(WETM) -- The union that represents officers from the New York State Department of Environmental Conservation (DEC) shared information about the investigation that led to the seizure and euthanasia of Peanut the squirrel, and the union is asking the public to stop sending threats to DEC employees and offices. According to a Nov. 8 statement from the State Environmental Conservation Officers’ Union, people have been making threats against DEC officers, DEC staffers, an elected judge, DEC regional offices, and employees' homes after Peanut the squirrel and Fred the raccoon were seized and euthanized at the end of October. The union is asking the public to keep in mind that the people being threatened are their friends, families, and neighbors and do not deserve to be in fear of their own lives and their families' lives for upholding the law. The union also stated that the members of the DEC who participated in executing the warrant to seize Peanut and Fred did not make the decision to euthanize the animals. Original story: Peanut the squirrel seized by DEC in Pine City The union says the Chemung County Health Department determined that Peanut and Fred needed to be humanely euthanized to be tested for rabies after Peanut bit a DEC civilian wildlife biologist through two pairs of protective gloves. The DEC was required to contact the health department and turn over Peanut and Fred alive due to the injury. According to the union, squirrels typically don't carry rabies, but raccoons are a species known to be a vector for rabies. Due to Peanut and Fred cohabitating, there was a chance for animal-to-animal transmission. The union's statement says the DEC began the investigation that led to the seizure in January 2024 after several New York State licensed wildlife rehabilitators filed complaints about Mark Longo, Peanut and Fred's owner, operating an illegal wildlife sanctuary. According to the union, an Environmental Conservation Officer informed Longo that keeping a squirrel is illegal unless he's a licensed wildlife rehabilitator and preparing the animal to be released into nature. The union says Longo told investigators that he had released the squirrel into the wild. Related: Chemung County Sheriff’s Office addresses ‘Peanut the Squirrel’ situation amid influx of calls/emails According to the union, the DEC continued to receive complaints, and DEC management ordered an investigation. The union says an investigator reviewed Longo's social media accounts and discovered that he had not released Peanut the squirrel into the wild. The investigator also saw that Longo had taken in a raccoon through social media as well. The search warrant that authorized officers to seize Peanut and Fred was issued by a judge based on Longo's social media posts. The union also clarified that three uniformed Environmental Conservation Officers secured the 80-acre property, several plainclothes investigators conducted the search, and three DEC wildlife employees who were not police officers were involved in serving the warrant. The union says this investigation is still ongoing at this time, and it shared the information it's currently able to. Those who would like to read the union's entire statement can do so by clicking on this link.