New York:

A squirrel named Peanut who was propelled to the heights of web celeb has been euthanised, New York authorities mentioned Friday, biting a authorities staffer on the best way out.

With 537,000 followers on Instagram, the domesticated black squirrel had followers world wide who delighted in his exploits, corresponding to nibbling on waffles and doffing tiny costumes.

New Yorker Mark Longo mentioned he rescued the animal after seeing its mom killed by a automobile, happening to bottle feed the infant squirrel earlier than making an attempt to launch him into the wild.

Nonetheless, the animal misplaced a part of its tail and returned to Longo, residing with him for seven years and starring in posts on the Instagram account peanut_the_squirrel12.

“Web, you WON. You took one of the wonderful animals away from me due to your selfishness. To the group of people that known as (the New York State Division of Environmental Conservation), there is a particular place in hell for you,” Longo wrote in an Instagram put up. 

He mentioned he was “in shock, disbelief, and disgusted… for the final seven years, Peanut has been my greatest buddy.”

The Chemung County Division of Well being and the New York State Division of Environmental Conservation mentioned in an announcement Friday that Peanut, together with a racoon residing with Longo, had been possessed illegally, and had been euthanised to check for rabies.

“On October 30, DEC seized a raccoon and squirrel sharing a residence with people, creating the potential for human publicity to rabies,” the Division of Environmental Conservation (DEC) mentioned. 

“As well as, an individual concerned with the investigation was bitten by the squirrel. To check for rabies, each animals had been euthanised.”

The division known as on anybody uncovered to the animals to seek the advice of a physician.

Longo wrote that “the combat goes on” and known as on supporters to donate to his authorized payments and plans for an animal sanctuary.

(This story has not been edited by NDTV workers and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)