Toxocariasis or Gold? Easy Choice!

Check your shoes!


I'm not a cat lover. In fact, you might consider me anti-cat. Perhaps it's because I never owned one, or perhaps I hate things as independent as I try to be. Whatever...I will say this about cats, though, they seldom poop in the park.
Green Bay, like probably every city planet-wide, has a "No Dogs in the Park" rule. Of course, dog owners totally ignore the law, letting their animals run freely through the city park across the street from our house. OK, fine, but don't let them pee on the bushes my wife is trying hard to grow in order to beautify the park sign, and PICK UP AFTER THEM! Cats at least have the dignity to do their "business" in the privacy of a litter box. Dogs have no shame. that's why we need an incentive like the one offered in New Taipei City recently.
It seems as if city fathers and residents finally had had enough of dog poo lying everywhere, threatening shoe soles and health, especially of small children. See, dog feces has a bacteria which can be extremely harmful to humans who ingest it...and children are probably more likely than most adults to be the recipient of this sidewalk choco-log.
As a result, anyone who picked up dog droppings and brought them to a designated location was presented with a lottery ticket. Cash prizes, household appliances and small ingots of gold (yes, gold!) were offered as prizes. Over the course of the several-month contest, 4,000 people brought in 14,500 bags of the stuff! The top cash prize of $2,200 was won by a 50-year-old woman. The event got so popular that people were organizing teams to go in search of the offending material! Hey, cash is cash...I know people who still pick up the odd aluminum can alongside the road for the same reason!
Picture this: a dog squats alongside the street and five people lurk behind nearby trees, awaiting the magic moment when they can rush in with the pooper scooper and carry off the treasure! Imagine the melee that might erupt when the dog's owner claims first rights to the offending melange! We'd need another ordinance!
I'll bet the folks that sponsored the concealed weapon carry law in Wisconsin didn't take THAT scenario into conssideration when they proposed such legislation!