After New York's State Department of Environmental Conservation (DEC) seized and euthanized an unregistered pet squirrel belonging to a couple in Bath County, it sparked massive outrage on social media. The DEC was informed about the squirrel, named Peanut, by an anonymous tip. Now, some people on the internet are claiming that the person who tipped off the DEC is a Texas woman named Monica Keasler.
The claims are as yet unverified, as the DEC has not revealed the name of the person from who the tip was received. How. A user called Tala Smith claimed on X that Keasler is a photographer based out of the southern state of Texas. As per Smith, the woman allegedly went on to brag about reporting the squirrel on her Facebook account. However, since the death of the squirrel made national headlines, Smith claimed that the woman has deleted her LinkedIn and Instagram.
New York State law requires all wild animals to be registered with the DEC before being kept as pets. However, despite staying with owner Mark Longo and his wife Daniela Longo for over seven years, the squirrel was not registered. Mark Longo said in an interview with the Associated Press that he was in the process of getting the squirrel registered as an educational animal.
Also read: Who Are Mark And Daniela Longo? Owners Of ‘Peanut The Squirrel’
Peanut the Squirrel, along with a raccoon named Fred, were seized by the DEC during the raid at Mark Longo's house in Bath County last week. The DEC claimed that the squirrel bit one of the officers during the raid, and later, the animals tested positive for rabies. The department subsequently euthanized both animals due to rabies testing.
Peanut the Squirrel was a social media sensation with thousands of followers across platforms. He performed tricks with owner Mark Longo, that frequently went viral on social media. Since its death, it has caused a massive uproar, drawing in personalities like Donald Trump and Elon Musk