Cocoa Mulch KILLS

[fairlight]

Please Pass this along to everyone you can.

C hecked on www. Snopes.com(see below).



Please tell every dog or cat owner you know. Even if you don't have a pet, please pass this to those who do.


Over the weekend the doting owner of two young lab mixes purchased Cocoa Mulch from Target to use in their garden. They loved the way it smelled and it was advertised to keep cats away from their garden. Their dog Calypso decided that the mulch smelled good enough to eat and devoured a large helping. She vomited a few times which was typical when she eats something new but wasn't acting lethargic in any way. The next day, Mom woke up and took Calypso out for her morning walk . Half way through the walk, she had a seizure and died instantly.

Although the mulch had NO warnings printed on the label, upon further investigation on the company's website, this product is HIGHLY toxic to dogs and cats .

Cocoa Mulch is manufactured by Hershey's, and they claim that 'It is true that studies have shown that 50% of the dogs that eat Cocoa Mulch can suffer physical harm to a variety of degrees (depending on each individual dog). However, 98% of all dogs won't eat it.'

This Snopes site gives the following information:http://www.snopes.com/critters/crusader/cocoamulch.asp <http://www.snopes.com/critters/crusader/cocoamulch.asp>

Cocoa Mulch , which is sold by Home Depot, Foreman's Garden Supply and other Garden supply stores , contains a lethal ingredient called ' Theobromine '. It is lethal to dogs and cats . It smells like chocolate and it really attracts dogs. They will ingest this stuff and die. Several deaths already occurred in the last 2-3 weeks. Theobromine is in all chocolate, especially dark or baker's chocolate which is toxic to dogs. Cocoa bean shells contain potentially toxic quantities of theobromine, a xanthine compound similar in effects to caffeine and theophylline. A dog that ingested a lethal quantity of garden mulch made from cacao bean shells developed severe convulsions and died 17 hours later. Analysis of the stomach contents and the ingested cacao bean shells revealed the presence of lethal amounts of theobromine.


PLEASE GIVE THIS THE WIDEST DISTRIBUTION!!!

[mara]

I'm surprised they still have this available without labeling on the package.
This has been around for a few years now...I'm going to check the local Home Depot and see it they're still selling it.

[~WelshStump~]

Saw this years ago shortly after the product came out. It was all through the dog magazines and then some. I'd be shocked if any company is still selling this stuff without a "harmful to pets" label. My mother was pressing BIG TIME to buy this when she first heard about it, till I showed her the hazard articles. She for a while still pressed to try it but I just wont allow it anywhere near my dogs no matter how good they are. And with the Chickens, not sure if its bad for them, but being bad for exotic birds I'd think it goes the same.

[fairlight]

I always thought mulch was mulch. Over the last few years I have learned differently. Some carry termites, some fire ants, some toxic just like this one.

[Bclover92]

I like the recycled rubber stuff my uncle has. I want some of that stuff. It looks nice but is soft to step on.

[~WelshStump~]

Originally Posted by Bclover92

I like the recycled rubber stuff my uncle has. I want some of that stuff. It looks nice but is soft to step on.

I like the looks of that stuff too. The only problem I could see is, if you own one of those dogs that like to swallow pebbles, or have a young child that puts stuff in there mouth, you may not want to go with it. I personally am in love with the mats. They've taken the rubber mulch and heated it into round mats, and you just cut the hole in the center and big as needed to go around your trees. Doing the lawn has never been easier!

[Bclover92]

I like the look too.

I LOVE standing on squishy rubber stuff like that!

[Dignity]

I've never even seen cocoa mulch for sale but knew about this.