Composting household food waste is beneficial to the environment and your garden. Make sure the compost pile is properly fenced off to keep your pets from getting into it. Old food scraps can be very tempting to pets, especially dogs, but they can make them sick if they eat too much of it. Decomposing food produces mold which produces mycotoxins that can cause serious health effects. Some of the symptoms can include vomiting, diarrhea, and in some cases seizures and death. Treatment usually consists of making the pet vomit if it hasn’t yet, IV fluids, anti-seizure medication and activated charcoal which absorbs toxins from the intestinal tract. Certain foods such as bones and corn cobs can cause intestinal obstructions which have to be surgically removed. Keeping a secure compost pile will help prevent an emergency trip to the veterinarian.