Penn State police K-9 handler placed on leave after report of animal abuse

A Penn State police officer was placed on administrative leave in July after the department received a report of possible animal abuse by one of its K-9 handlers, a university official said Monday.

The department immediately referred the report to state police, which is investigating the report, university police public information officer Jenn Cruden wrote in an email on behalf of the department Monday. The dog has since been boarded, she said.

The university declined to release the officer’s name because the investigation is ongoing and no charges have been filed. State police trooper and public information officer Joseph Dunsmore on Tuesday confirmed the department has been investigating the report, but declined to comment further.

Penn State Police Officers’ Association President Josh Quimby, who is also one of the university’s three K-9 handlers, declined to comment Tuesday.

The K-9 unit was established in the 1990s and provides security services at university infrastructure throughout the state. The unit responds to more than 30 emergency calls for service annually, ranging from investigating bomb threats at schools and businesses to providing security at large scale venues.

University police Lt. Matt White, who supervises the university’s K-9 unit, said Cruden’s statement was made on his behalf and declined to comment further.