Johannesburg, South Africa – Sasol is donating R7,5 million to support emergency relief efforts in KwaZulu-Natal, following the devastating floods that have resulted in significant loss of life and damage to property and infrastructure.
Sasol Executive Vice President: Human Resources and Stakeholder Relations, Charlotte Mokoena, conveyed Sasol’s deepest condolences to all those who have lost loved ones in the wake of this disaster as well as those who are separated from their family members; and/or impacted in other ways.
“Our donation will be channelled through one of our partners, the Charities Aid Foundation Southern Africa (CAFSA), to facilitate and coordinate the disbursement of funds to various vetted relief agencies that are providing active on the ground disaster support in the province,” said Mokoena.
“For Sasol, it was imperative that we stepped up swiftly to support relief efforts in the most affected areas. For this reason, working closely with the Provincial Government, different district municipalities and eThekwini Municipality, a portion of our donation will be released with immediacy for the provision of necessities such as food, clothing, mattresses and blankets. The remaining funds will go towards rebuild efforts for critical infrastructure such as schools and clinics.”
Several of Sasol’s employees in KwaZulu-Natal have also suffered bereavements and damage to property. To support them, Sasol has implemented a special care package, which includes special leave dispensation, salary advancement and leaves encashment options to provide immediate relief and assistance. Sasol employees and their family members can also access 24/7 counselling services through the Sasol Employee Assistance Programme.
“Through Sasol for Good, our employee volunteer programme, our employees are also able to make a monetary donation to reach those who are in most need of assistance, and Sasol will match 50% of the total employee contributions received,” concluded Mokoena.
FOUR ALLEGED POACHERS WERE REMANDED IN CUSTODY BY THE COURT FOLLOWING THEIR ARREST IN TWO SEPARATE INCIDENTS
Nelspruit: 21 April 2022 -The Provincial Commissioner of the SAPS in Mpumalanga, Lieutenant General Semakaleng Daphney Manamela has once more acknowledged with appreciation the relentless efforts by field rangers in the fight against poaching where they work in collaboration with other law enforcement agencies. The sentiment by the General follows the court appearance of four alleged poachers who were arrested in two separate incidents at the Kruger National Park on Monday, 18 April 2022 and Tuesday, 19 April 2022. The four were remanded in custody during their court appearance.
According to the report, on the said Monday at about 12h00 pm, field rangers that were deployed to work at Houtboshrand Section of the Kruger National Park, spotted some human footprints which signalled possible poachers inside the park. The rangers followed the tracks with the assistance of a tracker dog and managed to corner two male suspects.
Police at Skukuza were notified as such and upon their arrival at the scene of the crime, the two men were arrested and charged with possession of an unlicensed firearm with ammunition, more charges may be added as the investigation continues. The pair was found with some items in their possession, which included a hunting rifle with its serial numbers filed-off, 8 live ammunition, as well as an axe. The suspect was identified as Raydon Zitha, aged 24 and Ernesto Zitha, aged 27.
The investigation also revealed that the two men are Mozambican Nationals and had entered South Africa illegally hence they are faced with a charge of contravention of the Immigration Act of South Africa. During their court appearance, the case of the two was postponed to 04 May 2022 for a formal bail hearing whilst they remain in custody.
Meanwhile on the said Tuesday at around 12h30 pm, field rangers that were posted to work at the Tshokwane Section of the Kruger National Park that day indicated that they spotted some human footprints in the area and then followed the tracks with the help of a tracker dog where they too managed to arrest two male suspects who were found in possession of a hunting rifle, four (04) live ammunition and an axe.
Skukuza Police were once again summoned and upon their arrival at the scene, they arrested the two men and charged them for possession of an unlicensed firearm with ammunition, more charges could be added as the investigation proceeds. The suspects were identified as Maxiyi Hlungwana (33) and Khensani Chauke (26).
The probe so far revealed that the two suspects are originally from Mozambique and had illegally entered South Africa hence a charge of contravention of the Immigration Act of South Africa was added to them. During their court appearance at Skukuza Regional Court yesterday, Wednesday 20 April 2022, their case was postponed to 04 May 2022 as well for a formal bail hearing whilst they remained in custody.
