This is currently the most talked-about story in the United States, overshadowing even the U.S. election news. The story is about a squirrel named “Peanut,” who was given this name by his owner. Years ago, the owner created an Instagram account for Peanut, and the squirrel became a social media sensation with nearly 600,000 followers, turning into one of the most famous pets online.
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Yesterday, police raided Peanut’s home in New York, taking him along with another animal, a raccoon, and subsequently killing both of them. Newspapers and TV channels rushed to cover the story, conducting video interviews with Peanut’s owner and his wife. Appearing on media in tears, they claimed that Peanut was literally part of their family and accused the police of abducting and killing him.
Social media erupted in outrage, with countless posts condemning the police for killing Peanut. A petition has been launched, gathering over 40,000 signatures so far, demanding accountability for the killing. Additionally, activists have raised $60,000 on GoFundMe to support Peanut’s owner, compensating him for the emotional distress, with donations still pouring in.
In a statement, Peanut’s owner, Mark Longo, said, “They killed my squirrel brutally. I raised him for over eight years, and he became a member of our family. Ten officers raided my house and searched it for five hours as if they were after a dangerous criminal or drug dealer. They took my beloved Peanut and treated him like a terrorist.”
The state of New York issued a statement after the case gained public attention, claiming that Peanut and the raccoon were suspected of having rabies, necessitating their killing to allow brain and tissue testing, which could only be conducted postmortem.
As of now, the state has yet to confirm the presence of rabies in the deceased squirrel, further fueling public outrage.
