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Palmer sent out a letter to his patients Tuesday evening explaining his involvement in the killing of Cecil the lion. He said he was in Zimbabwe during early July on a bow hunting trip for big game and that he \"hired several professional guides and they secured all proper permits.\"

He continued, \"To my knowledge, everything about this trip was legal and properly handled and conducted. I had no idea that the lion I took was a known, local favorite, was collared and part of a study until the end of the hunt. I relied on the expertise of my local professional guides to ensure a legal hunt. I have not been contacted by authorities in Zimbabwe or in the U.S. about this situation, but will assist them in any inquiries they may have.\"

\"PHOTO:
Amy Forliti/AP Photo
PHOTO: This photo shows the dental offices of Walter James Palmer in Bloomington, Minn., on July 28, 2015.
>

\"Again, I deeply regret that my pursuit of an activity I love and practice responsibly and legally resulted in the taking of this lion,\" he added. \"That was never my intention.\"

But many were not satisfied with Palmer's apology and protesters descended upon on the Minnesota dentist by flooding his social media, creating online petitions and mocking him on parody accounts.

\"Five Stars at being a miserable excuse of a human being,\" a user by the name of Thomas D. wrote on the Yelp page of Palmer's dental practice. \"You are not a hunter but a coward!\"

Palmer did not immediately respond to ABC News' requests for additional comment, and his dental practice remained closed Thursday morning.

ABC News' Louise Dewast contributed to this report.

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