A Maltese court has ruled that "nappies" can no longer be used to catch horse dung.

In 2002, rules were issued requiring owners to place bags behind the horses to prevent excrement from hitting the streets, reports Reuters

The court ruled, however, that doing so constituted cruelty to animals after veterinarians explained that a horse's tail needs to be kept free to swat flies, reported the Malta Times

Other European cities where horses pull carriages for tourists, also put diapers on the animals.