Overview

• Peanut the squirrel, a social media sensation, was seized and euthanized by New York's Department of Environmental Conservation after a raid on owner Mark Longo's home.
• Authorities acted on public reports of unsafe wildlife housing, citing a need to test Peanut and a raccoon for rabies after a reported bite incident.
• The euthanization has drawn significant criticism from right-wing figures, including Elon Musk and MAGA Republicans, who see the act as a symbol of government overreach.
• Longo, who has cared for Peanut for seven years, has expressed deep anguish over the incident and criticized the DEC's handling of the situation.
• The controversy has become a focal point in political discourse, with figures like Senator JD Vance and Representative Marjorie Taylor Greene using it to rally against perceived Democratic policies.