The Provincial Commissioner of the SAPS in Mpumalanga, Lieutenant General Semakaleng Daphney Manamela has further expressed her satisfaction with the manner in which poaching is dealt with recently. “We are very much happy and content with the successes that we have been getting with regard to poaching and we hope that the court will do justice to these suspects,” said the General.
Police urge anyone with any information on Crime to call the Crime Stop number at 08600 10111. Alternatively, members of the public can send information via MYSAPSAPP. All received information will be treated as confidential and callers may opt to remain anonymous.
ANIMALS 101 – CRUELTY COMES IN MANY FORMS AND MANY PEOPLE, POSSIBLY UNKNOWINGLY, SUPPORT THESE PRACTICES OR INDUSTRIES.
In the light of April being the prevention of cruelty to animals month, we want to look at some industries and practices that are contributing to the cruelty to animals, that you might be supporting. Have you ever complained about a dog being chained, yet you take your kids to petting farms, aquariums, on animal rides, or to the circus? Whether it hurts them physically or not, there is always an ethical, welfare and cruelty question! Let’s look at a few practices or industries.
Responsible people and tourists do not interact with captive wild animals! While many elephant-riding operations say that their animals are well treated, there is no quick, easy or humane way to train any elephant, Asian or African, purely for the pleasure of people to ride these highly intelligent and majestic creatures. Also, look at the spine structure and think about whether it will hurt or not.
Too many animals living on one property can be a sign of animal hoarding. Thousands of animals are hoarding victims each year. Animals are kept in overcrowded, deteriorated areas and unfortunately most hoarding animal victims will have to be euthanized due to ill health.
Every year millions of animals suffer and die for nothing – animal-based experiments are misleading and retard medical progress. There are safe, modern, effective, accurate, reliable and repeatable methods available that require no living beings. Watch this Save Ralph short film.
Make a difference where you can, by using kind options for household cleaners and grooming needs. It doesn’t matter what a brand says, it is what it can prove. Remember that all bunny logos does not mean the same.
Image by Beauty Without Cruelty SA (Facebook)
UNETHICAL HUNTING PRACTICES
Even though we understand that hunting is deeply entrenched in the SA culture, we strongly object to any hunting or fishing for sport, entertainment, or recreational purposes. The sport does not justify causing suffering to animals.
A canned hunt is a trophy hunt that is not a “fair chase”; it has been made too easy for the hunter. Animals have been kept in a confined area, such as in a fenced-in area, increasing the likelihood of the hunter obtaining a kill. A canned hunt is a hunt for animals that have been raised on game ranches until they are mature enough to be killed for trophy collections.
The welfare concerns are crucial here and both the dog and its prey can get injured and die a terrible death, apart from the living conditions of the hunting dogs.
A line of beaters pushes the animal in the direction of a chain of waiting hunters, this way you can be relatively certain of getting a chance of shooting the game several times each day.
Are you ok with cruel beauty or comfort? If you’re considering buying a product stuffed with down or body feathers, the first thought on your mind probably isn’t: “Where did these feathers come from? One of the ways they collect feathers is live-plucking. Live plucking is exactly what it sounds like: a goose or duck is held down by their neck or wings as the “targeted feathers” are torn from their skin. When the skin rips during this process it is sewn up with a straight needle (no analgesic or sterilization used) and the bird is left to recover before the next “harvest of feathers.” This process is repeated every 6-7 weeks before the bird’s eventual slaughter (or death from the trauma of the plucking process itself).
This is an amputation equivalent to the first digits of your fingers. We believe declawing cats is both unethical and inhumane. We also believe that Veterinarians should say no to this procedure unless there is a medical reason for it. There are many alternatives for responsible pet owners who are not lazy. Watch this video about declawing.
While docking and bobbing are more commonly used to refer to the removal of the tail, the term cropping is used about the ears. There is no justifiable reason to dock a dog’s tail or ears. Those who do it will be liable for prosecution under the Animal Protection Act no 71 of 1962. When you buy breeds where this has been done, you are supporting cruelty.
