The owner of P’nut the Squirrel gave a tearful statement on TikTok, Saturday about the tiny creature’s death at the hands of New York State officials.
Mark Longo, joined by his wife, sobbed through his prepared remarks on the killing of his beloved best friend.
“I’m angry, I’m sad, I’m disgusted,” Longo said while choking back his emotions in a clip of a TikTok live.
“We fight and work everyday to pay our state taxes and they turn around and they do this to a family,” Longo said.
New York State and the Department of Environmental Conservation have faced mass public blowback for their actions.
Many of the DEC’s social media posts have gotten hundreds of comments from outraged supporters of P’nut the Squirrel.
The animal rescuer also thanked his fans and the general public for “unbelievable support.” A GoFundMe set up by Longo in P’nut’s honor has raised over $73,000.