Woman charged with abandoning dogs in hot camper in Taney County

TANEY COUNTY, Mo. — A Taney County woman has been charged following multiple dogs being left in a camper with no air conditioning.

According to online court dockets, Lisa Kidwell, born 1964, of Kissee Mills, has been charged with five counts of felony animal abuse. Court records indicate that this is her second offense.

The probable cause statement says that the Taney County Sheriff's Office found that Kidwell had abandoned five dogs in a camper during the hottest part of the summer.

The dogs were found in various stages of decay, which law enforcement believes that the animals did not die around the same time.

The camper was found with dog feces in a dog kennel and soiled bedding in other kennels, the statement says.

Law enforcement discovered feces and urine throughout the camper with various piles of trash.

Two of the dogs were found in one kennel together in an advanced stage of decay and could barely be distinguished as dogs.

Another dog was found in the middle of the floor and appeared to have recently died compared to the other animals. The statement indicates that the dog's face was "decayed down to the bone around its mouth," with the teeth exposed.

Officials found the last two dogs in a late stage of decay, with the color of the animals barely recognizable. One dog had a small amount of fur left, and the other appeared to be black and white.

The dog's water bowl was found with four dead mice inside near the camper door. The dog's food was found to be fresh and was not as decayed as the rest of the camper.

The statement says that the dogs were left in temperatures around 90 degrees for the last 30 days of the summer.

Kidwell is currently in the Taney County Jail with no bond.