Peanut, the Instagram-famous squirrel that was seized from its owner's home Wednesday, has been euthanized by New York state officials. The statement said one of the officials involved in the investigation into Peanut and Fred was bitten by the squirrel. Longo brought Peanut him home, ultimately caring for the squirrel for eight months before trying to release it back into the wild. Since then, Peanut has won over the internet's hearts, amassing 537,000 followers on his Instagram page run by Longo. To the group of people who called DEC, there’s a special place in hell for you," Longo wrote on Peanut's Instagram Wednesday.

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Persons: Fred, Mark Longo, Peanut, Longo, " Longo, Peanut's, ” Organizations: The New York State Department of Environmental, of Health, of Environmental, AP, DEC, Upstate Locations: New York, Chemung County, Pine City, N.Y, New York City, Pine County , New York, Upstate New York