An orphaned squirrel known as Peanut became a social media star in recent years after his owners began posting videos of him online.

However, Peanut was recently seized and put to death by New York state officials, leading critics to charge that they are guilty of murder. 

State officials compared to Nazis

According to Fox News, the New York State Department of Environmental Conservation has been inundated with angry criticism since Peanut's death.

The owners of #Peanut the squirrel are going nuclear on government officials in New York, accusing the state of abusing power and wasting taxpayer funds to seize and kill their pet. Watch their full interview on @TMZLive here: https://t.co/1rXzVTABx1 pic.twitter.com/rtHpBOl14x

— TMZ (@TMZ) November 1, 2024

Fox News noted that one person posted a meme to X which likened agents of the New York State Department of Environmental Conservation to Nazis.

Another X user pointed out that while New York state was adamant about seizing Peanut, it has done little to address criminal aliens.

Owner provides details about raid on his home

Peanut belonged to Mark Longo, and the New York Post reported that he gave a tearful video statement on Saturday alongside his wife.

"I'm angry, I'm sad, I'm disgusted," the former squirrel owner was quoted as saying in a TikTok post. "We fight and work everyday to pay our state taxes and they turn around and they do this to a family."

The 34-year-old complained that he and his wife were prohibited from using the bathroom as agents raided the home, saying they "checked the back of the toilet to see if I was hiding anything there."

Longo later said in an interview with the Post that he "watched everybody put gloves on before they entered my house," adding, "They had gloves that you get an eagle to land on."

Fox News explained that Longo rescued Peanut after watching his mother get hit by a car, and the animal refused to leave even after he was fully grown.

Woman wrongly accused of reporting Peanut speaks out

Meanwhile, Dexerto reported that fellow TikToker Monica Kessler released a statement of her own after she was confused with the woman who has been accused of having reported Peanut to authorities.

"No, I didn’t have anything to do with a squirrel. Never reported a squirrel. Didn't know anything about Peanut the squirrel until Saturday morning," Kessler said in a video.

"It's a very sad situation, and my heart goes out to them," she stressed. "But it wasn't me. And, was this really the way we thought we should handle it anyways? Sending death threats and hateful comments?"