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.

Peanut the squirrel, a pet that became a social media star, has been euthanized after New York state authorities seized it during a raid.

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.