A New Jersey officer responsible for the K-9 unit has been charged with animal cruelty after allegedly leaving two department dogs to die in a hot car.
Cody L.
Henderson of the Salem County Sheriff's Office was arrested Tuesday and charged with recklessly causing the death of Boomer, a 6-year-old springer spaniel, and Rip, a 4-year-old Belgian malinois, according to NJ.
com.
Both dogs were left in the same cruiser on May 29 for approximately seven hours in the beating sun, with the engine off and no windows cracked, while Henderson worked at the courthouse.
He is accused of ignoring the dogs until the end of the day, when he discovered them dead from heat stroke.
Henderson, who has been suspended pending the outcome of his court case, faces multiple animal cruelty charges, including two third-degree counts of purposefully, knowingly, or recklessly causing bodily injury to a living animal by failing to provide necessary care, resulting in death.
Rip joined the sheriff's office in 2023, and Boomer joined in 2021.
Salem County Sheriff Chuck Miller said, "The loss of these loyal partners has had a profound impact on our agency."