Many factors seriously compromise the welfare of the fish, leading to suffering and may even kill the animals. The water quality is affected and temperature changes are also a concern. Toxic (to fish) chemicals such as from toiletries or nail varnish may leach into the water. Chemicals used to clean or disinfect tanks or to clean clients’ feet before treatment may also be toxic to the fish. Overcrowding fish in a small volume of water will lead to increased concentrations of ammonia too. Well-fed fish may show no interest in human skin and may be unlikely to feed on the skin if they had access to appropriate food sources. There is also the question of what happens to the fish once they have become too big to be used for pedicures.
People catch & release for personal fun. Take a photo to boost your low self-esteem maybe or for some likes on Facebook? You are not doing this for conservation. Fish can feel the injury and depending on where you hooked them, it can have detrimental effects on their well-being and that is apart from the fact that many die about a week later, due to infection of the injury site.
THE ANIMAL FOOD INDUSTRY, WITH A SPECIAL MENTION OF FOIE GRAS
Foie gras is a speciality food made of duck or goose liver. One bird is forced to consume between 160 and 210 kgs of corn mush in only three weeks. This is the equivalent of a 68kg human consuming roughly 27kgs of oiled pasta daily, or 54 boxes of pasta a day.
There is no way for you to justify these cruel practices or industries. Animals do not deserve to be treated like products. They are sentient beings and deserve respect, care and most of all freedom.
Next week we will look at the things you need to consider when you have pets and you go house-hunting.
The N17 potholes have several motorists up in arms over the past Easter weekend.
Several complaints were received by various social media groups regarding the potholes on the N17 between the water towers and the Trichardt toll plaza.
A message started to circulate that the road has been washed away between Trichardt and the Water towers. Motorists were advised to use alternative routes. This message incited anger and frustration among road users as the words ”washed away” means that there is no more road.
Some people asked about the validity of the message while others took it as the truth and added fuel to the fire by spreading the message far and wide.
The message proved to be False although the road condition of the N17 was dangerous.
Several people threatened to close the toll gates until the potholes are fixed whilst others demand that the gate be opened and no tolls are charged for the road use.
The Bulletin decided to travel the N17 from Bethal to the water towers to ascertain the exact state of the road.
We found several potholes along the route. Several of the potholes are quite large. Near Holfontein, water from the adjacent farm area damaged the road quite extensively with a very large pothole on the edge of the road. We could not take a photograph of that area as it was too dangerous to stop nearby.
We found, however, a team fixing the potholes. The Bulletin spoke to the workers and was told that they had to fix all the potholes. Although this is great news it needs to be seen as some of the potholes can not just be filled with tar and stamped firm.
In some areas, the road surface needs to be redone completely. Maintenance is very important in keeping potholes from forming.
The traffic and water combine to create holes in the road surface. Water pressure created by vehicles driving across the water in small cracks and holes will cause the defect to rapidly increase.
Sanral states its mission as follows: “Our purpose is to deliver a safe, efficient, reliable and resilient national road transport system for the benefit of all the people of South Africa.”
Sanral has a primary mandate to manage and control the national road network and take charge, amongst others, of the development, maintenance and rehabilitation of national roads.
Sanral released a press release regarding the projects in Mpumalanga. It is worthy to note that there is no mention of any project to repair the road in Govan Mbeki. During the GMM presentation all projects that were mentioned outside of GMM, from our borders to other towns.
The Bulletin will try and get more clarity on the subject so that GMM residents and N17 users may have more clarity.
Here is the full statement:
SANRAL willing to respond to the needs of Mpumalanga stakeholders
Pretoria, 30 March 2022 – The South African National Roads Agency SOC Limited (SANRAL) is willing to respond to the needs and expectations of stakeholders in Mpumalanga, says Board Chairperson Themba Mhambi.
Mhambi was speaking during the “Taking Sanral to the people” stakeholder engagement session in Secunda in the Govan Mbeki Local Municipality on Friday, 25 March 2022. This engagement was in line with SANRAL’s fourth pillar of Stakeholder Relations, which requires stakeholders to be consulted about all project-related activities that affect communities.
