FARMERS have implored dog owners to keep their animals on leads following yet another heart-breaking livestock attack.

Moel Famau ward Councillor and farmer Huw Williams has called on the public several times in the past to take precautions in order to protect livestock from dogs.

But following incidents in Wrexham - and one even more recently at Moel Famau - he has made another impassioned plea to dog walkers. 

Cllr Williams said: "I had one of my lambs killed at the weekend (Saturday/Sunday June 29/30).

"It was only four months old and had the throat ripped out.

"I'm p****d off; it's just upsetting."

He said the ongoing issue of dog attacks affects his confidence about putting sheep on the mountainside.

Cllr Williams continued: "It is a problem and Moel Famau is about 2,000 acres - if a sheep or lamb is attacked, the bracken is so high and the terrain so overgrown that you might never find it.

"We've probably had about six years of happy grazing on the mountain producing lambs.

"At the weekend I thought do you know what? Why am I bothering to put sheep up there?

"But not putting them on the land will increase the problems with wildfires because they graze the heather and keep the grass down.

"There's plenty of space there. It's just frustrating when you have one or two mindless dog owners, because the thing is it's a natural instinct for a dog to hunt.

"Pleas just keep your dogs on leads.

"It's hard enough to make a living without your livestock being killed."

Cllr Williams confirmed the attack over the weekend had not been reported to police.

In September last year, Paul Jones, of Rhos, Wrexham spoke to the Leader about the absolute "horror story" he faced after the two American XL Bulldogs came onto his farm.

In all, 22 of his pregnant sheep died and another 48 were injured in the resultant attack.

He has since described the pain and devastation that such attacks cause and has on numerous occasions urged dog walkers think twice about letting their pets off leads around livestock.

Mr Jones said: "People really do need to keep their dogs on leads - even if they think they're not a risk.

"I was told the other day about sheep being chased into a brook, and because they were so heavy with wool, they were unable to get out and died.

"So it's not just about dogs attacking livestock, it's the chasing as well.

"I would ask people to respect the countryside and keep gates closed.

"And if you see a sheep out on the road somewhere, leave it because the farmer will put it back in.

"The amount of work I get given because people think they're doing the right thing but they put animals back in the wrong field."

Mr Jones also called on dog walkers to respect boundaries, adding: "I had a field all ready, fertilized and locked off the other day, ready for silage.

"This lad was on there with his two dogs loose all over the field and when I told him this wasn't a park, he got shirty with me.

"Some people just go wherever they want and they don't realise their dog's muck, sticks and that sort of thing is going to end up going into the silage for the sheep.

"They don't realise this is a food chain.

"There are 35 stiles on my farm and there are plenty of places to walk. We do our best for people.

"But some claim they 'have the right to roam' anywhere. They don't."