Thanksgiving Pet Safety 2026: Foods, Guests, Leftovers
US Thanksgiving falls on Thursday 26 November 2026 (Canada celebrated on Monday 12 October). It is one of the busiest weeks of the year for pet food mishaps: a full kitchen, distracted hosts, generous guests and a bin full of turkey bones. A little planning prevents most problems.
The week before
- Find out whether your vet is open over the holiday weekend, and save the address and number of the nearest 24-hour emergency clinic.
- Save a poison line in your phone: the ASPCA Animal Poison Control Center (+1 888-426-4435) or the Pet Poison Helpline (+1 855-764-7661). Both charge a consultation fee.
- Check that your pet's ID tag and microchip details are up to date. Doors opening for guests are a common way pets slip out.
- Get a bin with a locking lid, or plan to take rubbish straight outside.
Feast foods to keep out of reach
- Turkey bones and the carcass: cooked bones splinter and can cause choking, a blockage or tears in the gut. Our turkey safety table covers skin, gravy and safe portions.
- Turkey skin, fat, gravy and drippings: rich, fatty food is a well-known trigger for pancreatitis, which can be serious and may not show until a day or two later.
- Stuffing: usually contains onion, garlic, leeks or chives, which damage red blood cells in dogs and cats, even when cooked or powdered. Sage and other herbs can also upset the stomach in larger amounts.
- Raw yeast dough: it keeps rising in the warm stomach and ferments, producing alcohol. Keep rising bread rolls well out of reach.
- Grapes, raisins and currants: found in salads, stuffing and desserts. They can injure a dog's kidneys and there is no known safe amount.
- Desserts: chocolate, sugar-free bakes sweetened with xylitol, and macadamia nuts. Pies are also heavy in fat, sugar and spices such as nutmeg.
- Corn on the cob: not toxic, but a swallowed cob can block a dog's intestine.
- Alcohol: even small amounts affect pets. Clear glasses from low tables.
- String, foil, oven bags and cling film: they smell of meat, so pets eat them. String-like items are particularly dangerous for cats.
A safe Thanksgiving plate
If you want your pet to join in, a small portion of these is generally well tolerated by healthy dogs:
- Plain, fully cooked, boneless white turkey meat with no skin, seasoning or gravy
- Plain cooked green beans or carrots
- Plain cooked sweet potato, or a spoonful of plain canned pumpkin (not pie filling, which contains sugar and spices; see can dogs eat pumpkin?)
For cats, a few small pieces of plain turkey breast are plenty.
Keep it small: all extras together should stay under about 10% of your pet's daily calories. Pets with a history of pancreatitis, diabetes, kidney disease or food allergies should not have table food unless your vet agrees. A food puzzle or a frozen lick mat filled with their usual food keeps a dog busy while everyone eats.
Guests and the front door
- Set up a quiet room with water, a bed and, for cats, a litter tray before guests arrive. Nervous, elderly and young pets benefit most.
- Ask guests politely not to feed your pets, and explain to children why. A note on the kitchen door helps.
- Use a baby gate or a lead near the front door while people arrive and leave.
- Put guests' bags and coats out of reach. They may contain sugar-free gum or mints with xylitol, medicines or snacks.
- Supervise dogs around visiting children, and make sure your dog always has a place to retreat.
Cleaning up
Most incidents happen after the meal, when everyone relaxes. Carve away from the counter edge, put the carcass and bones straight into a sealed bag in an outside bin, and cover or fridge leftovers before anyone sits down.
Warning signs after the holiday
Call your vet if your pet shows any of these:
- Repeated vomiting, or retching without bringing anything up
- Diarrhoea, a painful or swollen belly, or a hunched "praying" posture
- Not eating, lethargy or weakness
- Straining to pass stool
- Drooling, restlessness, tremors or a racing heart, which can point to chocolate, xylitol or another toxin
Take the packaging or a description of what was eaten and when. Do not make your pet vomit unless a vet tells you to.
Related guides
If chocolate goes missing, read what to do if your dog eats chocolate. Travelling for the long weekend? See our holiday travel checklist. The same food rules apply at Christmas: Christmas foods that are toxic to dogs.
Side-dish questions: can dogs eat mashed potatoes or sweet potatoes? Sugar-free desserts can contain xylitol, which is an emergency for dogs.