Not my usual thing but this stuff is very widely available and thought I would post this - hope it doesn't break any forum rules:

PLEASE HAVE A READ AND CHECK YOUR GARDEN ...........YOU CAN ALSO READ ON GOOGLE ABOUT COCOA MULCH

Subject: COCOA MULCH

Quote:
Yesterday one of our dog agility friends experienced a tragedy and wanted me to pass a special message along to all of my dog loving friends and family.
Please tell every dog owner you know.

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, Mum 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.'

Also included was the following information -

Quote:
Cocoa Mulch, which is sold by Home Depot, Sainsbury's, B&Q, Foreman's Garden Supply and other leading 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. Just a word of caution, check what you are using in your gardens and be aware of what your gardeners are using in your gardens.

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.

 

Yup - don't feed you dog chocolate or derived products, use carob instead.

 

Will get some of this for the garden, sounds like it may solve my cat problems (Permanently? )

 

While it's poisonous to cats, they are far less likely to eat it and even then not in quantaties likely to kill them. Dog flea treatment on the otherhand...

 

Well thanks for that. I can't think that I would use it but useful to know. I wonder if councils use it in their parks? Unlikely I guess.

But I think my dogs would have a go! I even have to be careful about adding too much bonemeal to the soil or else the Spaniels are rooting away like truffle hounds

Bit irresponsible for the sellers not to put a hazard label on packaging though.

dl