Homeowners should be aware that early spring and summer are dangerous times in the garden for their pets. While gardeners plant, feed and spray their gardens, Rover is just waiting to get into all this good stuff that smells so different. New plants have to be “marked” by the cat of the family so cat lovers should pay attention as well to what they are using in their garden.

A major problem occurs when a product such as bonemeal (which tastes pretty good if you're a dog or cat) is used on the garden and then a chemical weed or insect killer is applied at the same time. The pet won't be able to understand that the garden chemical is dangerous but will smell that tasty bone meal and wander in to investigate. There have already been several reports of pets being poisoned this spring. As chemical companies try to make their products granular so they can be spread around plants using giant salt shakers, pets are more vulnerable to contacting these granules than they were when the products were sprayed onto leaves as a liquid film.

Fertilizers should also be kept away from pets. The organic content of some fertilizers is pretty appealing to dog and cat taste buds but an overdose of fertilizer can quickly turn into a messy situation. Older animals and the very young are more at risk from both fertilizer and exposure to garden pesticides while female animals of breeding age should never be exposed to garden chemicals of any kind.

Concerned homeowners can take several steps to reduce their pets exposure to garden chemical products.

1. Use organic products where possible. The vast majority of garden problems can easily be solved without the use of noxious chemicals.

2. Never apply bonemeal or organic fertilizers such as fish emulsion at the same time as garden chemicals. Bonemeal is great for installing plants and digging into planting holes but a waste of money as a general spring fertilizer. (It isn't water-soluble so it stays on the surface away from plant roots.)

3. Follow all directions on the label of the chemical product. Many products suggest watering the product after application to dissolve it into the soil. Do this and ensure your pet doesn't have access to the garden until the product is completely gone.

It is better to be safe than sorry and your pets depend on you for their safety.

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