US authorities seize Instagram-famous squirrel

The man caring for an internet-famous squirrel named Peanut is pleading with New York authorities to return it after it was seized by authorities.

The state Department of Environmental Conservation (DEC) raided the home of Mark Longo on Wednesday following complaints of potentially unsafe housing for the animal.

“To the group of people who called DEC, there’s a special place in hell for you,” Mr Longo said in an Instagram post announcing the seizure, adding that he did not know if the ash-coloured rodent had been euthanised.

A petition for the animal’s return had more than 20,000 signatures on Friday morning.

In subsequent posts on Instagram on Thursday, Mr Longo said he was raising money for legal fees against the DEC.

A DEC statement said an investigation had been launched after receiving “multiple reports from the public about the potentially unsafe housing of wildlife that could carry rabies and the illegal keeping of wildlife as pets”.

The squirrel’s current condition was not made clear by the DEC.

Mr Longo took Peanut in seven years ago after he spotted the baby squirrel by his mother who had been hit by a car.

He cared for Peanut until he was strong enough to be released, but said he found Peanut back on his porch the following morning with “a chunk of his tail missing”.

Peanut’s Instagram account has amassed more than 500,000 followers in the time since.

The account features videos of Peanut playing out skits with Mr Longo, occasionally dressed in hats, often climbing over him or being hugged, and regularly eating waffles.

During the raid, the DEC also seized a raccoon Mr Longo had acquired in recent months and named Fred.