"The Karen that killed peanut"— Netizens debate on who complained about Peanut the Squirrel as Monica Keasler theory goes viral
On October 30, an internet sensation, Peanut the Squirrel, was seized from its home by the New York State Department of Environmental Conservation (DEC) and later put to rest. This action followed several anonymous complaints received by the DEC.
Many netizens speculated that the complaint was allegedly made by a photographer named Monica Keasler. However, so far, no media outlet has confirmed this information.
Regardless, users continued to debate the issue. For instance, X user @ErikAubin141681 commented on Sarah Fields' post, accusing Monica Keasler of being the complainant. A netizen tweeted:
"Oh the Karen that killed Peanut"
Here are some of the other reactions from X.
“So, what was this woman complaint? A single complaint warranted this response? I’m sorry. Monica Keasler and all involved should be sued for damages, filing a false report, and we need to start a fund somewhere to help these folks with legal fees. (not go fund me)” a person wrote.
“Been following this along. She is desperately trying to scrub the net of her existence. Be a shame if someone put in an FDA complaint about her Honey bullsh*t she sells eh?” wrote another.
“Why would someone complain about a pet squirrel? I bet that was probably the healthiest squirrel on the planet! I bet he had a veterinarian and all his shots. I hope she becomes famous in all the wrong ways,” a netizen wrote.
Others continued to weigh in and pointed out how the complainant must have had connections and was reportedly trying to "scrub off" her existence from the internet.
“Why did Monica delete her social media? She was okay complaining about Peanut and Fred- why is she hiding? What did she think was going to happen after she complained?” another netizen wrote.
“Monica Keasler bragged about Peanut and Fred being taken away from their family. She has deleted her accounts but we have her face and picture. Let's find out more about her and shame this evil family pets animal killer,” an individual wrote.
“We have got to find out who she may be connected to in the judicial system. Nothing and I mean nothing gets done this quickly. So why this? Very Sus,” another individual wrote.
“The irony is she was proud of it and boasted about it on Facebook,” a user claimed.
Notably, apart from Peanut the Squirrel, a raccoon named Fred was also taken from their owner Mark Longo’s home in upstate New York. In the wake of this loss, digital creator Longo told the New York Post exclusively that whoever complained about their pets did so out of jealousy. Meanwhile, DEC shared that the animals were euthanized because of rabies danger.
Exploring, in detail, Peanut the Squirrel’s owner’s remarks about their fate
Following Peanut the Squirrel and Fred the Raccoon’s seizure and eventual euthanasia by the DEC last week, their owner Mark Longo issued a statement to The Post over the weekend, alongside his wife Daniela. He said that whoever ratted them did so out of jealousy regarding their online and financial success.
Longo, who ran an animal refuge called P’Nuts Freedom Farm Animal Sanctuary and maintained an Instagram page dedicated to Peanut the Squirrel, called @peanut_the_squirrel12, shared:
“Maybe it’s someone who thinks I use this place to make a lot of money.”
Mark and Daniela also admitted that their furry pet’s social media account helped them boost their OnlyFans page, which might have made certain people jealous.
“Did this do wonders to my OnlyFans? Absolutely. It’s making a lot of money from this,” he noted.
The couple explained how they were able to buy a 35-acre property near Elmira worth $800,000 using the money from their OnlyFans fame. However, they maintained it largely due to Peanut the Squirrel’s Instagram popularity, which earned them a more family-friendly fanbase.
“I had my own kind of squirrel dad account, my own Instagram,. And it’s me doing my workouts and a lot of the times, you know, I don’t have time to make [dual] content like I used to,” Mark Longo shared.
The pet owner shared how he often used videos from both social media sites to get “double the clip views.” Recently, he was trying to dedicate himself to being a squirrel dad, even though people often linked him to his adult site’s content.
They noted that the recent incident involving Peanut and Fred made them appear in the headlines. Mark and Daniela mentioned that people have started recognizing them in public places, such as supermarkets or restaurants, and have offered them support during their loss.
Notably, immediately following the DEC's euthanasia of Peanut, Mark Longo took to Instagram to share a picture of his beloved pet, captioning it:
“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. Today at 10am Wednesday, Oct 30, 2024… The NY State DEC showed up to my house and took Peanut. He was TAKEN to the EUTHANIZED. Im in shock, disbelief, and disgusted to the people who did this to, PNUT.”
Mark Longo further shared how Peanut had been his “best friend” for over seven years and not only touched his life but many others on the internet. He also mentioned how the nonprofit P’Nuts Freedom Farm Animal Sanctuary will live on in the memory of his pet squirrel.
In brief, looking at Peanut the Squirrel’s life
Peanut the Squirrel had over 647,000 followers Instagram and a nonprofit dedicated to its name called P’Nuts Freedom Farm Animal Sanctuary, which looks after wounded or abused animals. It was often seen nibbling on treats such as waffles, jumping through hoops, sitting on the Mark and Daniela's shoulders, and moving around the house wearing cowboy hats.
Mark Longo rescued Peanut the Squirrel seven years ago after its mother was killed in a road accident in New York City, which also claimed half of its tail. Since the animal was not suited to live in the wild, the construction engineer turned digital creator continued to care for it at home.
Last Wednesday, the DEC arrived at the Longo home in Pine City with “at least six officers” and took Peanut the Squirrel and its fellow pet Fred the Raccoon after receiving anonymous complaints.
Subsequently, the DEC issued a statement in collaboration with the Chemung County Department of Health, claiming that the step was taken “to ensure the protection of public health related to the illegal possession of wild animals that have the potential to carry the rabies virus.”
The statement further noted how keeping young wildlife at home as pets was illegal as the animals were “not well suited for life in captivity” and often carried “diseases that can be given to people.”
As for why they were put down, the DEC and the Chemung County Department of Health claimed that Peanut the Squirrel bit one of the investigators. They urged anyone who came in contact with the animals to get checked by medical experts.
The animals’ deaths sparked online outrage among fans and triggered reactions from politicians such as Congressman Nick Langworthy and Assemblyman Jake Blumencranz. The former took to X to state that the DEC needed a “serious reality check on their ridiculously mistaken priorities,” while Blumencranz proposed new legislation to secure and improve animal rights called Peanuts Law: Humane Animal Protection Act.
Rich Azzopardi, a spokesperson for former New York Governor Andrew Cuomo, also sought #Justice4Peanut. U.S. Representative Marc Molinaro demanded an apology for governmental overreach. Additionally, a fundraiser on GoFundMe was established in honor of Peanut the Squirrel.