Famous squirrel Peanut and injured racoon Fred were put down by New York’s Department Of Environmental Conservation (DEC) this week to determine whether or not they had rabies.
Elon Musk has weighed in on the controversial euthanisation of a pet squirrel that became famous on social media, calling it “deeply wrong”.
Peanut the squirrel – known to his fans as P’Nut or PNUT – was rescued by Mark Longo seven years ago after he saw its mother being hit by a car in New York City.
With more than 533,000 followers on Instagram, the unusual pet could be seen wearing a cowboy hat, nibbling on waffles, jumping through hoops and sitting on the 34-year-old conservationist’s shoulder.
However, after a number of anonymous complaints, New York’s Department of Environmental Conservation (DEC) seized Peanut – as well as a raccoon called Fred – from Mr Longo’s home in Pine City on Wednesday.
Both animals were euthanised, the DEC and Chemung County Department of Health confirmed on Friday.
They said the animals had been euthanised so they could be tested for rabies after Peanut bit someone involved in the investigation.
Mr Longo, who runs an animal refuge inspired by his squirrel called P’Nuts Freedom Farm Animal Sanctuary, said he had not seen the squirrel bite anyone during what he called a “heavy-handed” and “hours-long” search at his home near the Pennsylvania border.
‘Heartless killing machine’
Musk, who has been a vocal supporter of Donald Trump in the run-up to the US election, has commented on the story and jumped on the opportunity to criticise the Biden administration.
On his platform X, the Tesla CEO posted an AI-generated image of a squirrel as the Star Wars character Obi-Wan Kenobi bearing a lightsabre, with the message: “‘If you strike me down, I will become more powerful than you could possibly imagine’ Obi PNut Kenobi”.
In an earlier reply to a question on X asking, “What kind of person do these agencies employ? Who has it in them to murder a bloody pet squirrel?” Musk wrote: “The government is a mindless and heartless killing machine”.
Musk, who is the world’s richest man, has been using his wealth and influence to campaign on behalf of Mr Trump, with particular focus on key swing states.