Packing Heat on the Beat

12.22.08 | Terry Diener

Humane officers in Pennsylvania soon will start carrying guns. It is part of an S.P.C.A. policy change that meant to increase the safety of officers in the field.
 
The Pennsylvania Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals approved the decision recently and officers will be armed starting in January. The officers will receive training before being armed. A spokesman said the guns are to be used only for self-protection...not to euthanize animals.

There is also a bill in the state legislature that would give humane officers civil immunity when investigating animal cruelty cases.