Former owner of Peanut the squirrel, viral pet euthanized by NY officials, detained by ICE
The wife of the New York man whose viral pet squirrel Peanut was seized and euthanized by wildlife officials in 2024 has been detained by immigration authorities.
Key points
- OWNERS OF BELOVED PEANUT THE SQUIRREL PLAN TO SUE NEW YORK STATE OVER SEIZURE AND KILLING BY AUTHORITIES "She came into this country legally on a visa.
- Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) in mid-October at a small airport near New York's border with Pennsylvania, according to The Associated Press (AP).
- The couple reportedly made an error on one of her immigration forms and failed to catch it while dealing with the seizure and euthanasia of Peanut.
PEANUT THE PET SQUIRREL TAKEN AWAY BY NEW YORK STATE OFFICIALS FROM ADOPTED HOME, MAY BE EUTHANIZED Longo said Bittner has no criminal history and was hit with the maximum penalty, potentially facing deportation without a hearing, according to The Post.
Additional details
- Longo had rescued Peanut when he was just 5 weeks old after the squirrel's mother was reportedly struck and killed by a car.
- "They had asked for additional information, which we provided, and then apparently they sent a letter stating that it was denied because we filed the wrong paperwork, which we never received," he said.
- However, DHS said she was arrested because she "chose to overstay her welcome in defiance of our nation's laws." "To be clear, a pending application does not confer legal status in the United States," DHS told the Post.
- The animal later became a viral social media sensation, amassing a large following online.
- Her arrest has also cast uncertainty over the couple's nonprofit animal rescue operation, where Bittner reportedly cares for 600 animals rescued from neglect.
How this summary was made: extractive summary — built from the sources' own reporting. It is drawn only from the reporting of the sources listed below — read the originals for full detail. How we summarize →
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