in Chemung County who is known to illegally possess an adult gray squirrel and at least four young raccoons. They may also be in possession of other illegal wildlife species.”

Upon receiving this message, the county reached out to the State Department of Health, which advised euthanizing the animals to ensure public safety against potential rabies exposure.

DEC officials reportedly conducted the seizure on October 30, with the animals euthanized shortly thereafter.

The rabies report indicated a request for “animal decap” on October 30, with the animals’ remains placed “in refrigerator” at the testing site by the following morning.

A form associated with P’Nut’s rabies test noted that he had “bit wildlife operator” on the thumb, an incident the DEC cited as a reason for the test.

However, the newly revealed timeline suggests that euthanization was already planned before the alleged bite.

Longo’s property, a rural site where he operates an animal rescue, had been home to P’Nut for at least seven years, while Fred had recently arrived in need of care.

The popular squirrel had amassed a large following online, making the seizure and euthanization particularly upsetting to fans and animal advocates.

Chemung County said the investigation remains ongoing and urged the public to wait for final details from the DEC.

In a statement, County Executive Moss said, “I would ask the public to allow the NYS Department of Environmental Conservation the amount of time necessary to complete their investigation so that many of the public’s questions can be answered.”

The public remains critical of the seizure, with many calling the state’s actions excessive and questioning the necessity of the animals’ euthanization in what some consider a clear case of government overreach.

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