Instagram famous squirrel euthanised after being seized by US authorities

Peanut was seized by officers from the state Department of Environmental Conservation (Mark Longo/AP)

An orphaned squirrel that became a social media star called Peanut was euthanised after state authorities seized the beloved pet during a raid on his caretaker’s home, authorities said.

After anonymous complaints, officers from the state Department of Environmental Conservation (DEC) took the squirrel and a raccoon named Fred from Mark Longo’s home near the Pennsylvania border in rural Pine City on Wednesday, Mr Longo said.