CENTRE COUNTY — The Centre County Sheriff’s Office announced on Dec, 19, 2024, that Deputy Mark Rusnak will step into the role as the new Humane Society Police Officer.
“We are thrilled to announce the addition of a Humane Society Police Officer to our team,” a Facebook post from the Centre County Sheriff’s Office announced. “Deputy Rusnak has successfully completed training at the Pennsylvania Academy for Animal Care and Control and is ready to help us better protect the animals in our community.”
The new position has been in the works since March 2024 when the Centre County Board of Commissioners gave the green light to naming a deputy sheriff into the role.
According to the post, the new position will be responsible for looking into cases of animal cruelty, enforcing the laws currently in place to protect animals and promoting the importance of humane animal treatment. For other cases of stray animals, rabies vaccinations, dog bites, local ordinances, kennel inspections, puppy mill inspections and animal theft, Animal Control or the Pennsylvania State Dog Warden should be contacted.
“Together, we’re committed to making Centre County a safer and more compassionate place for both our residents and our furry friends,” the post said. “Thank you for your continued support as we embark on this important mission.”
