New York state authorities have seized Peanut, an Instagram-famous pet squirrel with over 500,000 followers, from his owner Mark Longo, 34, in Pine City after multiple anonymous complaints about "unsafe squirrel housing." Officials from the state Department of Environmental Conservation conducted a five-hour raid on Wednesday involving at least six officers, also seizing a raccoon named Fred. Longo, who rescued the orphaned Peanut seven years ago and, inspired by him, started the Pawsitive Sanctuary, is pleading with authorities to return his beloved pet amid fears that Peanut may be euthanized. An online petition has been launched to bring Peanut back home.
