Outrage over P’nut the squirrel’s death continues with bomb threats called in at 10 NY state offices
Ten New York State Department of Environmental Conservation offices were hit with bomb threats Monday as outrage over the killing of internet sensation P'nut the squirrel boiled over.
The DEC offices from Tarrytown to Buffalo faced bomb scares tied to the controversial decision to euthanize P'nut after the agency raided the property of the furry creature's owner in Elmira last week, law-enforcement sources said.
The threats prompted Gov. Kathy Hochul to finally break her silence on the scandal — though she did not actually address the raid or P'nut's death.
"Over the last 48 hours at least 10 bomb threats have been called in to the Department of Environmental Conservation," Hochul's office said in a statement.
"Governor Hochul strongly condemns these outrageous threats of violence and is grateful to the New York State Police for their work to investigate these threats and support the state workforce."
The governor's office has been less forthcoming on P'nut's death — neither Hochul nor the DEC have responded to repeated requests for comment over the past week.
Owners Mark and Daniela Longo, who gave their furry pal the run of the 350-acre upstate spread they named "P'nut's Freedom Farm," have been besides themselves since the intrusion by the state, which was apparently sparked by complaints over a racoon named Fred that the couple had also taken in.
P'nut and Fred were both euthanized to be tested for rabies after they were seized by DEC agents during the raid.
The incident has sparked widespread indignation from some unexpected corners of the universe — including Capt. Kirk himself.
"I just heard about #PeanutTheSquirrel," actor William Shatner, beloved for his portrayal of Captain James T. Kirk on the sci-fi classic "Star Trek," wrote on X . "He was 7 years old & a pet for 7 years. How could he be considered a wild animal when all he knew was being a pet?
"You can say that about any animal, then in the State of NY. Shame on the Sen. JD Vance, former President Donald Trump's running made in Tuesday's presidential race, threw his hat into the controversy at a rally on Sunday .
"I know Don's fired up about P'nut the squirrel," Vance said of Trump.
"He was like, 'You know, is it really the case that the Democrats murdered the Elon Musk of squirrels?'" Vance continued.
"Have you seen the videos of this squirrel? He's, like, a genius. Or he was," the VP hopeful said at the rally in Sanford, North Carolina. "The same government that doesn't care about hundreds of thousands of illegal immigrant criminals coming into our country, doesn't want us to have pets. It's the craziest thing."
Others have also made their displeasure known — and have so far donated more than $180,000 to a Gofundme page collecting cash for the Longos called "in honor of P'nut and Fred: Support P'nut's Freedom Farm."
Mark Longo and his wife have said P'nut's huge online fan base helped drive traffic to the lucrative porn content the couple post on their spicy OnlyFans page.
He Longo continues to mourn the loss of his long-tailed companion.
Longo broke down in tears during an exclusive interview with The Post, saying he found an almond in his pocket — P'nuts' favorite snack — and it brought back painful memories.
"P'nut put his almonds all over my house, all over my pants and my clothes," he said. "It's just a little reminder of, you know, him always being here."
Despite the silence from the statehouse, one lawmaker in Albany was also inspired to propose new legislation to beef up animal rights in the Empire State.
Titled "Peanut's Law: Humane Animal Protection Act," the proposal from state Assemblyman Jake Blumencranz would mandate a 72-hour waiting period before animals from sanctuaries can be put to sleep and sets up an appeal process for their owners.
