The recording sent to us by a reader shows an elderly person walking a black cat on a leash. The animal relieves itself in the sandbox at a playground, while the senior woman waits patiently for it to finish. The scene takes place in Bolesławiec, at one of the playgrounds in the city center, in a courtyard between the Market Square and 1 Maja Street.
“The Municipal Housing Management Authority is responsible for sandboxes, including replacing and cleaning the sand,” says Agnieszka Gergont, spokesperson for the City Hall. “A sandbox is not a place to walk pets. It is worth remembering that sandboxes are places where children play. Unfortunately, when contaminated with animal feces, they may pose a serious health risk,” the spokesperson adds.
The sand in sandboxes is replaced once a year, usually in the warm spring months. As MZGM director Kazimierz Łomotowski informs us, this year it will be done in May. He also adds that replacing the sand in a sandbox costs approximately PLN 1,500. For information: 7 liters of cat litter (Cleo Universal Straw Litter at Carrefour in Bolesławiec) costs PLN 14.99.
Beware of cat feces
Cat feces can be dangerous to humans because cats can contract toxoplasmosis, which is particularly dangerous for pregnant women and people with weakened immune systems. It can be contracted through contact with contaminated cat feces. If the parasite, the protozoan Toxoplasma gondii, crosses into the fetus, the consequences may include miscarriage, hydrocephalus, physical developmental disabilities, intellectual disabilities, epilepsy, intracranial inflammation and damage to the eyeballs.