The death of P’nut the Squirrel has led to a surge in donations, with an online fundraising page receiving over $158,000 in cash just days after the squirrel was euthanized by New York state officials. This has caused outrage among the community and local lawmakers. The GoFundMe page set up for P’nut’s owners, Mark and Daniela Longo, has received more than 3,800 donations, with the total amount raised reaching just over $158,500 as of early Monday.
P’nut, a seven-year-old gray rescue squirrel, along with his companion raccoon, Fred, were seized and euthanized by state Department of Environmental Conservation officials following anonymous complaints about rabies fears. This incident has led to a proposed legislation to improve animal-rights statutes by a state lawmaker, who has termed the bill “Peanuts Law: Humane Animal Protection Act.” The hashtag “#Justice4Peanut” has been trending on social media as a result of the public outcry over the squirrel’s death.
The donations received through the fundraising page are being directed towards P’nut’s Freedom Farm, a 350-acre animal refuge run by the Longos near Elmira in upstate New York. DEC officials confiscated P’nut and Fred from the property after obtaining a warrant to search the premises due to concerns about the raccoon. P’nut, known for being friendly and docile, bit an agent during the search, prompting a rabies test. The authorities then announced on Friday that both animals had been euthanized.
The Longos suspect that someone may have anonymously reported them to officials because they were using P’nut’s social media fame to promote their adult content subscription service, OnlyFans. The couple hinted at the possibility of jealousy or resentment from someone who believed they were making substantial profits using the animals. Mark Longo acknowledged that the attention garnered by P’nut’s death had significantly boosted traffic to their OnlyFans account and increased their earnings.
The Longos have expressed shock and sorrow over the loss of P’nut and Fred, with Mark stating that the squirrel’s death had impacted their livelihood and reputation. The couple is focusing on honoring P’nut’s memory by continuing to operate their animal sanctuary and advocating for improved animal welfare laws. The public response to the incident has highlighted the importance of animal rights and welfare, encouraging lawmakers to consider stronger legislation to protect animals and prevent similar tragedies from occurring in the future.
