Peanut the squirrel stole our hearts. Now he's a symbol against government overreach
Peanut the squirrel and Fred the racoon have captivated people across the nation − and rallied those who find the animals' euthanasia at the hands of the government unjust.
That fervor has only grown stronger as the legal ramifications continue to unfold. Nora Marino, an attorney for Mark Longo and Daniela Bittner − Peanut and Fred's owners, confirmed to Paste BN that the couple has filed a notice of intention to make a claim on the state of New York over the killing of their pets.
Weeks after the deaths of Peanut and Fred, why do so many people still care about this squirrel and raccoon − and what motivates people like Longo and Bittner to keep wild animals as pets in the first place?
As one X user put it: "The squirrel isn't just a squirrel. Peanut is for everyone who has ever feared that someone more powerful than you could walk into your home and take something that you absolutely cherish away from you, for absolutely no good reason, with no recourse."
Why do people keep wild animals as pets?
In late October, Peanut and Fred − who both became social media stars on Longo's accounts − were taken from Longo's home in Pine City, in the south-central part of New York along the Pennsylvania border.
The county's health department and the New York Department of Environmental Conservation said in a statement at the time they received reports about "potentially unsafe housing of wildlife that could carry rabies and the illegal keeping of wildlife as pets." Two days later, the agencies announced the animals were euthanized to test them for rabies.
Keeping wildlife as pets, though largely illegal, is more common than many may think. Rachel Tindal, who runs the Rochester-area Chip & Chloe Squirrel Rescue, previously told Paste BN lots of people keep squirrels in particular as pets "on the down low."
She said this is because it's common for someone to come across an injured squirrel or similar animal and want to help it. Many of these people, however, usually realize soon after that squirrels are not suitable house pets.
"Pet squirrels are never a good idea," Tindal said. "They're very destructive. They're aggressive. They're very difficult to care for in captivity."
Longo first took in Peanut seven years ago when he found the squirrel as a baby. Longo saw Peanut's mother get hit by a car and die, so Longo took Peanut in when he couldn't find a rescue organization that would take him. At first, it was meant to be temporary so that Peanut could go back to living outdoors when he was able, but Longo told Paste BN in 2022 that Peanut didn't do well when he was released and got injured trying to live outdoors, so Longo brought him back in.
Steve Dale, an animal behavior consultant, says that, while he doesn't recommend adopting wild animals, those that do often have good intentions.
"People do bring in these animals," he says. "To bring that animal in just tells me that person has a great heart."
What do Peanut and Fred mean to people?
On social media, people have rallied behind Longo and called for justice for Peanut and Fred, not necessarily because they're animal rights activists, but because of what the animals' deaths have come to mean in pop culture.
To many, the killing of Peanut and Fred embodies government overreach and their own frustrations with bureaucracy in general.
"#justice for not only peanut and Fred but for anyone who’s ever gone through the pain of government overreach," Longo wrote on Instagram, along with a video of him with Peanut. "We will not go unheard"
Other social media users have expressed similar sentiments.
"3 letter agency's think they are allowed to control us," wrote one X user. "Peanut Party is coming."
"Let’s not forget how bureaucracy and regulation overreach killed #Peanut_the_Squirrel," wrote another.
Dale says it should come as no surprise that the deaths of Peanut and Fred have resonated with the American public. Americans by and large, he says, have a major soft spot for animals. When an animal gets wrongly killed − whether at the hands of government officials or anyone else − it's bound to spark outcry, he says.
"Had it been a neighbor that came over and summarily killed the squirrel ... if that gets to millions of eyeballs, I think you'd have the same response," he says. "The primary response is that something happened to an innocent animal and an innocent person for no good reason."
Is it legal to keep squirrels and other wildlife as pets?
For those thinking of keeping their own Peanut at home, it's important to note keeping squirrels as pets remains illegal in many states. In some states, like Idaho, certain species of squirrels are allowed to be kept as pets, but only following a strict permitting process.
In New York, squirrels cannot be pets. Tindal previously told Paste BN that if you find a squirrel or other animal that needs help in that state, you should find a licensed wildlife rehabilitator to take care of it and ultimately release it back into the wild.
Some squirrels fail at rehabilitation and are deemed unsuitable to go back into the wild because they have imprinted on the humans caring for them and never develop typical squirrel survival skills. But for a squirrel to become as affectionate and loving as Peanut is very rare, Tindal said.
Contributing: Jeanine Santucci and Greta Cross, Paste BN