When It Rains it Spores

The Santa Cruz Mountains are home to more than 1,000 mushroom species.
The recent rainstorms have triggered many types of mushroom caps to emerge from their underground stems.

During the winter months, it’s important to keep your yard clear of mushrooms & to keep a close watch on your dogs when they are roaming in areas where they may be exposed to mushrooms.

While many types of fungi are safe to eat, the Santa Cruz Mountains is home to two of the world’s most toxic mushrooms — Amanita phalloides, also known as the Death Cap, and Amanita ocreata, known as the Western Destroying Angel. Both mushrooms grow near oak trees and the Death Cap also grows near other hardwood trees.

If your pet has eaten a wild mushroom — or you suspect they have —immediately call a veterinarian & collect a sample of the eaten mushroom.