Did You Know that Mulch is Highly Toxic to 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. Halfway 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.”

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.

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“Can I Bring My Dog?” The Most Dog-Friendly Stores Across America

Dog people are doing more and more to make their pets comfortable, from booking a loving pet sitter to making homemade treats. Bringing their dog along to the store is a natural extension of the dog-centric lifestyle! Shopping with a friend is more fun than shopping alone, period.

However, it can be hard to tell what a store’s dog policy is (and it often varies by location). For example, is Target dog-friendly? Their mascot may be the beautiful bull terrier Bullseye, but they’re a staunch “service dog-only” environment (along with Sears, Staples, and others). Thankfully, dog-friendly stores are increasing in number.

FOR DOG PEOPLE | By James Harleman
“Can I Bring My Dog?” The Most Dog-Friendly Stores Across America
 This post contains affiliate links. Read more here.
Dog people are doing more and more to make their pets comfortable, from booking a loving pet sitter to making homemade treats. Bringing their dog along to the store is a natural extension of the dog-centric lifestyle! Shopping with a friend is more fun than shopping alone, period.

However, it can be hard to tell what a store’s dog policy is (and it often varies by location). For example, is Target dog-friendly? Their mascot may be the beautiful bull terrier Bullseye, but they’re a staunch “service dog-only” environment (along with Sears, Staples, and others). Thankfully, dog-friendly stores are increasing in number.

Note: due to regulation, grocery stores aren’t dog-friendly and food-serving establishments typically don’t allow dogs indoors. If you want to dine out with your dog, look for a location with a patio. Many restaurants welcome dogs in their outdoor spaces. Consider the Starbucks dog policy. Though Starbucks doesn’t allow dogs inside stores, they welcome dogs outside—and even offer them a tasty “puppuccino” if you ask!

Now, let’s talk dog-friendly shopping.

To read more on this story, click here: “Can I Bring My Dog?” The Most Dog-Friendly Stores Across America


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19 Dog-Friendly Stores Where You Can Shop With Your Pup

The other day I was walking my dog when I walked past the most gorgeous coat in the window of Anthropologie. It was pouring rain. Of course, I didn’t want to tie up my pup… but then, a retail miracle occurred! It turns out that Anthropologie is a dog-friendly store! Which got me thinking, what other stores also welcome canine shoppers? So here it is: the ultimate list of national stores that are dog friendly! Petco and Petsmart were left off in favor of stores with slightly more obscure dog policies (but don’t worry! you can still bring your dog into them!)

*Note: Many stores leave it up to the manager to decide whether their store allows dogs or not, not all of these stores will allow dogs. The best way to ensure you can bring your pooch inside is to call ahead and find out the specific store’s policy.

To read more on this story, click here: 19 Dog-Friendly Stores Where You Can Shop With Your Pup

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