Pa. prisons head reassigns 2 after report into police dog's death

HARRISBURG, Pa. (AP) — Pennsylvania’s prisons chief is making changes within the drug interdiction unit after the death of a 2-year-old police dog who was left in a hot vehicle after a training exercise.

Corrections Secretary John Wetzel said today that the handler of the dog, named Totti, and the handler's supervisor were reassigned at Rockview State Prison outside State College and a review is underway to determine if discipline is merited.

A senior officer with military experience handling dogs is taking over as leader of the drug interdiction unit.

Totti died after spending about three hours locked in a car July 7.

He died at a veterinary clinic from a heat-related seizure.

Wetzel says the Office of Special Investigations and Intelligence concluded Totti’s death wasn’t intentional but the corrections secretary says that’s no excuse for what occurred.