The murder of Peanut the squirrel is being investigated internally by New York State

The New York City Department of Environmental Protection has launched an internal investigation after the agency seized a squirrel named Peanut that was later euthanized, sparking nationwide outrage.

“DEC is committed to protecting the safety and well-being of wildlife throughout New York,” said a statement from local news station WETM 18 News. “An internal investigation into the matter is ongoing and we are reviewing internal policies and procedures to ensure we continue to deliver on this core mission.”

Peanut became a social media star after she was orphaned seven years ago and kept as a pet by Mark Longo in rural Pine City, New York. Longo, who posted photos and videos of the squirrel jumping and climbing on him, eating toasted waffles and wearing hats, did not have the legal permit to keep wildlife. He told CBS News that he and his wife were in the process of getting the proper paperwork.

In late October, conservation officers searched Longo’s home and seized Peanut along with a raccoon named Fred. A spokesman told the AP that the agency had received “multiple reports from the public” that Longo was illegally keeping wild animals as pets.

Days later, NYDEC and the Chemung County Health Department released a statement saying both animals were “euthanized” to be tested for rabies after Peanut bit an officer. (Animals cannot be tested for rabies without being killed because their brain tissue must be examined.)

According to the New York State Department of Health, squirrels “almost never” get rabies. But raccoons are more likely to transmit the deadly disease, and officials feared the possibility that Fred might have rabies and transmitted it to Peanut, according to a statement from the Police Benevolent Association, the union that represents New York City police officers.

The statement obtained by CBS 6 Albany also said the decision to euthanize Peanut and Fred was made by the county health department, not the state environmental agency.

NYDEC and the Chemung County Health Department did not immediately respond to HuffPost’s requests for comment, and rabies test results were not released.

Although Peanut had fans (and mourners) from across the political spectrum, his death became a major cause for conservatives who called the incident an example of government overreach. On the Sunday before the presidential election, Republican candidate Donald Trump’s campaign vowed on TikTok to “avenge” the squirrel “at the ballot box.”

The outrage over Peanut and Fred also triggered at least 10 bomb threats against government environmental agencies, a spokesman told The New York Times.

Longo, who set up an animal shelter named after the squirrel last year, appears to steer clear of any explicitly partisan comments. But he condemned the state for its wrong priorities.

“We have the resources to kill a raccoon and a squirrel, but we can’t fix the big bridges on the road?” he said on NewsNation last week. “I’m horrified.”