I never knew such a thing even existed, but here is the info and it did check out on snopes--the urban legand busting website.
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>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."
>
>True information about the mulch can be found here -
>
http://www.snopes.com/critters/crusader/cocoa.htm This site gives the
>following information:
>
>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. 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.
>
>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.
>
>>
>
"Evil occurs when good people do nothing."
Shawn
