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New York authorities said they euthanized Peanut, a squirrel cared for by Mark Longo, and Fred, a raccoon, to obtain rabies-test samples after Peanut reportedly bit a state worker during a seizure at the Longo family’s Pine City home on October 30, 2024. Chemung County later reported that both animals tested negative. Records reviewed by the Associated Press in 2025 added important context: officials had discussed testing before the operation, but had also arranged a possible temporary placement for Peanut, and the final decision to test followed the reported bite.
What happened to Peanut?
On October 30, 2024, New York Department of Environmental Conservation (DEC) officers seized Peanut and Fred from Mark Longo’s home in Pine City, in Chemung County. Authorities said the operation followed reports about potentially unsafe wildlife housing and the illegal keeping of wildlife as pets. Those were the agencies’ stated reasons for investigating; they are not, by themselves, findings that Longo committed a crime.
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DEC and county officials said Peanut reportedly bit a DEC worker during the seizure. They said the animals were euthanized so officials could obtain samples for rabies testing. On November 12, Chemung County Executive Chris Moss announced that both animals had tested negative for rabies, according to the Associated Press.
Why did New York say the animals had to be euthanized?
The public explanation from DEC and Chemung County was that Peanut’s reported bite created a potential rabies exposure, and that testing required samples from the animals. WSKG/WAMC’s November 15, 2024, account of a county briefing also reported the county health official’s explanation that observation was not considered applicable in this situation.
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The negative test results answer whether rabies was detected in the samples. They do not, on their own, establish whether euthanasia was medically necessary or whether the decision-making process was appropriate. The available reporting does not settle those questions.
What did records later reveal about plans before the seizure?
In an April 22, 2025, report based on records obtained through freedom-of-information requests, the Associated Press described planning that preceded the operation. Officials had discussed the possibility of rabies testing before the search, anticipating that wildlife in the home might need testing because of human contact. A DEC worker also arranged a possible temporary placement with a wildlife rehabilitator for Peanut.
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AP’s account says the final consultation about testing took place after the reported bite. In that exchange, a county health official said both animals should be tested as a precaution. The records therefore show both advance contingency planning and a possible placement option; they do not show that the ultimate decision was made before the bite.
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1Clear out junk files and repair common Windows errors2Fix the driver behind crashes, sound loss and screen glitches3Repair Windows errors before they cause bigger problemsAP also reported two lines from internal communications that capture the debate, while not resolving it. A county health official wrote, “Sad but it has to be done,” and added, “The poor animals didn’t do anything wrong.” An earlier conservation-officer note said, “no judge will give us a search warrant for a squirrel.” AP reported the note as part of the records it reviewed; it should not be mistaken for the legal basis for the eventual warrant.
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What did the Longo family say, and what followed?
Longo criticized the seizure and euthanasia. Later reporting said he and Daniela Bittner pursued separate civil actions in 2025. Those filings represent the plaintiffs’ claims, not court findings.
A June 22, 2026, LegalClarity report said Longo filed an action in Chemung County in June 2025 and Bittner filed an action in the New York Court of Claims in August 2025. That report said neither case had reached trial by mid-2026. Their status after that point is not established here.
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Did New York change its wildlife-seizure procedures?
In April 2025, the Times Union reported that DEC was considering changes following the case. The reported ideas included a stepwise approach to seizures, body-camera use, changes related to wildlife licensing, and better coordination on enforcement and rabies guidance. These were described as proposed or under review; the available reporting does not establish that all were adopted.
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What is established—and what remains unresolved?
- Established: DEC officers seized Peanut and Fred on October 30, 2024; officials said Peanut reportedly bit a worker; the agencies said the animals were euthanized for rabies testing; and Chemung County later reported negative results for both.
- Shown in AP’s records-based account: Testing had been discussed before the search, a possible temporary placement for Peanut had been arranged, and the final consultation about testing followed the reported bite.
- Not settled by the available reporting: Whether euthanasia was medically necessary or whether the seizure and testing decisions were lawful or otherwise appropriate. The reported lawsuits are not adjudications.
- Not confirmed as implemented: The procedural changes DEC was reported to be considering, or the current status of Peanut’s Law.
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