A PEMBROKESHIRE County Council legal call for the formal ownership of more than 200 animals, rescued from a farm site near Pembroke Dock in January, is to be heard on Thursday, March 7.

In total 53 pigs, 80 sheep, three goats, 58 dogs, 20 horses and one donkey were removed from site and these have now been taken to safe locations pending further proceedings.

The operation followed arrests in connection with the alleged illegal slaughter of animals and the production of ‘smokies,’ a process using sheep carcasses.

A full report of the rescue may be seen here.

Since the rescue of the animals, two public protests have been held at the site, reports of which may be seen

here and here.

The Pembrokeshire County Council request for a civil order, to be heard at Haverfordwest magistrates court, seeks a court order under the Animal Welfare Act 2006 in relation to the three goats, 80 sheep, 53 pigs, 58 dogs, and 21 equines removed from the site earlier this year.

The request for the order is made against Sean Burns and others, of Rosehill Lodge, Ferry Lane, Pembroke Dock, the court list prepared for the Thursday, March 7, hearing states.

The order covers a raft of requests, covering all potential options in the care and treatment of the animals taken from the farm.

It asks: “That possession of the animal(s) be given up to a specified person, or people; or the animals be sold; or disposed of otherwise than by way of sale; or the animal(s) be destroyed.”

It is expected a further protest is to take place outside the magistrate's court.

No formal charges have yet been made.