MOUNT VERNON — A dog owned by Joanna Bidwell, 60, Howard, was euthanized Monday following injuries sustained after being left inside a vehicle Sunday while Bidwell shopped at a local retail store with her sister.
According to records received from the Mount Vernon Police Department, Bidwell, along with Kathy Moore, 61, also of Howard, left two dogs in a vehicle for approximately 20 minutes on Sunday while at Walmart. Upon arrival at the store, MVPD officer Michael Wheeler found the two women with the dogs outside the store, along with a crowd of people.
“The dogs were in obvious distress, the one laying on the concrete was breathing erratically and was not moving. The other dog was also motionless but was not breathing as erratic,” Wheeler said in his report.
The dogs were taken to Hillside Vet Clinic for treatment. Wheeler said Bidwell’s dog was euthanized on Monday due to injuries from the incident. Moore’s dog was treated and released to Moore, according to the report.
Both Bidwell and Moore were charged with cruelty to animals and were due in Mount Vernon Municipal Court this morning for arraignment. Details of the court proceeding were unavailable at press time.
