P’Nut’s owner believes squirrel’s death may have ‘played role’ in Trump’s landslide victory, invites prez-elect to his farm
PINE CITY, New York — He’s for small government — in a nutshell!
The heartbroken owner of P’Nut the euthanized rescue squirrel invited President-elect Donald Trump to his upstate farm Friday — declaring the animal’s death at the hands of state officials may have “played a part” in his landslide victory.
Mark Longo — whose lovable Internet sensation pet was killed by state agents late last month — said the wild case of government overreach could have tipped the scales to Trump for some voters in the 2024 election.
“Maybe P’Nut played a part in his victory. I’m not quite sure. I’ll never know but I would like to keep a little piece of me knowing that [P’Nut] might have made a change here, and that’s what I want the most,” he told The Post Friday.
Longo, who said he didn’t vote this election and considers himself “not political,” said it would be “an honor” for the president-elect to visit his animal sanctuary in leafy Pine City, where wildlife agents seized P’Nut along with Fred the Raccoon during a five-hour raid.
“President Trump, congratulations on winning the presidency,” he said. “It’s the voice of these two animals hoping to make change.”
P’nut — a 7-year-old gray squirrel who posed in an adorable cowboy hat on Instagram — was put down along with Fred so the animals could be tested for rabies, according to the Department of Environmental Conservation.
Their deaths quickly became a rallying cry for right-leaning lawmakers and celebrities, including Elon Musk and Joe Rogan, who said the killings are an example of how the US is no longer “free.”
Trump and local candidates, meanwhile, accused New York Democrats of “overreach.”
Longo, who plans to file a lawsuit over the death of his beloved pets, said left-leaning lawmakers have meanwhile failed to support him in the weeks that followed the euthanization.
“The Democrats have been completely silent. They haven’t said a word, ” he said.
“My squirrel didn’t die from natural causes. I have to live in a state that killed him,” he said. “Still to this day, as we are talking, I haven’t received any comment or apology. Nothing.”
Longo said he now wants Gov. Kathy Hochul to pass a law that protects animals deemed pets from being euthanized by government officials.
Longo — who rocks a tattoo of his beloved late squirrel on his calf — said he’s raising money via Gofundme to care for other animals at the sanctuary, which is home to 150 animals including 74 horses.
“The money will continuously help us here build new construction, get new fences up, build a horse stable,” he said.
On Friday, he had another breed of supporter — Wilma Redder, 64, a resident of Elmira, who tried to file a complaint about P’Nut with the Department of Health but was turned away.
“I just want to know why you would kill someone’s animal when they had it for seven years,” she said. “I think this place should be shut down.”
“It bothers me. You know, I ran over my cat that I had for like 10 years, and I know how these people feel to have something abruptly taken away just like that,” she said between sobs.
“I’m just pissed, you know! I’d like to just punch someone. This state is f—ked up!”