During the session, stakeholders voiced concerns about formal training for small businesses prior to bidding for projects to ensure that they have an improved chance of procuring the opportunities. Stakeholders also pleaded with SANRAL to first consider local businesses to be appointed as the main contractors for projects since there were far more capable businesses in the area, and only outsource where they don’t meet the requirements.
The chairperson emphasised that all SANRAL projects should have a direct impact on the communities in the form of jobs, community development and skills training for small, medium and micro enterprises (SMMEs).
“SANRAL is committed to ensuring that its transformation policy is understood and relevant to the communities in which its projects are operating and ensure that all SMMEs in the affected local municipality are afforded an equal opportunity to tender for projects in the area,” he said.
Mhambi said that SANRAL’s Horizon 2030 Strategy is a proactive response to deliver on the agency’s vision of a national transport system that will ensure a better South Africa for all. It sets out in detail the strategic objectives and the critical enablers that will make it possible for the roads agency to remain a respected, dynamic and responsive organisation over the years to come.
The Executive Mayor of the Govan Mbeki Municipality, Cllr NhlakaniphoZuma, welcomed the visit by the roads agency as it will solidify the partnership between the two entities and will help in advancing the link between road infrastructure and the local communities.
“We are a diverse municipality which accommodates all forms of nations. We are an economy with high factors of industrialisation which seeks to attract an average of 3,3% of population growth per year,” he said.
The mayor highlighted the negative impact of the COVID-19 pandemic on the local economy.
“While we have a population growth of 3,3 %, we are currently sitting at 1% growth of the economy which indicates the state of the livelihoods of our people. Once you have your economic growth sitting beneath the population growth, it means that you are reproducing over elements of poverty and unemployment. Therefore, we appreciate any initiative that will come and advance us,” said Zuma.
The municipality boasts about 998 km of road infrastructure: 505 km are tarred roads and 398 gravel roads which the municipality says it is struggling to maintain to the acceptable standards required.
The municipality is also home to one of the country’s national key points, the Sasol plant, which attracts lots of heavy trucks to the area, meaning the road infrastructure requires maintenance on a frequent basis.
SANRAL projects in Govan Mbeki Local Municipality
SANRAL manages about 2 400km of road infrastructure across the province and has planned a couple of projects throughout the municipality. Some of the key projects earmarked for construction, upgrading and maintenance include:
The upgrading of the R573 Moloto Road (Thebisile Hani) – the first phase of the project has been completed. More phases will be rolled out in 2022.
The resurfacing of national route N17 section 02 and section 03 from R29/Springs (km 38.7) to R50/Leandra i/c (km 7.9)
The resurfacing of national road R33 section 6 from Mkhondo (km 0.0) to Amsterdam (km 34.2)
There are planned repairs of various structures on national route N12. These projects are in Victor Khanye Local Municipality, and will be split into three parts:
repairs of various structures on national route N12 between Gillooly’s Interchange and Delmas Interchange,
the repair and resurfacing of national route N12 section 20 between Delmas and Petroport, and
the repair and resurfacing of national route N12 section 20 between Petroport to Ogies.
The duration of these projects ranges from 10 to 15 months, and they are estimated to cost between R40 million to R50 million each. Opportunities for subcontracting in these projects include concrete pavement repair, drainage and structures improvements, road furniture (road signs, guardrails) and road markings.
Routine Road Maintenance (RRM)
There is currently 10 routine road maintenance (RRM) projects servicing the province. Two more will be awarded before 31 March 2022. There is a Special Maintenance Project along the N17 Section 5 from Chrissiesmeer to km 85 within the Msukaligwa and Chief Albert Luthuli Local Municipalities respectively and the project will be completed approximately on 31 March 2023.
SANRAL has approximately 2 500km of road network where maintenance is being done through RRM projects in the province.
Maintenance of the road is an ongoing exercise and is the only consistent activity within the SANRAL road network that is critical in creating jobs for local communities and subcontracting opportunities for targeted businesses on an ongoing basis.
