SNL's shocking bestiality joke after Peanut the Squirrel's death

Saturday Night Live viewers were left appalled at a series of sexually crude jokes that mocked Peanut the squirrel, an internet-famous pet that was euthanized by New York officials. 

The furry social media sensation - along with his raccoon friend Fred - were removed from their owners' home on October 30 by the New York State Department of Environmental Conservation (DEC), and put down two days later. 

In the weeks since, social media users have raged against the DEC, especially because Peanut tested negative for rabies after allegedly biting an official.

But now, they're turning their ire toward the Saturday Night Live crew for jokes they say were made in poor taste.

On the Weekend Update, Colin Jost introduced cast member Sarah Sherman dressed as a squirrel wearing a black hat and shawl, proclaiming she was Peanut's widow.

Amid an astonishing commitment to the mannerisms of a squirrel, Sherman made an obvious reference to the fact that Peanut's owner Mark Longo has an OnlyFans account with his wife.

Longo has said he thinks officials raided his home and took his animals because of his 'spicy social media presence.'

Sherman took that and ran with it, saying of Peanut, 'He wore little cowboy hats on Instagram. He stuffed his cheeks on OnlyFans. Both sets.'

She also joked about how Peanut bit a cop 'like a damn hero' and how he was decapitated afterward.

Animals need to have their brain removed to test for rabies, which requires them to be decapitated.

A large portion of the comedy was also dedicated to Peanut's widow being lonely, which had Sherman 'feeling up' Jost with her tail.

'Found a couple of acorns,' she said, later begging Jost to 'touch me.' 

Many people were disgusted by the segment or felt it was too soon to take jabs at Peanut.

'This is horrible. Disgusting and in bad taste,' one person wrote on X.

'How can you joke that soon about something so horrifying?' another wrote.

'Vile behavior,' another said. 'This current cast gets to take full credit for the downfall of this great American show.'

'This is in bad taste, justice for Peanut!' a fourth said.

However, some viewers thought the segment was funny, many of whom praised Sherman's performance and dedication to the bit.

'Sarah’s my favorite cast member. Everything she’s in is hilarious,' one person wrote.

'Sarah Sherman is the funniest human being alive,' another said.

'This is fantastic,' a third wrote. 

The DEC, the agency that euthanized Peanut - also sometimes spelled P'Nut or PNUT - said it had received complaints that wildlife was being kept illegally and potentially unsafely at Longo's upstate farm.

Longo runs an animal sanctuary with his wife Daniela - and they each have a large social media presence that promotes their OnlyFans content. 

Longo has said he was in the process of filing paperwork to get Peanut certified as an educational animal when he was seized. 

'The DEC came to my house and raided my house without a search warrant to find a squirrel!' Longo said. 'I was treated as if I was a drug dealer and they were going for drugs and guns.'

He also had harsh words for the people who called the authorities on him.

'You took one of the most amazing animals away from me because of your selfishness. To the group of people who called DEC, there's a special place in hell for you,' Longo said.

The incident has sparked a series of at least 14 bomb threats targeting DEC offices, which state police have found to be non-credible. 

Peanut's death became a bizarre election talking point after a fake Trump post that appeared to condemn the seizure and subsequent death of the squirrel went viral.

Eventually, the official Donald Trump campaign TikTok account condemned Peanut's death as an act of 'needless killing' by 'Democrat bureaucrats in New York.'