Elon Musk calls euthanasia of celebrity squirrel Peanut 'mindless, heartless'

Tesla CEO Elon Musk slammed the administration of United States President Joe Biden and called it a “mindless and heartless killing machine” after New York state officials confiscated the internet-famous squirrel Peanut and gave him euthanasia.

Thousands of people took to social media to mourn the death of the beloved squirrel who had a massive fan following and was known to captivate people with his heartwarming videos and charming antics.

“President Donald Trump will save the squirrels,” wrote Musk on X, along with the emoji of a squirrel and a crying face and added, “RIP P'Nut.” He shared the image of the squirrel sitting on the back of its owner Mark Longo.

He said that the government was a “mindless and heartless killing machine.”

President @realDonaldTrump will save the squirrels 🐿️ 😢

RIP P’Nut pic.twitter.com/yoIBV0Okpd — Elon Musk (@elonmusk) November 2, 2024

“If you strike me down, I will become more powerful than you could possibly imagine” Obi PNut Kenobi pic.twitter.com/dD2Xo0fSkr — Elon Musk (@elonmusk) November 2, 2024

In a follow-up post, Musk shared an AI-generated image of Peanut - which was inspired by the Star Wars character Obi-Wan Kenobi and was holding a lightsaber - and said, “If you strike me down, I will become more powerful than you could possibly imagine,” he said, adding, “Obi PNut Kenobi.”

Also Read:Squirrels board Gatwick train, 'attack' passengers, forcing its cancellation

Here's why Peanut the squirrel was euthanised

The squirrel was rescued by its guardian Mark Longo after he saw the mother of Peanut getting hit by a car in Connecticut.

The Department of Environmental Conservation (DEC) seized Peanut and Fred the racoon after receiving multiple complaints regarding wild animals living in the Longo house.

Longo reached out to the fans for financial aid to get through the “legal battle”.

The DEC, however, said that Peanut was docile and had bit the hand of one of the investigators when he was getting confiscated from his Elmira home on Wednesday.

“In addition, a person involved with the investigation was bitten by the squirrel. To test for rabies, both animals were euthanised. The animals are being tested for rabies and anyone who has been in contact with these animals is strongly encouraged to consult their physician,” read the DEC statement, as reported by the WETM.

Taking to Instagram, Peanut's guardian Mark Longo announced his death. “P’nut was the best thing that ever happened to us. RIP MY BEST FRIEND. Thank you for the best 7 years of my life. Thank you for bringing so much joy to us and the world. I’m sorry I failed you but thank you for everything,” wrote Longo on the social media platform.

“Well internet, you WON. You took one of the most amazing animals away from me because of your selfishness. To the group of people who called DEC, there’s a special place in hell for you,” he added.

(With inputs from agencies)