Pieces of Dark Chocolate Found Planted in Dog Park

Dog Parents in the Canton area, Michigan were recently warned of square pieces of dark chocolate that were found in wood chips at their local dog park.

The incident was saddening and provoked many questions from parents as well the President of Friends of Canton Dog Park, Natalie Travers. Unsure whether it was an accident or not, further digging revealed a telling find.

Before the pieces of chocolate were found the park had been vandalized a week prior; signs torn and the parking lot a mess, it was an awful sight. This prompted discussions on increasing surveillance and security, however, the chocolate finding heightened the worry. A parent from the community, Alyssa Paradise, remarked that the news was discouraging and she wondered why someone would plant chocolate in a dog park. Paradise worryingly said that she didn’t want her pup or any other pup to get hurt as the implications that come with a dog ingesting chocolate are dire.

Chocolate is toxic to dogs because it contains theobromine and caffeine which both increase their heart rate and overstimulate their nervous systems. Dark chocolate is less mild in terms of its effects but the amount eaten matters. Most dogs are hardly affected by a small piece of chocolate, especially bigger breeds, but significant amounts like a single square of chocolate can lead to symptoms of chocolate poisoning. These symptoms include; vomiting, diarrhea, and in some extreme cases, seizures.

With regards to the Canton dog community, Animal Control Officers are on the case to catch and prevent this endangering occurrence from repeating itself.

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