Nearly three months after a viral social media sensation, Peanut the Squirrel and a raccoon named Fred, were seized by agents of New York’s Department of Environmental Conservation and euthanized, their owner is fighting for their bodies to be returned. 

In a post on X, the animals’ owner, Mark Longo, shared a petition he posted on Change.org pleading with the state agency to return his pets’ bodies so they could be buried.

“Could yall do me a huge favor and sign our petition please.

Since OCT 30th, 2024 the NY state has been silent. We want Peanut and Fred’s bodies returned so my family can give them a proper burial,” Mr. Longo wrote.

Peanut and Fred were the victims of a search by agents with the DEC that occurred in late October. The officials said they received complaints that the animals were being kept in an unsafe environment. In New York, it is illegal to keep young wildlife as pets because they are “not well-suited for life in captivity. Plus, they may carry diseases that can be given to people.” However, Mr. Longo says he was trying to get a certification for Peanut to be certified as an educational animal.

After the search, the DEC put out a bland statement, saying that its officers “seized a raccoon and squirrel sharing a residence with humans, creating the potential for human exposure to rabies.” The conservation department also alleged that Peanut bit one of its officers. They then decided to test the squirrel and Fred, the raccoon, for rabies, and they euthanized the animals to do so. 

Mr. Longo denied the allegation that Peanut bit any of the officers and noted that they were wearing thick gloves during the search.

It was later disclosed that neither animal tested positive for rabies, and the incident became a symbol of government overreach. 

Mr. Longo’s petition for the return of his pet’s bodies states, “We demand the immediate and respectful return of Peanut and Fred’s bodies to P’nuts Freedom Farm Animal Rescue. The sanctuary deserves the right to lay them to rest with the dignity and love they provided during their lives.”

It has received nearly 2,800 signatures by Tuesday afternoon. 

Mr. Longo also shared the petition on his Instagram page and noted he does not know if the state still has the bodies of Peanut and Fred. However, he said his lawyer sent a request to the state for their bodies to be preserved. 

The DEC did not respond to a request for comment from The New York Sun about the request to return the bodies of Peanut and Fred by the time of publication. 

In addition to pleading for the return of the bodies of Peanut and Fred, Mr. Longo also announced he will be releasing a documentary to tell the story of the tragic end to his pets’ lives.