It might be the perfect weekend to go outside, walk the dogs or do some gardening, but the Houston Humane Society wants to warn animal lovers about plants and mulch that can be toxic to pets.
Sago palms, daffodils and azaleas; these plants can be poisonous, but many people overlook more than the plants and flowers.
Monica Schmidt with Houston Humane Society said cocoa mulch is even more toxic to dogs than chocolate.
"Pets are getting a very, very concentrated amount of the toxins whereas with chocolate, you know it's usually a part of the active ingredient versus being the entire ingredient," Schmidt said.
It smells sweet to them, so they'll likely want to go right to it.
"Especially dogs, they seem to like explore as much with their mouths as anything else. They're kind of like having that the human equivalent of a toddler," Schmidt said.
Therefore, she warns you to be cautious even while walking past neighbor's yards.
"If you're visiting the dog park, just try to be aware of your surroundings and what might actually be planted around there," she said.
Plus, don't forget about what they're walking in that you can't see. It's a popular time of year for people to treat lawns with pesticides and weed killer. Schmidt recommends wiping paws before your dogs come back inside and lick their paws.