A 73-year-old Tuncurry woman has been charged with multiple offences relating to ongoing and horrific animal cruelty.
Subscribe now for unlimited access.
$0/
(min cost $0)
or signup to continue reading
Police allege the woman attended public places in both Forster and Tuncurry and gained the trust of animals by feeding them, before taking them home and torturing them over an extended period of time.
Police say she then attended a veterinary clinic, claiming to have found the injured animals and needing them to be euthanised.
Officers from Manning/Great Lakes Police District have been investigating the alleged acts of cruelty since 2018. However, she was caught in the act last month.
Police say the woman was observed by members of the public to feed fish to a pelican at a boat ramp on Point Road at Tuncurry on Saturday, April 27. The woman grabbed the pelican and put it in her car boot, with the wing observed to be protruding from the closed boot.
Police attended and stopped the vehicle nearby. They say she released the injured pelican as police approached.
Officers spoke to the woman before conducting further inquiries. Police then executed a search warrant at a home on Rest Point Parade, Tuncurry about 9am on Friday, May 3.
Numerous items relating to the alleged cruelty of animals were seized from the home. Police say they located a caged magpie with its beak removed. The bird was taken to a vet where it was euthanised due to the injuries.
Police seized mobile phones from the house depicting images and videos of animals, including a dog and rabbit, that had allegedly been mutilated in a public location.
On Saturday, May 4 the woman was arrested and taken to Forster Police Station.
She was charged with the following offences:
- Commit an act of aggravated cruelty on an animal;
- Authorise carriage etc of animal which unjustifiably inflicts pain;
- Being in charge of an animal and fail to provide vet treatment (three counts);
- Commit an act of cruelty on an animal (two counts);
- Deal in animals (Biodiversity Conservation Act); and
- Contravene licence (Biodiversity Conservation Act).
She was given strict conditional bail to appear at Forster Local Court on Wednesday, May 22.
Investigations into the alleged cruelty are continuing. Anyone with information is urged to contact police.
Anyone with information is urged to contact police or Crime Stoppers: 1800 333 000 or https://nsw.crimestoppers.com.au.
Information is treated in strict confidence. The public is reminded not to report crime via NSW Police social media pages.
In other news:
While you're with us...
Did you know the Manning River Times is now offering breaking news alerts and a weekly email newsletter? Keep up-to-date with all the local news: SIGN UP HERE
