Dogs were left without ventilation for about seven hours
A New Jersey police officer has been criminally charged with causing the deaths of two police dogs by allegedly leaving them locked inside a hot patrol car for about seven hours without proper ventilation, according to prosecutors.
Cody Henderson, a K-9 handler with the Salem County Sheriff’s Office, is facing charges of animal cruelty, failure to provide care to a living animal, and unlawfully restraining an animal in dangerous conditions, the sheriff’s office said in a statement.
According to prosecutors, Henderson left the dogs — four-year-old Belgian Malinois Rip and six-year-old Springer Spaniel Boomer — inside the vehicle on May 29 with the engine off and no ventilation. The temperature that day reached 81F (27C). Experts note that a parked vehicle can rapidly heat up on a warm day, and leaving a window slightly open does little to reduce the internal temperature.
In a statement, the Salem County Sheriff’s Office said Henderson “has been formally charged in connection with the deaths of his assigned canine partners.”
Rip was trained to detect narcotics, while Boomer was trained in bomb detection. The sheriff’s office posted on social media Wednesday that Rip and Boomer “exemplified the highest standards of service, loyalty, and dedication.”
“The loss of these loyal partners has had a profound impact on our agency, our law enforcement community, and the citizens they faithfully served,” the statement said.
A Facebook post announcing the dogs’ deaths in late May received more than 700 interactions. The post praised the dogs and asked residents to “please keep our K-9 handler and his family, along with our entire K-9 unit, in your thoughts and prayers during this difficult time.” The post did not name Henderson or suggest that he had any role in the deaths.
Henderson is on unpaid leave pending the outcome of the case. He is scheduled to appear in court on July 30.