‘Shocking neglect’: Lisa-Jayne Cameron avoids jailtime two years after Storybook Farm animal sanctuary raid
The woman behind “shocking neglect” at one of the city’s most popular animal sanctuaries has had her sentence suspended more than two years after RSPCA raids horrified the Gold Coast. WARNING: GRAPHIC CONTENT
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The Storybook Farm Sacred Animal Garden Rescue portrayed themselves on social media as a final haven for disabled and injured animals.
It was a stark contrast to photos and video released by the RSPCA in March 2019. They showed terrified, filthy and malnourished animals living in cages caked with faeces and urine.
The level of neglect pushed seasoned vets to tears and shocked RSPCA inspectors.
Now the woman behind “shocking neglect” at what was one of the city’s most popular animal sanctuaries will not face any jail-time two years after RSPCA raids horrified the Gold Coast.
Owner Lisa-Jayne Cameron was given 12 months imprisonment wholly suspended for a period of 18 months, with a conviction recorded on Friday.
She pleaded guilty to more than 40 charges in Pine Rivers Magistrates Court.
The case was likened in court to “how mentally ill people were treated in Victorian asylums”. RSPCA prosecutor K.W Gover told the court that the offending was “one of the worst examples of breaches of duty of care and neglect of animals”, with the conditions described as absolutely appalling.
A total of 37 animals were seized, including a dalmatian dog and a horse which were later euthanized.
“Some of the horses had significant worm infestation, their hoofs were in poor condition, … one had a patch of blistered skin the size of a dinner plate,” Ms Gover told the court.
“(Animals) were starving and they didn’t have sufficient feed.
“They also had significant dental issues, cracked teeth, and missing teeth.”
Cameron and her daughter Alexandria were initially charged with 84 offences including three charges of cruelty, two charges of failing to comply with an animal welfare direction and 79 charges of breach of duty of care, including failure to provide appropriate food, water, treatment and living conditions for the animals in their care.
Alexandria Cameron’s 84 charges were dismissed - and she had always denied any wrongdoing.
Lisa-Jayne Cameron has also always denied claims she mistreated animals at the charity she started in 2012.
RSPCA spokesman Michael Beattie told the Bulletin the sentence meant “justice” for every animal who suffered at the animal sanctuary.
“Our primary focus is always the animals, and in this case we are happy that those animals that were suffering with no hope of relief were able to be humanely relieved of their suffering,” he said.
“And that all of the other animals were able to find wonderful loving homes.”
Ms Cameron’s defence lawyer, Yassar Khan from Bouchier Khan Lawyers, said the likelihood of his client reoffending “is not there”.
“I should also note she has suffered significant extra-curial punishment as a results of this,” Mr Khan said.
“She effectively had to go into hiding after the story was first published and then has had to move on a number of occasions because of online trolls … serious death threats and the like.
“A number of friends and associates have abandoned her as a consequence of this.”
The raids sparked an outpouring of horror stories which spanned much of southeast Queensland, including a couple who claimed they uncovered dead goats after leasing their property to the charity.
Jenny Theodore and her husband, who declined to be named, revealed in 2019 the home they had leased to Ms Cameron was full of fleas and livestock had bent and broke fencing due to hunger.
“When I was mowing in the front yard (later), I bumped over these recesses and wondered what they were,” Ms Theodore’s husband said.
“A few weeks later I mowed again and found they were shallow graves with goat bodies, a horn of the goat was sticking up. There were several goats that had been buried there.”
Gold Coast pet owners who had left their animals at Storybook – seeking to give their disabled pets the best care available – also came forward, desperately searching.
There were 100 animals believed missing.
Among them was blind French bulldog Honeybear, who lost both eyes after being severely beaten before she was “rescued” by Storybook.
The Bulletin told her story less than a year before the truth was revealed about the disgraced charity.
Ms Cameron said at the time it had cost more than $8000 for surgery, rehabilitation and medication.
“The vet worked for several months to save her eyes, sutured them closed and we had to put cream on them, but the first eye was too far gone,” she said in August 2018.
Mr Beattie said: “Probably the key learning for the community here is not to believe everything you see on Facebook, and we encourage people to do their own research.
“You can refer to our blog then about choosing an animal rescue group, but we need to be careful how we speak about this because we are an animal rescue group too.
“RSPCA QLD would be in favour of regulation of animal rescue services, to better protect not only the animals, but the community who want to be assured that the work being done by these groups is legitimate and done in accordance with relevant laws.”
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