Leimome Cheeks, 62, was arrested and charged with two counts of child endangerment after video taken by a concerned passer-by went viral.

She told police she drove around locations in Memphis, Tennessee, with the children, aged seven and eight, in the kennels but made regular stops to check on them.

The children were reportedly told to ride inside the kennels because there was no room inside the Ford Explorer.

Local media reported it was a 35C day and the children told police they were hot inside the kennels.

A concerned citizen shot the video just before 8pm Saturday night and forwarded it to the police.

Neighbours told Local 24 the incident was shocking.

“Shocking, it really is. I only met her like once maybe twice. She seems like a nice lady. I couldn’t see her actually doing that,” said neighbour Skylarr Blake.

Cheeks is expected to appear in court this week.