SANRAL will continue to consult with all key stakeholders and partner with provincial and government entities to uplift communities and grow the economy to guarantee a better life for all.
Con Spirito is ‘n unieke Kultuurvereniging, Kultuur met Geesdrif, wat in 2003 gestig is. Hulle is passievol oor kultuur en wil graag vir elke kind die geleentheid skep om sy/haar talente uit te leef.
Kultuurkompetisies van verskeie aard word jaarliks aangebied wat geleentheid bied aan die wat nie altyd ‘n kans kry in sy/ haar skool nie. Enige skool/organisasie mag deelneem aan Con Spirirto.
Ethan het verskeie deelnemers uitgestof met sy kunswerk. Die kunswerk het geraamtes wat karnaval hou uitgebeeld.
Waterverf deur Ethan
Alhoewel Akriel sy gunsteling medium is hou Ethan ook daarvan om met waterverf en pastel te werk. Hy verf graag diere en voëls.
Kuns is nie die enigste area waarin hy uitblink nie. Ethan hou van musiek en speel graag sy kitaar. Hy hou baie van klassieke kitaar maar het onlangs die plesier van die elektriese kitaar ontdek. “Maar dit is net vir die pret” sê Ethan.
Hy speel ook klavier en viool. Hy het onlangs weer sy Unisa musiek eksamens geslaag.
Die aktiwiteit vaarwan Ethan die meeste hou is egter Gholf. “Ek oefen harder aan my Gholf as aan my musiek,” sê Ethan tewyl hy skaam lag.
Alhoewel Ethan graag Gholf speel speel hy ook Krieket en geniet dit baie om te boul. “Ek het nou die dag my afrigter uitgeboul,” sê hy, “hy skuld my nou sjokelade.”
Hy blink ook uit met akademie en is onder die top 10 vir sy graad.
Maar dit het nie altyd goed gegaan met Ethan nie. Inteendeel gaan dit nog steeds nie altyd klopdisselboom nie.
As baba het hulle, die dokters, ‘n vernoude Aorta by Ethan gediagnoseer. Dit kan baie hoë bloeddruk veroorsaak en hy word vinniger as ander kinders moeg of uitgeput. Hy verkies egter dat die stukkende hart nie sy lewenslus moet demp nie en leef alles voluit.
Die dokter beplan om die grootste moontlike stent in te plaas om die drukking om sy hart te verminder en sy bloeddruk te stabiliseer. Ethan gebruik tans geen medikasie nie en word gereeld gemonitor om sy hart kondisie dop te hou.
Ons hou graag sy loopbaan dop en glo dat Ethan nog groot hoogtes gaan beriek.
“We appeal to drivers to keep headlights on when driving in the rain, increase following distances and also avoid excessive speeding. They should further adjust their driving to various prevailing conditions on the road,” says the MEC.
MEC Shongwe
Shongwe also advises motorists to avoid crossing low lying bridges as this poses danger to them.
He is again reminding motorists to obey the rules. He says those who will be driving long distances today and on Easter Monday must rest sufficiently along the way.
The MEC is happy with the cooperation among stakeholders. He also notes the positive impact that law enforcement visibility across most roads in the province is having on road safety despite fatal rashes recorded so far in the province.
At this stage, 13 people have lost their lives in 43 fatal crashes. This includes four people who perished in the N17 toll road crash that happened on Friday.
According to the MEC with increased cooperation from motorists, these numbers could be reduced as compared to last year’s Easter holiday crashes.
Gee deur Zapper – vind ons QR code in die diens aankondigings.
Kontak ons gerus op Kruik Gemeente se Facebook Messenger en Whatsapp lyn (072 133 6130) of besoek ons webtuiste by: https://www.kruik.co.za
Geniet die diens saam ons!
Jesus, O, dink aan my Lukas 23:45 J. Berthier CCLI# 573661
Die Verwonde Seun Aaron Moses, David Funk, Nate Moore, Matt Redman 2021 Bethel Music Publishing Vertaling – Koos van der Merwe CCLI# 573661
Hier’s my hart Heer (Here’s my heart Lord) Jason Ingram, Chris Tomlin, Louis Giglio Essential Music Publishing Vertaling – Koos van der Merwe CCLI# 573661
An Arrive Alive campaign was launched today by several companies in the Emergency services fields
Several companies joined hands and gathered at Sasol Junction in Secunda to make people aware of the dangers of the road during this Easter Weekend.
