Peanut the squirrel, the Instagram-famous rodent whose killing by New York State environmental officers became a brief election flashpoint, did not have rabies after all, officials have said. The animal's owner, Mark Longo, said he would file legal action ...

Peanut the pet squirrel, who was a social media star before being seized by authorities in upstate New York, tested negative for rabies after being euthanized, a county official said Tuesday.

There were complaints that wildlife was being kept illegally and potentially unsafely, but officials have faced a barrage of criticism for the seizure.