Peanut, who has amassed more than half a million Instagram followers, was euthanized by officials to be tested for rabies.

Peanut, who has amassed more than half a million Instagram followers, was euthanized by officials to be tested for rabies.

Peanut, the Instagram-famous squirrel that was seized from its owner’s home Wednesday, has been euthanized by New York state officials.

The New York State Department of Environmental Conservation took Peanut, as well as a raccoon named Fred, on Wednesday after the agency learned the animals were “sharing a residence with humans, creating the potential for human exposure to rabies," it said in a joint statement with the Chemung County Department of Health.

Both Peanut and Fred were euthanized to test for rabies, the statement said. It was unclear when the animals were euthanized.

  • KyuubiNoKitsune@lemmy.blahaj.zone
    2518·
    2 days ago

    This is such fucking bullshit, so you corner an animal, it bites you, then you shoot the animal because it bit you?

    I hope you never own or work with animals.

    • finitebanjo@lemmy.world
      178·
      2 days ago

      No, you surgically remove the animal’s brain tissue to test for rabies and ascertain whether more serious treatment is required for the bitten. It should also be noted that the animals were never vaccinated themselves, because even if a provider were in the area the man with the animals was never certified as a rescue and rehab after seven years.

      Handing over the animals safely and with minimal harm would be the handlers responsibility, the inspector being bitten is the fault of the handler.