Orphaned squirrel forms unbreakable bond with the man who raised him
- Peanut, the squirrel lost his mum after she was hit by a car, and was rescued by Mark Longo
- He now lives in a New York home with Longo and his cat
Mark Longo and Peanut the squirrel have an unbreakable bond after he rescued the orphaned animal off the streets of New York. Photo: Captured from YouTubePeanut and Mark take the idea of unlikely best friends to a new level.
Peanut is a squirrel who lives in Mark Longo’s house, and they do almost everything together.
Their bond began when Mark saw Peanut’s mom hit by a car. Unfortunately, she died, leaving the baby squirrel orphaned. No shelters could take him, and Peanut was not ready to go back into the wild alone, so Mark took him in.
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After feeding the squirrel with a bottle for eight months, Mark decided Peanut was ready to return to nature. Peanut did not appear to feel the same way.
“I released him in the backyard, and a day and a half later, I found him sitting on my porch, missing half his tail. So here I am, balling my eyes out, like I failed you as your human,” says Mark. “And I kind of opened the door, he ran inside, and that was the last of Peanut’s wildlife career.”
Since the squirrel’s return, Mark, Peanut, and Chloe the cat have lived in harmony for five years. They do everything together, from cooking to brushing teeth to hanging out on the couch. His furry friend has changed Mark’s life for the better.
“I’m grateful. And he’s made me into a lot better person in so many ways. Nicer and more patient. And, you know, you tend to let a lot of little things go now,” explains Mark.
When they started sharing their journey online, they realised they could also bring the joy they had to others. Peanut even meets his fans, bringing a smile to their faces.
“It’s cool to just give back. I’m so blessed with the opportunity to have such an incredible following for him. I just want to take full advantage of doing my best and as much good as possible,” says Mark. “Just spreading love and joy to us is the most important part of this.”