Officer Faces Charges After K-9s Die in Hot Car Incident

WHO:

TMZ - Cody L. Henderson, officer in charge of the K-9 unit at the Salem County Sheriff’s Office.

NY Post - Salem County Sheriff Chuck Miller.

WHAT:

TMZ - Cody L. Henderson has been charged with animal cruelty.

NY Post - Two police dogs, named Rip and Boomer, died after being left in a hot car for 7 hours.

WHERE:

TMZ - Salem County, New Jersey.

WHEN:

TMZ - Henderson was arrested on a Tuesday.

WHY:

NY Post - The incident is being treated as animal cruelty due to the negligence of leaving the dogs in a hot car.

HOW:

NY Post - The dogs were left in the vehicle for an extended period, specifically 7 hours, leading to their deaths.

(UPDATED July 9, 2026 16:00 UTC)

Cody L. Henderson, the officer in charge of the K-9 unit at the Salem County Sheriff’s Office in New Jersey, has been charged with animal cruelty after two police dogs, named Rip and Boomer, died from being left in a hot car for seven hours. The incident, which is being treated as a case of negligence, resulted in Henderson's arrest on a Tuesday. Salem County Sheriff Chuck Miller is overseeing the situation as it unfolds.