Joanna Kathlyn Kinman, 48, was working at an animal shelter when she found body parts of dogs’ owner who had died of natural causes

The police prosecutor Sen Const Melissa Sambrooks said Kinman was not present when the dogs regurgitated the remains, but searched a wheelie bin looking for the toes.

“She located two human toes and took them home and placed them in a jar containing formaldehyde,” Sambrooks said.

Police found Kinman was a member of the “Bone Buddies Australia” Facebook group, commonly used to buy, swap and sell specimens online.

Sambrooks said Kinman was an avid contributor to the site and had previously sold “wet specimens” of a stillborn kitten and puppy. It was not revealed where those remains were sourced.