Serial animal abuser Christine Weisheit seen with more than 12 horses after copping a ban

A serial animal abuser convicted of cruelty charges in NSW and Victoria has been seen with more than double the number of horses than she is allowed to keep.

Serial animal abuser Christine Weisheit, who has convictions for animal cruelty in NSW and Victoria, at a property in Warrak. Picture: Supplied

Exclusive: A serial animal abuser convicted of cruelty charges in NSW and Victoria has been seen with more than double the number of horses than she is allowed to keep.

Christine Weisheit, who claims to have trained with the late equestrian great Gillian Rolton, was slapped with a ban after welfare authorities seized more than 100 starving animals from a property she was living at near Ballarat, in western Victoria in 2016 in one of Australia’s largest busts.

Despite being banned from having more than five horses in her keep in December last year,Weisheit was in January observed with more than 12 horses at the same Warrak property.

Weisheit told this masthead that she is not the owner of the Warrak Road property and that the horses do not belong to her.

“I do not own them [and] I have no property,” she said.

“The trust has leased nearly all the land plus sheds. I am cleaning up to leave.”

Horses on the Warrak property owned by Weisheit’s mother. Picture: Supplied

Weisheit’s mother, for whom she is a carer, is the current registered owner of the Warrak Road property, records state.

Weisheit, originally from South Australia, has a court record of animal cruelty offences spanning more than 20-years and at least two states.

In a separate matter settled last year, Ms Weisheit was banned from owning more than five cats after she was found guilty of breaching an early court order banning her from owning more than 35 cats.

The earlier ban was imposed after RSPCA Victoria officers found 79 cats in Weisheit’s care.

In 2001, Weisheit was found guilty of failing to provide proper and sufficient food to a horse at Muswellbrook Local Court in the NSW Hunter region.

About five years later, Weisheit was found guilty of 40 charges of failing to provide veterinary treatment and property and sufficient food to horses and was banned from owning more than 15 horses.

In 2007 Weisheit appeared before Cessnock Local Court, also in the NSW Hunter, over 13 counts of failing to provide proper and sufficient food and two counts of aggravated animal cruelty.

About a year later she moved to Victoria and about eight years later RSPCA officers discovered about 100 starving horses at the Warrak property.

RSPCA investigators discovered more than 30 dead horses on Weisheit’s property in 2016. Picture: Supplied

One of the horses seized from Weisheit’s property in 2016. Picture: Supplied

Victorian Animal Justice Party MP Georgie Purcell said animal welfare advocates had for years called for national consistency in animal protection laws and for convictions to be recognised in all states.

“State and federal agriculture ministers must urgently address this glaring loophole that is allowing animals to continue to suffer on their watch,” she said.

Compulsive animal hoarding is driven by psychological conditions, such as maladaptive personality disorders, and is more common in women than men.

The hoarders, who are often unaware of the number or the wellbeing of animals in their care, will often simply replace animals removed by authorities.

This masthead is unaware of whether and is not suggesting that Weisheit has been diagnosed with any mental health conditions.

RSPCA Victoria Chief Inspector Michelle Green said animal welfare officers monitored compliance with all court imposed bans.

“RSPCA Victoria Inspectors will conduct checks to ensure compliance with the disqualification orders and will take the appropriate action necessary if there are any breaches found to be occurring by this repeat offender,” she said.