A farming couple have been fined over £7,000 after admitting to nine charges related to animal welfare at their Blaencelyn farm.

On 1 October, Ifan Dafydd Gerallt Evans and Elizabeth Eirianna Evans of Arthach, Blaencelyn Llandysul, appeared at Aberystwyth Justice Centre and pleaded guilty to nine charges relating to animal welfare, animal by-products and bovine tuberculosis regulations at a livestock farm and dog breeding establishment.

Ceredigion County Council had been working with the licensed breeders to improve the standards of the dog breeding facility, however now the establishment is no longer licensed for breeding due to long-standing failures to meet the minimum standards expected.

During a dog breeding visit in November 2019 the veterinarian and animal health officers found a number of issues.

Elizabeth Evans pleaded guilty to causing unnecessary suffering to a pug dog through her failure to obtain veterinary treatment for an eye condition.

In addition she pleaded guilty to causing unnecessary suffering to two spaniels, by failing to ensure the enhancement and enrichment of those dogs.

The district judge saw video clips played in court showing the dogs’ repetitive circular pacing, the vet concluded that the bland and poor environment could be direct attributed to this stereotypical behaviour and caused unnecessary mental suffering.

The court also heard evidence in relation to poor standards of husbandry for the cows kept on the farm.

Dafydd Evans pleaded guilty to failing to meet the needs of animals under his responsibility as required by good practice.

These charges included the gross overcrowding of the cattle sheds.

The Animal and Plant Health Agency (APHA) and animal health officer visited in February 2019 following a complaint, and found the pens of the shed so overcrowded that cattle did not have sufficient space to lie comfortably, and there was significant competition for food and water.

The sheds also found cattle with no dry lying area, with their coats heavily soiled with slurry and muck indicating they have been exposed to these conditions for a long period.

In addition one pen was found to have a newborn calf and mother in similar conditions with bedding soaked in manure, and they were housed with other adult cattle meaning there was a risk of injury to the newborn calf.

Also found on the farm was a sheep with a broken leg, that had been in that condition since July 2018. There was no evidence of veterinary treatment sought for this animal, it was since destroyed to prevent any further suffering.

Both defendants also admitted to failing to dispose of sheep carcasses.

During the visit by animal health officers in February 2019, four sheep carcasses were found in various stages of decomposition in the fields.

The pair admitted a further charge of failing to comply with a notice issued by the APHA which identified inconclusive tuberculosis (TB) reactors in a recent test.

The notice required the farmers to separate and isolate these animals to prevent the risk of spreading TB to the other animals in the herd.

During the visit in March 2019, the animal health officers found the cows in question has not been separated.

They were fined a total of £7,336 for all the charges, which included legal costs of the authority.

Following sentencing, Cllr Gareth Lloyd, Cabinet member for public protection services, said: “Whilst the huge majority of farmers in Ceredigion practise animal husbandry to high standards, unfortunately we must deal with a minority who for whatever reason fail to meet basic legal standards.”