The state is probing how its agents bungled the hours-long raid on an upstate New York home that led to the tragic death of internet-famous squirrel P’Nut — as The Post identified the lead investigator behind the bushy-whacking.
The Department of Environmental Conservation said it is conducting an “internal investigation” into the much-criticized seizure of P’Nut and Fred the raccoon at Mark Longo’s Pine City home.
Both animals were euthanized and decapitated as the state claimed it tested them for rabies after P’Nut bit one of the agents on the hand during the raid. An unconvinced Longo said the officers wore heavy protective gloves.
“An internal investigation into the matter is ongoing, and we are reviewing internal policies and procedures to ensure we continue serving this core mission,” a DEC spokesperson told The Post Friday.
But Gov. Hochul’s office, the DEC, the state Health Department and the Chemung County Health Department continued to refuse to share the results of any testing on the animals or the status of the allegedly wounded official — despite the viral disease being a deadly public health risk.
Hochul promised early in her tenure to make transparency “the hallmark” of her administration. Her office has not responded to several inquiries from The Post.
“You claimed rabies. . . but you haven’t made a public comment on it?” a heart-broken Longo, 34, told The Post of the state’s reticence. “As a taxpayer, is my life and what you caused me not good enough to respond?”
A DEC spokesperson instructed The Post to file a Freedom of Information Law request in response to multiple requests for the rabies test results, which it has done, while a dispatcher directed a reporter to a hotline set up for P’Nut callers to leave messages.
“They’re realizing in hindsight, this got out of hand, they did not handle it well,” state Sen. Dan Stec (R-Warren) said of the state’s response.
“I can’t think of any legitimate or lawful reason to conceal the results of the rabies test. It’s a matter of public health,” he added. “Where is the state secret here? Whose interest are they protecting?”
On Oct. 30, around 10 DEC agents descended on Longo’s 350-acre property, where he runs an animal sanctuary with his wife, in addition to caring for Fred and P’Nut in their home. The couple rescued the squirrel seven years ago after its mother was killed by a car and they kept it as a household pet. Fred was rescued just a few months ago.
DEC Investigator Joshua Crain executed the search warrant after receiving a sign-off from Chemung County Judge Richard W. Rich Jr. the day before, according to court documents.
The warrant noted Crain’s suspicions that the couple was unlawfully housing a gray squirrel and raccoon, but made no mention of rabies or any other imminent dangers.
Crain was named Wildlife Officer of the Year in 2022 by a conservation-based group, with the DEC lauding a work philosophy, ironically, that “promotes education first and enforcement when needed.”
“What happened in my house, if you think that was an educational [action] — I don’t know,” seethed Longo, who plans on suing the DEC.
Crain and Rich did not respond to multiple requests for comment. Chemung County Executive Chris Moss declined to comment.
P’Nut’s death has incensed critics around the country, who point to the raid as a stark example of government overreach and misplaced priorities.
The official Donald Trump campaign TikTok account posted that P’Nut was “needlessly murdered by Democrat bureaucrats in New York.” Longo, who believes P’Nut’s plight may have helped get Trump elected, hopes the president-elect will visit his sanctuary.
Outrage over the squirrel’s death has sparked at least 14 bomb threats to DEC offices across the state, none of which were found to be credible, according to State Police spokesman Beau Duffy.
The Police Benevolent Association of New York State, the union repping DEC’s law enforcement agents, pleaded for calm on Friday, noting “misinformation” shared online had led to violent threats against the agency’s staff and a judge.
DEC’s investigation into Longo dated back to January, when the agency first received complaints that Longo had been unlawfully housing a squirrel, the union said. Officials issued him a warning, and Longo claimed he had released P’Nut into the wild.
The subsequent raid last week came after the agency received additional complaints, prompting a review of Longo’s social media posts that revealed he had lied and had continued to house P’Nut while also taking in a raccoon, the organization noted.
“We ask that the public keep in mind that [DEC officers] are their friends, family, and neighbors and do not deserve to live in fear for upholding the law,” the union said.
Additional reporting by Tina Moore
