DOG owners are being asked to keep their dogs on leads in the Ynyslas sand dunes after­ sheep were re-introduced for winter grazing last week.

The plea comes from Justin Lyons, senior manager at Dyfi Ynyslas Nature Reserve, who said 50 sheep were put into the dune grazing enclosure on Tuesday, 4 October, where they will remain until March – a practice which began three years ago and has been continued due to its success in maintaining the dune vegetation.

Natural Resources Wales, which manages the reserve, were forced to close the footpath running through the grazing area last year after a spate of dog attacks left one sheep dead and a number seriously injured.

And Dyfi Ynyslas’ Ali Chedgy is reminding people who use the popular dog-walking spot to keep their dogs on leads while walking through the area to prevent a repeat of last year’s problems.

“The sheep grazing is helping to maintain the open dune grassland vegetation that the site is protected for and to keep in check the amount of bramble,” she said.

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