Peanut, who has amassed more than half a million Instagram followers, was euthanized by officials to be tested for rabies.

Peanut, the Instagram-famous squirrel that was seized from its owner’s home Wednesday, has been euthanized by New York state officials.

The New York State Department of Environmental Conservation took Peanut, as well as a raccoon named Fred, on Wednesday after the agency learned the animals were “sharing a residence with humans, creating the potential for human exposure to rabies," it said in a joint statement with the Chemung County Department of Health.

Both Peanut and Fred were euthanized to test for rabies, the statement said. It was unclear when the animals were euthanized.

  • Talaraine
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    257 hours ago

    These animals lived with their owner for years and were consistently photographed for Instagram. Yeah, people know how bad rabies is. They clearly didn’t have it.

    And officials are saying that no wildlife rehab service in the entire state of New York could take these two in? Internet famous, celebrity animals? Man, whoever believes that, I’ve got some land to sell ya.

    • @rtxn
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      6 hours ago

      They clearly didn’t have it.

      How can you tell? The incubation period of rabies can last for years.

      Internet famous, celebrity animals?

      They were squirrels on Instagram. That amounts to nothing.

      • Talaraine
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        66 hours ago

        They mean donations to whomever takes them in. Believe me, that means something to them. These guys never even tried.