The controversy over Peanutthe pet squirrel and social media sensation seized by the state Department of Environmental Conservation and euthanized last week, has raised questions about who can and should care for wildlife in New York.

Having a squirrel as a pet is illegal in the state and only people with certain wildlife permits can handle and house them. Peanut’s owner, Mark Longo of Pine City in western New York, told authorities he was trying to obtain permits to operate a wildlife center and had saved the squirrel as a baby after his mother was hit by a car about 7 years ago. Longo could not immediately be reached for comment Wednesday.

The DEC declined to comment to Newsday. But the agency said in a statement that it was following up on complaints made when Peanut – also called P’Nut or PNUT – bit “a person involved in the investigation” and had to be checked for rabies, which cannot be done on live animals. A raccoon named Fred living in the house was also euthanized and tested for rabies.

The incident sparked outrage locally and nationwide from animal lovers who believe officers overreacted. Bomb threats were made at several DEC facilities and bills were proposed, according to media reports.

Here’s what you need to know about housing squirrels, raccoons and other wildlife in New York.

Can I have a squirrel or raccoon as a pet in New York?

State No. regulations state that “no person shall possess a live black, gray or fox squirrel, raccoon” or other wildlife such as opossum, coyote, weasel, bobcat and red fox.

Raccoons are also listed as an animal that “poses a danger to the health and welfare of the state’s population…or native wildlife populations” alongside wolverines, badgers, bears, skunks, elephants and others. Wildlife experts also point out that squirrels and raccoons are probably happier outside than in a house or apartment.

Who is allowed to handle and house squirrels and raccoons?

Volunteer wildlife rehabilitators allowed by the state are authorized to detain injured wild animals and “provide necessary assistance” with the goal of releasing them into the wild. They cannot “display or display animals to the public.” A wildlife rehabilitator who wishes to care for bats, raccoons, and skunks needs state accreditation to be a rabies vector-specific wildlife rehabilitator.

Some wildlife centers, such as the Sweetbriar Nature Center in Smithtown and the Evelyn Alexander Wildlife Rescue Center in Hampton Bays, have additional permits to keep animals that cannot be released into the wild because they are too seriously injured or have other problems. The centers care for these animals, house them and work with them to educate the public.

Can I get rabies from a squirrel or raccoon?

Any mammal can be infected with rabies, according to the state Department of Health. But the agency said squirrels, as well as chipmunks, rats, mice, guinea pigs, gerbils and hamsters “almost never” catch rabies.

Raccoons, along with bats, foxes and skunks, are considered a rabies vector species, that is, animals that can carry and spread the disease. According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, bats are the most common animal with rabies in the United States and most rabies deaths in the country involve people who have been exposed to bats.

What should I do if I see a baby squirrel? Can I help him?

Not only are baby squirrels cute, but they will approach people if they are hungry or orphaned.

“These babies instinctively come down from their nest and literally approach anything that looks alive and try to get food from it,” said Janine Bendicksen, director of wildlife rehabilitation for the organization. Sweetbriar Nature Center in Smithtown, which cares for many orphaned and displaced young squirrels. “We get calls from people saying a squirrel is climbing on their leg. It’s probably hungry.”

People should call a wildlife rehabilitator for advice and try to help the squirrel return to its natural habitat, she said.

“Mothers come back for their babies if they explode out of the nest or if a predator knocks them out of the nest,” Bendicksen said. “The first thing you’re going to do is try to get it together.”

But some people are tempted to keep them because they are very affectionate as babies, she said. This attitude changes during adolescence, when they reach sexual maturity and are less docile..

If they’re illegal, why are there so many squirrels and other wildlife on social media?

In some cases, people on social media are licensed rehabilitators showcasing their work on behalf of animals. However, many do not have permits and give people a false impression of wild animals, according to John Di Leonardo, president of Humane Long Island, an animal rights organization.

“Squirrels and raccoons don’t want to live in a house,” he said. “We are seeing more and more people simply rehabilitating animals when they have no training, no experience and no access to veterinary care. We have a serious rehabilitation problem across New York State and , with social media, it is growing exponentially.”

Lisa joined Newsday as an editor in 2019. She previously worked for amNewYork, the New York Daily News and the Asbury Park Press, covering politics, government and general assignments.