Farmer jailed over animal welfare inspection horrors

A FARMER who kept cattle in poor conditions and left ailments untreated has been jailed and banned from keeping animals for a decade.

- JASON EVANS

A blind underweight dog found living in a small rubbish-filled compound on Thomas Raymond Jones' farm in Whitland

Inspectors swooped on the farm after getting an anonymous tip-off about the carcasses of dead cows which had not been disposed of properly.

As well as cattle being kept in poor conditions, the inspectors found a blind and underweight dog living among piles of rubbish. Such was the condition of the dog and the level of its suffering, the animal had to be put down.

The court heard similar problems had been found on the farm some two years before the visit, with the farmer ordered to improve conditions for his animals.

Llanelli Magistrates' Court heard that following information received, officers from Carmarthenshire council's animal welfare team visited Thomas Jones' farm near Whitland in February 2024 and discovered cattle being kept in poor living conditions which included no dry lying areas, and poor quality or inedible forage to eat.

A number of animals were found to be suffering from lameness or overgrown hooves and skin conditions, and animal carcasses had also not been properly disposed of.

A pregnant cow was also found lame and living in unsuitable conditions, and six cows were identified as "thin" and two as "very thin".