IMPORTANT: PET OWNERS!

Thread Tools
 
Old 08-04-2011, 07:54 AM
  #1  
Senior Member
Thread Starter
 
Nancy Ingham's Avatar
 
Join Date: Mar 2011
Location: Shipshewana, IN
Posts: 775
Default

WARNING: SUNSHINE OF AFRICA, COCOA SHELL GARDEN MULCH sold at Home Depot, Foreman's and other garden supply stores.........Please read!

Please share this with all the pet owners you know and ask them to do the same - the information you take a few minutes to share might prevent the senseless loss of other pets.

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. The dogs loved the way it smelled and it was advertised to keep cats away from their garden. Their dog (Calypso) decided 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 web site,

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."
*Snopes site gives the following information: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 li ke 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 PASS THIS ON **
Nancy Ingham is offline  
Old 08-04-2011, 07:55 AM
  #2  
Super Member
 
ptquilts's Avatar
 
Join Date: Jun 2010
Location: Vermont
Posts: 6,985
Default

wow, that is sad. Thanks for the info.
ptquilts is online now  
Old 08-04-2011, 08:03 AM
  #3  
Junior Member
 
KyKat's Avatar
 
Join Date: Jun 2011
Location: Kentucky
Posts: 180
Default

I heard that on a gardening show recently. I knew that Dogs aren't supposed to have chocolate, or anything to do with cocoa, so the mulch is in that family. The mfg companies should put something in the mulch that would repel the dogs, IMHO.
KyKat is offline  
Old 08-04-2011, 08:10 AM
  #4  
Super Member
 
Join Date: Mar 2010
Location: North Texas
Posts: 8,710
Default

So sad. Glad you are able to warn other pet owners.
debbieumphress is offline  
Old 08-04-2011, 09:25 AM
  #5  
Super Member
 
Join Date: Jan 2011
Location: upstate New York
Posts: 1,191
Default

Thanks for the warning ! I think it should be taken off the market !!
quiltpd is offline  
Old 08-04-2011, 09:29 AM
  #6  
Super Member
 
Join Date: Sep 2010
Location: Upper Michigan
Posts: 8,248
Default

Isn't that awful??
Painiacs is offline  
Old 08-04-2011, 11:26 AM
  #7  
Super Member
 
Join Date: Jun 2011
Location: Texas
Posts: 3,017
Default

Thanks for posting!
gigi4419 is offline  
Old 08-04-2011, 11:59 AM
  #8  
Super Member
 
ladyshuffler's Avatar
 
Join Date: May 2010
Location: North Bend, Oregon
Posts: 2,181
Default

Passed it on to everyone in my address book!!
ladyshuffler is offline  
Old 08-04-2011, 12:42 PM
  #9  
Power Poster
 
Join Date: Nov 2009
Location: Mableton, GA
Posts: 11,201
Default

http://www.snopes.com/critters/crusader/cocoamulch.asp

Here is some info on this from snopes, which they deem "partly true" but the information they provide is interesting.
Stitchnripper is offline  
Old 08-04-2011, 12:45 PM
  #10  
Super Member
 
Kimkankwilt's Avatar
 
Join Date: Nov 2010
Location: Saugus, CA
Posts: 1,310
Default

Thank-you for the info....passed it along.
Kimkankwilt is offline  
Related Topics
Thread
Thread Starter
Forum
Replies
Last Post
Chasing Hawk
General Chit-Chat (non-quilting talk)
14
09-08-2018 05:03 AM
JenniePenny
General Chit-Chat (non-quilting talk)
90
10-05-2011 03:52 AM
2manyprojects
Links and Resources
12
06-17-2011 01:40 AM
mythreesuns
General Chit-Chat (non-quilting talk)
19
03-19-2011 04:13 AM
butterflywing
General Chit-Chat (non-quilting talk)
14
04-17-2010 04:32 PM

Posting Rules
You may not post new threads
You may not post replies
You may not post attachments
You may not edit your posts

BB code is On
Smilies are On
[IMG] code is On
HTML code is On
Trackbacks are Off
Pingbacks are Off
Refbacks are Off



FREE Quilting Newsletter