QLD Personal Defamation on Facebook

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Marie M

Member
6 June 2016
2
1
4
Can you tell me how to handle a person that keeps saying things about me as a person and in regards to my practices as a registered cat breeder?

I have been sent a copy of a Facebook message were she names me as the first breeder to import a specific breed of cat into the country and that I euthanise my babies by placing a specific colour of kitten that is breed into the freezer, so that no one knows about the birth. She says I am the original importer of the Siberian cat to Australia. Thereby identifying me, as it is well known in breeding circles that this is me. Another person then comes in and identifies me as that person stating my name and breeding prefix.

I have never ever in all my life done this. I do not have the Siberian kittens she is saying which is a colour pointed Siberian or Neva Masquerade as they are currently recognised as. But I do also have Birmans which are colour pointed. She says she has photos of these babies that were taken with out my knowledge.

This may not seem a big deal to many people but I am a respected Judge of pedigreed cats and have been breeding since 1985 I am the current Vice president of our association in Queensland and the President of the Birman club in Qld and Treasurer to one more Semi longhair club here. I have many many people that follow me on FB and I feel that this person is trying to make out I am doing underhanded things let alone something that I would never do which is to place live babies in my freezer.

I do admit to having placed kittens that have passed away either as they were born still born or for other reasons they do not make it and my husband will place them into a small grave in our back yard (we are on acreage) and this is what I have always done, as he travels it can not be done immediately at times.

She is also claiming to have first-hand knowledge that I have colour point in the background of all of my pedigrees and there is colour pointed babies being born from my stock. This may not also seem a big deal but at present, there is a huge debate world wide about the separation of the colour pointed and traditional coloured Siberians of which I have also had lots of input into.

We are traditional breeders and do not support having colour pointed babies produced from the stock we are working with. We also have DNA on many of my stock and current tests underway to prove that this is impossible with what I own. This is also being done in an attempt to discredit my breeding stock.

I am hoping someone can advise what my best option would be in this regard.
 
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Marie M

Member
6 June 2016
2
1
4
Do you need to have a letter written by a solicitor advising you intend to take steps if they do not agree to publicly apologise or can it be one you have written yourself?
 

Yevgeni

Well-Known Member
1 June 2016
24
3
124
Sydney
Can you tell me how to handle a person that keeps saying things about me as a person and in regards to my practices as a registered cat breeder. I have been sent a copy of a fb message were she names me as the first breeder to import a specfic breed of cat into the country and that I euthanise my babies by placing a specific colour of kitten that is breed into the freezer, so that no one knows about the birth. She says I am the original importer of the Siberian cat to Australia. Thereby identifying me, as it is well known in breeding circles that this is me. Another person then comes in and identifies me as that person stating my name and breeding prefix
I have never ever in all my life done this. I do not have the Siberian kittens she is saying which is a colour pointed Siberian or Neva Masquerade as they are currently recognised as. But I do also have BIrmans which are colour pointed. She says she has photos of these babies that were taken with out my knowledge.

This may not seem a big deal to many people but I am a respected Judge of pedigreed cats and have been breeding since 1985 I am the current Vice president of our association in Queensland and the President of the Birman club in Qld and Treasurer to one more Semi longhair club here. I have many many people that follow me on FB and I feel that this person is trying to make out I am doing underhanded things let alone something that I would never do which is to place live babies in my freezer.

I do admit to having placed kittens that have passed away either as they were born still born or for other reasons they do not make it and my husband will place them into a small grave in our back yard (we are on acreage) and this is what I have always done, as he travels it can not be done immediately at times.
She is also claiming to have first hand knowledge that I have colour point in the background of all of my pedigrees and there is colour pointed babies being born from my stock. This may not also seem a big deal but at present there is a huge debate world wide about the separation of the colour pointed and traditional coloured Siberians of which I have also had lots of input into. We are traditional breeders and do not support having colour pointed babies produced from the stock we are working with. We also have DNA on many of my stock and current tests underway to prove that this is impossible with what I own. This is also being done in an attempt to discredit my breeding stock.
I am hoping someone can advise what my best option would be in this regard.

Hi Marie,

You need to forward a formal letter to the publisher of the defamatory material, basically a "cease and desist" type letter pursuant to the Defamation Act 2005 (QLD), and in my experience that usually does it.

Cheers,