Good rescuers fall victim to bad egg

The SAFE rescue group are one of the genuine good guys of the pet rescue world. They are innovative, modern and make great matches between pets and owners. They convert enquiries into adoptions and turn adopters into evangelists. And it has been my absolute pleasure to watch them go from strength to strength.

So when they told me they’d been targeted by a convicted fraudster who took advantage of their good hearts and homeless pets I was stunned.

The story has now been featured on Perth’s Today Tonight;

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Her real name is Lisa McKay, a mother of two and con artist, who scams money from unsuspecting victims.

You might remember Lisa McKay. She’s been jailed for fraud after telling the world she had terminal, vaginal cancer that had spread to her lungs, liver, kidney and spine. There were fundraising pleas in two newspapers.

Helen Hall handed over $2000 and organised an appeal that raised a lot more.

In an on-line medical newsletter, Lisa wrote about her so-called terminal illness.

“I have approximately 6 months remaining of my life to enjoy my two beautiful children.”

“I have been told that I will soon lose the ability to walk.”

That was written four years ago. Lisa’s husband stood by her when she faced court two years ago, but the problem is, Lisa McKay never had cancer. She cut her hair, forged hospital records and conned kind hearted people out of their hard earned money.

In 2007, Lisa McKay pleaded guilty to 25 fraud charges and spent 18 months in jail. Unbelievably, she’s out of jail, on parole and at it again. This time she’s turned her attention to animal rescue groups. Volunteers who save cats and dogs from the pound and foster them out to loving families. Like the other volunteers, Lisa sells the cats for $100 each, but instead of giving that money back to the animal group to cover costs, they say Lisa has been pocketing the cash. Thousands of dollars, they can’t afford to lose.

Natalie Baldock is a volunteer with SAFE – Saving Animals From Euthanasia.

“She’s just used us. We were easy pickings. We try so hard but you don’t have time to do police checks or things like that. You take people in because of their hearts and because they care about animals.”

Today Tonight has confirmed Lisa McKay has approached three animal rescue groups and the RSPCA, trying to pull off the same scam. She also uses various names including Lisa Burch, Lisa Burton and Lisa Fraser.

Lisa McKay’s victims say she has to be stopped before she fleeces anyone else.

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Consider yourselves warned.