Peanut the squirrel, a pet that became a social media star, has been euthanized after New York state authorities seized it during a raid.

Peanut the Squirrel's owner, Mark Longo, shares a tearful message on Instagram, after his pet squirrel and raccoon were euthanized by authorities. The internet-famous wildlife animals were confiscated by Department of Environmental Conservation officials,

Peanut the squirrel and Fred the raccoon were confiscated and euthanized that week, here’s how the incident became political.