P’Nut the squirrel was ‘marked for death’ and decapitation from the start – now rabies test results reveal a tragic twist

P’Nut the Squirrel and Fred the Raccoon did not have rabies, officials announced – as it was revealed the animals were marked for death and decapitation just days before they were killed. seized by the state.

Internet-famous P’Nut and his raccoon friend were forcibly removed from an upstate New York home during a raid by state agents on October 30. This led to outrage and accusations of government overreach when the pets were euthanized to test for rabies.

“The results are negative,” Chemung County Executive Christopher Moss told The Post on Tuesday.

A newly revealed timeline shows government officials advised the province to euthanize the pets for a full seven days before removing them from their unofficial caretaker Mark Longo on Oct. 30 — even though the Department of Environmental Conservation later said the squirrel had bitten a cop during the raid. , which created the need for the test.

“Wild animals cannot be confined like pets, and if exposure were to occur, the animals would need to be tested for rabies,” the Ministry of Health wrote to the province on October 23 – a message that could almost determine the fate of the animals. sealed. , as Rabies testing requires decapitation so that subjects’ heads can be opened and their brains sampled.

Days later, on Oct. 29, the DEC had announced their plans to raid Longo’s home, but the DEC was also already coordinating the euthanasia of the animals with Elmira Animal Control, the county’s timeline shows – in direct contradiction to their earlier statement that P’Nut had put him up to it. own euthanasia.

“I’m in total shock,” Longo told The Post when shown the timeline. “I’d love to give you a good explanation, but for now I’ll just say ‘Wow.'”

Longo – who says he has yet to receive word from officials about the animals – previously emphasized that the animals were free of rabies.

The DEC initiated the operation when it contacted Chemung about four complaints that Longo was keeping the animals in his home without a permit, the province said.

“DEC is aware of an individual in Chemung County who is known to illegally possess an adult gray squirrel and at least four young raccoons. They may also be in possession of other illegal wildlife species,” the DEC said in a notice to the province on October 22. “We would like to know if the Ministry of Health would recommend having these animals tested for rabies as a precaution for humans. safety.”

That message prompted the county to contact the state health department, which then issued the lethal rabies test recommendation.

Eight days later, the DEC raided Longo’s home and took the animals, and they were put down the same day.

“Animal decap requested on: 10/30/24,” read a rabies report for P’Nut and Fred, also released by Chemung County.

Before noon the next day, the animals’ bodies were “in the refrigerator” at the rabies testing site. The fate of the bodies has not been released.

P’Nut’s rabies report did indicate that he bit “wildlife operator” on the thumb – but the timeline indicates that the animals’ deaths were planned before the bite.

Before noon the next day, the animals’ bodies were “in the refrigerator” at the rabies testing site. The fate of the bodies has been revealed.

P’Nut’s rabies report did indicate that he bit “wildlife operator” on the thumb — and Chemung County confirmed that the DEC requested a rabies test due to P’Nut’s resistance — but the timeline indicates that the death of the animals before the bite was planned. .

The DEC did not respond to a request for comment.

Longo’s home in Pine City is a large rural estate that functions as an animal shelter. Fred had recently been dropped off on their doorstep and was in need of care, while P’Nut had lived as a pet with Longo and his wife for at least seven years before they were taken away.

P’Nut gained a huge following on social media before his death. News of his fate sparked public outrage, with many decrying the government’s overreach and overreaction over the seizure, with Longo saying he was being treated like a “terrorist.”

Chemung County said the investigation into the situation is still ongoing.

“I would ask the public to allow the NYS Department of Environmental Conservation the amount of time necessary to complete their investigation so that many of the public’s questions can be answered,” said Chemung County Executive Christopher Moss , in a statement.