The woman, who is a mother of five, could potentially receive a two-year prison sentence for the offense and has lost her job due to the incident.
The dogs had consumed the toes after their owner died from natural causes. They were subsequently brought to the shelter in Victoria, where they vomited up the remains, according to a report by the Australian Associated Press (AAP).
Assembling unusual collections
Prosecutor Melissa Sambrooks stated that the woman, named as Joanna Kinman, had searched through a bin to find the toes.
“She found two human toes and took them home, where she placed them in a jar filled with formaldehyde,” Sambrooks reported, according to the AAP.
Kinman then allegedly discussed selling the remains on the online black market with her daughter, believing they could fetch up to 400 Australian dollars (€233; $253) for them.
Following a tip-off, police conducted a search of Kinman’s home and discovered a variety of other specimens, including an alligator claw, a bird skeleton, a guinea pig foot, and her children’s teeth, the AAP reported.
According to the police, Kinman is a member of the “Bone Buddies Australia” Facebook group, where members buy, exchange, and sell specimens online.
She had previously sold “wet specimens” of a stillborn kitten and puppy on the site, Sambrooks informed the AAP.
The family of the dogs’ deceased owner has not been informed of the crime, as the owner’s son has shielded them from the investigation, according to the agency.
Edited by: Alex Berry
