CEREDIGION Preseli MP Ben Lake has reiterated his hopes of getting tougher laws introduced to tackle dog attacks on livestock.

Mr Lake has been instrumental in driving forward a Bill that would bring tougher laws on sheep attacks, which have not been updated since the 1950s.

The calls come after the Cambrian News reported that the owner of four dogs that killed 25 sheep received just a £75 for the attack that left farmers around £7,000 out of pocket and led one couple to decide not to breed their flock any more.

Evan Jones, the owner of four dogs, believed to be Alsatians, was ordered by magistrates in Aberystwyth to pay the fine and £85 in court costs as the owner of the dogs ‘worrying livestock’ at Berthela and Rhyd y Gof Uchaf.

Liz Nutting, a small holder, lost 10 ewes in the attack, with many more injured, with a neighbouring farmer losing 15 sheep.

She called the fine a ‘slap in the face’ adding: “It’s an insult to hardworking farmers.

“We are no longer breeding the flock as we feel we can’t start all over again.” Mr Lake said: "I have witnessed the devastation that livestock worrying has, not only on the animals involved, but also on the families that raise them.

“Dog attacks take a significant emotional toll on farmers and their families, as well as having a financial impact on their livelihoods.

"A number of attempts have been made to reform the law in this regard, and most recently in the form of the The Dogs (Protection of Livestock) (Amendment) Bill which was introduced in December 2023.

“The Bill would have increased the powers of the police to gather evidence and improve enforcement. The Bill would have granted police the authority to take samples or impressions from a dog suspected of having attacked livestock, and to detain a dog for this purpose. Additionally, magistrates would have been empowered to issue warrants authorizing entry to search premises to retrieve this evidence. The Bill also sought to extend police powers to cover roads and paths, broaden its scope to include more types of livestock, and impose an unlimited fine on individuals convicted of worrying livestock offences.

Despite the Bill making its way through the House of Commons and to the House of Lords for its first reading in May 2024, the announcement of the General Election and the dissolution of Parliament on the 30May, meant that all unfinished parliamentary business fell.

“Given the importance of this Bill, it was disappointing to see that no mention was made of it in the new Government's legislative programme.

“However, as Parliament reconvenes, I am hoping to meet with the Minister of State at the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, Daniel Zeichner MP, to see whether the Government would support an attempt at reintroducing it as a Private Bill.

“I am hoping to do so as a matter of urgency because tighter legislation is the least that dedicated farming families deserve."