Keep your pets safe this spring

With a taste of warm weather, our thoughts have turned to Spring Clean-up - inside and out.  Our friend, Renee (Willow's mom) forwarded this e-mail.  Just a note of caution to everyone.

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 mulc h 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."
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 shell revealed the presence of lethal amounts of theobromine.

E-mail from Ivy

We received an e-mail from Ivy's family asking a question:

Hi

I was just curious if Ivy has an aversion for socks? Yesterday she absconded with both of my socks and last night she took one of my socks. It is a game, I think, with her, that I have to go hunting for my socks when I get up in the morning. She’s quite a character!

Royce & Kathy

I responded back to them that I was aware of her addiction to dirty socks - the funny thing is -- she always stole my dirty socks from the clothesbasket!  I also warned them that she'll take them outside in the yard if she gets a chance - Ivy hasn't changed! 

Cool Snowmen we didn't build!

Just a couple of fun stuff photos!  These people have some talent.  I get too cold to be outside long enough to create anything like this - plus - I have no talent!  lol!!  Above is Shreik, and below are the Simpsons!

The Finished Product

Here is our masterpiece . . . a much smaller version than the original vision.  Potatoes for eyes, a traditional carrot nose - and - baseball cap for a "hope of spring".

If his potatoes eyes are working, this is the scene he is viewing - looking down the drive.