A farm operator from Whitland has been imprisoned for 18 weeks for 17 offences involving domestic and agricultural animals. This includes causing, permitting or failing to prevent unnecessary suffering (Animal Welfare Act 2006)’ and follows a three-day trial at Llanelli Magistrates Court.

Thomas Raymond Jones of Penygraig Farm, Whitland, was also ordered to pay £26,805.10 in prosecution costs in full within 6 months and a surcharge of £154.

He has received a disqualification order, which bans him from owning and keeping animals for 10 years and has received a deprivation order which removes all animals from his control.

Mr Jones was found guilty of all offences that he had not already plead guilty to. These related to his care and management of cattle and a dog following investigations by Carmarthenshire County Council’s Animal Welfare Team and the Animal and Plant Health Agency. This was sparked by an anonymous complaint regarding a cow carcass that had not been properly disposed of.

During their visit in February 2024, Animal Health Officers discovered cattle being kept in poor living conditions which included no dry lying areas, poor quality/inedible forage provided and a number of animals suffering from lameness/overgrown hooves and skin conditions. Animal carcasses had also not been properly disposed of.

An elderly dog was also discovered living in unsuitable conditions, being kept within a small, bramble filled enclosure littered with rubbish. The dog was in a poor condition and required immediate veterinary attention which was sought by the team. A local Animal Charity collected the dog.

On veterinary examination, the dog was found to be underweight, blind with mature bilateral cataracts, had overgrown nails and suffering from a penile prolapse alongside other conditions. Due to the level of suffering, the decision was taken for the dog to be put to sleep.

Following the visit, an Improvement Notice and Animal By-Product Notice was issued which required Mr Jones to dispose of a cow carcass within a shed and improve conditions.

A return visit 9 days later revealed that sufficient improvements had not been made in line with the Notice, with no veterinary attention sought for the cattle with lameness/skin conditions and animal remains not being properly cleared. Mr Jones had attempted to treat the cattle himself and arranged a hoof trimmer to visit the farm, however the products used appeared to be old and veterinary attendance was noted as a requirement in the Improvement Notice. A pregnant cow was also found lame and living in unsuitable conditions.

Following a visit from Mr Jones’s vet and the Rural Inspectorate of Wales (RIW), a number of cattle were found without ear tags, improperly registered or unregistered. Due to the volume of errors, the RIW placed a whole herd restriction on Penygraig Farm until the issues could be resolved. Six cows were also identified as thin and two as very thin.

Nearly five weeks later, further complaints were received regarding a calf carcass not being properly disposed of.

Animal Health Officers previously visited Penygraig Farm in 2022, following complaints of animal carcasses not being properly disposed of. During the visit Officers also witnessed cattle being kept in poor conditions, cattle without tags and animals not registered as well as animal by-product offences. Notices/warnings were issued to Mr Jones to improve practices. The same offences were then committed in 2024.

Cllr Aled Vaughan Owen, Cabinet Member with responsibility for Animal Welfare said:“I’m pleased that once again the hard work of Carmarthenshire County Council’s Animal Welfare Team’s has provided a positive result with regards this case.

“I hope this serves as a reminder that we will always advocate for good animal welfare and hold those who do not accountable for their actions.”