Farm cruelty claims absurd, says owner
THE owner of Storybook Farm has denied claims that she mistreated animals and said that she has been made to look like a supervillain after the raid of her home for disabled animals.
Lisa-Jayne Cameron, 52, said she had received threats and was now afraid for her children, following the revelations her rented north Brisbane home was raided by the RSPCA on March 20, resulting in 37 animals being seized.
.“I’ve been made out to be some type of supervillain,” she said.
“I feel all judgment has been made … and everything I say is going to get twisted.
“I wasn’t aware that we’d be tried by media. I found it really abhorrent that the RSPCA put up the story (on social media) within two hours of leaving our property.
“What they are saying about the farm is just absurd.”
RSPCA investigators raided the Whiteside property on March 20 and seized 37 disabled or injured animals, including dachshunds, rench bulldogs, a whippet, parrots, a donkey and a cat. A dalmatian with injured legs and a horse have since been euthanised.
Ms Cameron said the dalmatian came into her care recently with existing pressure sores.
A number of people from around the country who sent their dogs to the farm have since expressed distress that they have not been able to locate the whereabouts of their dogs and that Ms Cameron had not returned calls.
Fighting back tears, she denied all claims that any animals were harmed in her care, that visitors were not allowed into her Canungra home, that her charity was not registered and that they lived in squalor.
Ms Cameron, who said investigators took her phone, declined to comment on the status of a number of allegedly unaccounted for animals, but said the figure of up to 100 missing animals released by the RSPCA was “highly inflated”.
“I don’t know who the missing ones are. Until I get my phone back and talk to the families involved I can’t comment,” she said.
Ms Cameron said she deleted social media accounts as she started receiving numerous “aggressive threats,” once word of the raid was revealed.
“We were getting many threats, such as what people would like to do with me, ranging from sexual exploits and bashing to what they’re going to do to my children.”
Ms Cameron said money raised for the charity went to rent, food and veterinary bills.
“They’ve made out that we’re some sort of cold, calculating people who are only here to earn money – to do what with? I’ve had no holidays, no days off and everybody who knows me knows that,” she said. “I love what I do. I’m passionate about disabled animals.”
Ms Cameron moved from Canungra to the larger rental property in Whiteside in 2018.
No charges have been laid.
WHAT THEY ARE SAYING ABOUT THE FARM IS JUST ABSURD ... I’M PASSIONATE ABOUT DISABLED ANIMALS