Peanut the Squirrel is officially in the clear, testing negative for rabies after his death, but get this — it’s also emerged that both he and Fred the Raccoon were set for the chopping block days before they were seized in a raid … and their owner is absolutely livid over it.
Mark Longo didn’t hold back, telling TMZ it’s hard to stomach the bombshell revelation that 4 different agencies had already given the green light to euthanize his pets 7 days before they were even taken from his Upstate New York property on October 30.
The New York Post reports state officials advised the county to euthanize the animals a week before the raid was launched. This news contradicts the New York Department of Environmental Conservation’s claim that Peanut had bitten an agent during the raid … supposedly necessitating the rabies test. Animals must be euthanized to properly test for rabies.
A Chemung County, New York official said in a Tuesday news conference … tests on the 2 animals returned negative for rabies.
Mark tells us he’s been left in the dark, finding out key details through news outlets while the agencies haven’t even bothered to give him a courtesy call with updates in the investigation.
He adds officials have been investigating him since January, and he’s gearing up to slap the entire state with a major lawsuit.
Heartbroken, Mark shares with us he’s been waiting to get Peanut’s and Fred’s bodies back so he could properly plan a funeral. He’d hoped to hold it this weekend — but without their return, he’s now thinking of hosting a memorial at his animal sanctuary, P’Nuts Freedom Farm Animal Sanctuary, instead.
TMZ.com
Mark’s not letting this slide — he’s out for justice for Peanut, and it’s not just him. The whole country’s feeling this heartbreak and is backing him up, wanting answers just as badly.