NEW YORK – Peanut the squirrel, a pet that gained fame on social media, was euthanized by New York State wildlife officials as part of a rabies test.

Mark Longo, Peanut's owner, claimed excessive force was used to grab his pet squirrel earlier this week. State wildlife officials said it was illegal to possess the wild animal.

Longo brought Peanut the squirrel to social media fame over the past seven years. In a video posted to his Instagram account, he said through tears: “Peanut was the best thing that ever happened to us.”

The New York State Department of Environmental Conservation seized the squirrel on Wednesday along with Longo's raccoon named Fred.

“Do you need that many officers?”

“On October 30, the DEC seized a raccoon and a squirrel that shared a residence with humans, posing a risk of human exposure to rabies. Additionally, one person involved in the investigation was bitten by the squirrel. To test for rabies, both animals were euthanized,” the New York State Department of Environmental Conservation and the Chemung County Department of Health said in a statement. “The animals will be tested for rabies and anyone who has come into contact with these animals is strongly advised to consult their doctor.”

Longo said the raid on his home and farm, known as P'nuts Freedom Farm, lasted five hours.

“Do you need so many officers coming to my house to literally take my closets apart?” Longo said.

Tens of thousands of signatures in an online petition called for Peanut's return before Friday afternoon, but wild animals are considered property in New York.

Under state law, the only way to legally rescue squirrels is to become a licensed wildlife rehabilitator, a process that can take months, and to legally own a domesticated wild animal, it must also be registered as a learning animal.

“We were ready to comply, we were ready to get the paperwork, we were going to do that. We needed a little guidance from the DEC,” Longo said.

He says he plans to take legal action over what he says was excessive force in the raid.