Instagram-famous squirrel named Peanut seized by New York state authorities
Associated Press
A New York man who turned a rescued squirrel into a social media star called Peanut is pleading with state authorities to return his beloved pet after they seized it during a raid. Mark Longo says at least six officers from the state Department of Environmental Conservation seized the squirrel from his upstate home on Wednesday. They also took a raccoon named Fred. Longo says he rescued Peanut after the little squirrel’s mother was hit by a car. Peanut now has hundreds of thousands of followers on Instagram, TikTok and other platforms. A spokesperson for the DEC says the agency started an investigation after receiving multiple reports.