Cocoa Mulch, which is sold by Sainsbury's Homebase, 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. 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. Theobromine is the ingredient that is used to make all chocolate -- especially dark or baker's chocolate -- which is toxic to dogs. Cacao 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.

Thanks for that Mattie, I heard this before, but it's a good thing to bring it up regularly so new people get a chance to see it and be warned.
Dawn R.

dawn i wasn't aware at all. weve just moved into a new house and trying zero our labour. so my partner went off and bought some of this product at the time i was surfing and accidentally went into matties site and saw this at the same time as my partner phoned to say 'guess what ive got', 'turn round and take it back' was my reply. im very greatfull to mattie or this could of been all over our property.
once again big thanks mattie
em

Thanks for the warning - we were looking for a new mulch as we've just turned our front lawn into flower beds.

thanks for that mattie, i'm sure my next door neighbours gardens are covered in it, as my labs seem curiously attracted to its smell when we go past.i can't believe it is allowed to be sold if it's that toxic to dogs!!!!I hope non dog lovers don't use it in the wrong way to poison our babes, as several years ago there was a spate of poisonings on a park near us cos a weird individual was sick of dog poo, and he got away with it!!!!:(