An elderly woman has been charged with animal cruelty offences after a mutilated magpie was found in her home on the NSW mid-north coast.
Brenda Marney, who lives in Tuncurry, is accused of using food to gain the trust of animals before luring them her into her care and torturing them over an extended period of time.
Police allege the 73-year-old then goes to local vets — including Forster Veterinary Hospital, Cape Hawke Veterinary Hospital and Great Lakes Veterinary Hospital — and claims to have found the injured animals and asks for them to be euthanased.
On the same day she was arrested, police found a magpie locked in a cage with its beak removed.
The bird was euthanased because of its severe injuries.
Police claim on Saturday, April 27, Ms Marney was seen feeding fish to a pelican at a boat ramp on Point Road at Tuncurry.
Police said she then grabbed the pelican before forcing it into her car, with a wing seen hanging out from the closed boot.
Police will allege the injured animal was released as officers approached her car.
'She was very caring'
Neighbours expressed shock after hearing of the allegations against Ms Marney, who is often seen caring for injured animals and feeding birds down at the Tuncurry breakwall.
"I definitely don't believe that she would have injured or mutilated any animal at all," one neighbour, Karen, said.
"From what I've seen she was very caring and she does help animals."
She said Ms Marney lived on her own and seemed "eccentric".
Another neighbour, Jodie, said she was "feeling sick to my stomach" over the allegations.
"I'm an animal lover and I don't have any time for anyone who tortures animals," she said.
Daniel Smith said he had often seen Ms Marney looking as though she was checking on the welfare of local birds.
"She seems a little bit odd, maybe a little lonely," he said.
Police conducted raids on Ms Marney's home and seized numerous items, including mobile phones with images and videos of a dog and a rabbit that had allegedly been mutilated in public.
Ms Marney has been granted conditional bail and is due to face Forster Court on May 22.
Police are urging anyone with information about the alleged acts of animal cruelty to contact them.
