Preston schools had a visible police presence Thursday after a post surfaced on Facebook encouraging violence against the Preston School District amid controversy over science teacher Robert Crosland allegedly feeding a puppy to a snapping turtle.

“The threat was reported to the Federal Bureau of Investigation last night by local law enforcement,” Superintendent Marc Gee announced on the district website Thursday morning. “Preston City Police Chief (Mike) Peterson and Franklin County Sheriff (David) Fryar have met with district administrators and have determined that the threat warrants continued police presence as a precaution, but that it does not pose a credible threat to the safety of our students.”

EastIdahoNews.com reported Thursday that the snapping turtle has been confiscated from Crosland by Idaho Fish and Game officers.

“The Department of Agriculture sent an official request to the Idaho Department of Fish and Game asking us to seize the snapping turtle under the Department of Agriculture’s authority,” Fish and Game spokeswoman Jennifer Jackson told EastIdahoNews.com. “Officials from the southeast region of the Department of Fish and Game took the turtle and gave it to the Department of Agriculture.”

The Idaho Department of Agriculture told KIFI Local News 8 on Friday that authorities had humanely euthanized the turtle because it is considered an invasive species.

The story about Crosland allegedly feeding the reportedly sick puppy to the snapping turtle in front of three students at Preston Junior High School last week has been covered by media across the globe and has gone viral on the internet. Authorities said they are investigating the puppy's death as a possible case of animal cruelty. 

The Franklin County Sheriff's Office and Preston Police Department have released very few details about the incident and haven't even revealed who reported the puppy's death to them.  

Gee said that although police have been deployed to Preston schools, all of the schools will be open as normal. But parents are welcome to excuse their children from attending school if that is their choice, he said.

Gee would not confirm reports that Crosland has taken leave from his teaching position at Preston Junior High School, but the superintendent did comment on how backlash from the controversy is affecting the School District.

“It has been a difficult situation,” Gee said. “My teachers and my administration have risen to the occasion and they have done their very best to make sure their students have a good educational experience despite everything that is going on in our community.”

Threats, hate and general negativity are not limited to the School District — other parties involved say they have experienced their share since stories about the teacher surfaced earlier this week.

The mother of the two boys in Crosland’s classroom at the time of the turtle incident last week said she has been disheartened by the hateful comments directed toward her family.

One of the most difficult things for Farahlyn Hansen — who has defended Crosland — has been trying to reconcile that people who claim to be animal lovers are also quick to attack human beings and have left the most vile and vulgar comments on social media.

“I am really struggling with that today,” she said Wednesday afternoon. “That is where the inhumanity is, and it is so hypocritical to me.”

A parent on the other side of the issue, Jill Parrish, said she planned to check her daughter out of school and leave town for a while. Parrish said she was one who called the police after hearing rumors of what happened within Crosland’s classroom.

“Everybody loves him … I am the only one willing to say this is not OK,” Parrish said Tuesday.

She claims someone was following her at one point as a result of her speaking out. She has received messages from both supporters and critics from “all over the world,” including a call from PETA.

Effects on the Crosland family are not as easily discernible. Kim Tracy, who says she is a friend of the family, reports the Croslands have been subjected to harassment from all over the country, and their lives have been in danger.

She is one of several to initiate various petitions distributed on social media in support of the longtime Preston science teacher. While her petition on Change.org is centered on effecting change in how the media has reported the story, another petition, titled “We support Crosland,” seeks to show the Preston School District just how many people stand behind the science teacher.

“He is one of the only teachers that cares about his job and is willing to go the extra mile to give every chance possible to help them succeed. This man can do no wrong in my mind and it would be a shame if the School District didn’t treat him with the same respect that he has given to his students over his several years of dedicated service,” Mike Kelley wrote on that petition’s page, which had been digitally signed by more than 3,000 people as of Thursday evening.

Another Change.org petition is asking officials to hold Crosland accountable.

“We find his actions to be repulsive, inhumane, evil, and also illegal. We are calling on the authorities of Franklin County, Idaho, to take appropriate action and terminate his employment with the School District, arrest and charge Robert Crosland for the crime he committed in front of school children,” the description for the petition titled “Terminate and Prosecute Robert Crosland” states.

It had more than 2,500 signatures as of Thursday evening.

According to Idaho state code, any person who is cruel to any animal, causes an animal to be cruelly treated or procures an animal to be cruelly treated shall be punished in accordance with the law.

If a person is convicted and it is a first offense, the offender faces a maximum sentence of six months in jail and a $5,000 fine.

The Franklin County Prosecutor's Office reported this week that it was handing the Crosland case over to a prosecutor in another Southeast Idaho county to handle because of a conflict of interest. But it has not been released who that prosecutor is or when a decision on possible charges against Crosland will be made. 

The Idaho State Journal contributed to this report.