ER24, Stratcon, SAPS, Sectri Autobody, Car Doctor, Langamed and JTR Towing all joined hands. SANBS also has a clinic at Sasol Junxion. Jelani as well as Countrywide towing also joined.
Please donate blood today, you might need it on the weekend!
The Bulletin spoke to several of the companies about the Easter Weekend.
Captain Wright spoke to the Bulletin
Jacques and Gunnie from Stratcon
As the Easter long-weekend approaches, many families will be planning short vacations across South Africa to get away and spend quality time with each other. Sadly, Easter is also a turbulent time on South African roads with many crashes and fatalities over this period. This year, Easter begins on Friday, 15 April and ends on Monday, 18 April.
The Automobile Association (AA) urges all road users to obey the road rules, be courteous to each other, and arrive safely at their destinations and back home again.
Okkie from Sectri Autobody and Car Doctor
“Given the increase in traffic on main routes during the long-weekend, there is always a spike in crashes and fatalities on our roads during this time. It’s important for all road users – motorists, motorcyclists, and pedestrians – to remain focussed on the road and to obey the rules for their own, and others’ safety, on the road,” says the AA.
The Association offers the following tips for road users over the Easter period:
Nico from JTR spoke to the Bulletin about Easter
Ensure your car is in good working condition and that all the parts of the vehicle are functioning as they should
Tyres are a critical safety feature on vehicles (including those on trailers and caravans and including all spare tyres). Ensure all tyres are in good condition and that they have sufficient tread for your journey. Also, ensure you have all the tools to change a flat tyre just in case you might need to. Check that all are correctly inflated (check the owner’s manual for guidance) and that your tyres are balanced and aligned.
Shayne from Langamed spoke about Easter and their support
Check your wiper blades (front and back) to ensure they function properly.
Plan your route. Know where and how often you will stop on your journey (at least every two hours or every 200kms), how many times you will need to fuel up, and if you will need overnight accommodation.
Roads can be congested over the holiday period with everyone trying to get to their different destinations. Leave earlier or later for your destination to avoid holiday traffic if you can.
It’s always easier to travel with more than one driver to alternate driving duty. If that is not possible, stop to refresh, stretch your legs, and get some fresh air.
Andre spoke about ER24’s easter support
Remember the rules of the road apply even if you are on holiday. Be courteous and patient with everyone that you share the road with.
Make sure that your insurance and AA Membership fees are paid up in case you need to make that emergency call.
Arrive Alive at Sasol Junxion Filling Station
If no one will be home while you go on holiday. Make sure that there is adequate security so that all your belongings are still there when you come back. For added peace of mind, subscribe to AA Armed Response to protect you and your family.
ANIMALS 101 – EASTER GIFTS SHOULD NEVER INCLUDE LIVE ANIMALS AND WATCH OUT FOR THESE HOLIDAY HAZARDS!
Easter is around the corner and with Easter comes family gatherings, chocolate, Easter egg hunts and gifts. Please don’t use this occasion to give your children chicks and rabbits just because they asked for them and think that they look “cute.” Pet ownership is a huge commitment and responsibility and it’s not something that should be done on impulse.
In addition, Easter, like every holiday, involves potential hazards for your pets, that every pet parent should be aware of, so make sure your pets avoid Easter goodies and decorations to avoid unexpected heartaches.
Image by Dr. Karen Becker (Facebook page)
WHY GIVING A BUNNY (OR ANY ANIMAL) AS GIFTSIS A TERRIBLE IDEA!
Animals are not and should never be seen as commodities. They are sentient beings and not disposable toys. Giving them as gifts sends the wrong message and is usually an impulse buy.
Animals are not gifts; they are many years of commitment. Rabbits generally live for 5 to 8 years depending on their environment and breed, but they can live for as long as 12 years. If you decide to adopt a rabbit, make sure you are prepared to care for them that long and sterilize them.
