The Health Ministry has disagreed with the headline of a story, Animals Too Dirty For Beaches, published in The Times yesterday.

It said Health Minister Joe Cassar did not say those words or put responsibility on animals but he said it was the duty of owners of animals to act responsibly.

As was reported in the article, he said animals, including dogs and horses, may be taken to swim in many areas that are not designated bathing zones.

He also cited the law stating that beaches populated by humans should not have animals bathing too, especially on sand, which harbours lots of bacteria – not just faeces but also from the urine.