Children’s attention span will fit better with a stuffed toy than a sentient being whose needs should be a priority. Children lose interest quickly.
Tragically, many of the rabbits are abandoned in the weeks after Easter, once families begin to realize that caring for a rabbit is a major commitment. Many end up dead, abandoned, dumped on already overwhelmed shelters, or end up confined in outdoor hutches, before their first birthday.
Caring properly for a rabbit is complex. In general, rabbits need appropriate housing, exercise, socialization and a specific diet for good welfare. Rabbits are high-maintenance pets with many specific physical and emotional needs. It is not an ideal pet for kids! Rabbits may suffer from boredom and depression if they are kept in cages, so they need many hours of free-roaming time and mental stimulation every day in a spacious, rabbit-proof area. Rabbits also require a diet rich in hay and fresh vegetables. Some breeds of rabbits, particularly the longer-haired rabbits, may require daily grooming. You must understand their physical, dietary and social requirements, including the fact that most bunnies need friends, before getting them!
Dogs are much more often the victims of chocolate poisoning than cats, because dogs like sweet-tasting things, and they’re indiscriminate eaters. Both theobromine and caffeine stimulate the central nervous system and heart muscle. They also relax smooth muscles, especially the bronchial muscles, and increase the production of urine by the kidneys. Even small amounts of chocolate can cause adverse reactions in pets, and the darker the chocolate, the more theobromine it contains.
Easter candy, baked goods and other products containing xylitol
Sadly, xylitol poisoning in dogs is reaching epidemic proportions. Just a few years ago, xylitol could be found in less than a hundred products, but today it can be found in a wide range of products. Xylitol is a sweetener that is highly toxic to dogs. Xylitol is used to sweeten a wide range of products, including sugar-free gum and mints, nicotine gum, chewable vitamins, certain prescription drugs, dental hygiene products and baked goods. It can also be purchased in granulated form as a sugar replacement to sweeten beverages, cereals and other foods.
Easter basket grass and other fillers
The plastic grass used in Easter baskets can look tasty to pets, but it can’t be absorbed into their bodies. This means it can become lodged at any point along the gastrointestinal (GI) tract and create serious problems. If the grass is a staple in your Easter baskets, consider substituting paper grass or tissue paper.
Plastic eggs, foil wrappings and Easter toys can also be attractive to pets, so be sure to keep Easter baskets and their contents well out of the reach of your dog or cat.
If you hide hardboiled eggs in your house or yard for the kiddos to find, be sure to keep track of how many you hide and how many are found. You don’t want your pet to discover a rotten egg in a few weeks or months and eat it.
Also, keep in mind that plastic eggs can easily be cracked and produce small sharp shards that can cause injury if your pet swallows them.
If you dye your Easter eggs, make sure to use non-toxic food colouring.
Easter lilies
A variety of lillies can potentially be toxic/deadly to pets, especially cats, but dogs too. Nontoxic varieties of lilies include the Calla, Peace and Peruvian. If a kitty swallows even a tiny amount of any portion of these plants, including the pollen, kidney failure can result.
Easter dinner
Most types of traditional holiday feasts for humans are entirely too fatty and otherwise problematic for dogs and cats. Easter dinners are no exception, especially when they include things like honey-glazed ham, scalloped potatoes, macaroni and cheese, bread, buns and desserts. Additional human foods to keep away from your pet due to their potential toxicity include onions, garlic, leeks and chives; grapes, raisins, sultanas and currants; and macadamia nuts. Cooked bones are also a no-no, along with alcohol.
Easter gardening supplies
If you plan to begin your spring gardening and yard work this weekend, be sure to avoid exposing your pet to chemical fertilizers, herbicides and pesticides. If you know or suspect your pet has eaten a potentially toxic substance, immediately contact your veterinarian!
Keep your pet’s safety in mind this Easter and have a blessed one with loved ones. As April is the prevention of cruelty to animals awareness month, next week we will look at cruel animal practices you might be supporting unknowingly.
