Thanksgiving looks different when you look at it through a pet’s eyes. We call it cozy, but for them, it is basically a sensory obstacle course. The kitchen hits maximum chaos, every relative arrives with a different volume setting, and the house fills with smells that absolutely should not be within a dog’s decision-making radius. According to Michigan’s Department of Agriculture and Rural Development (MDARD), this is exactly why creating a quiet room for pets during the holidays is not just helpful, it is essential.
Once you picture it, it makes sense. Pets are creatures of routine, and nothing about Thanksgiving feels routine. There are new voices, new scents, new rules and food everywhere they are suddenly not allowed to touch. Someone always drops something they shouldn’t. Someone always insists your dog is fine even when he is very clearly at his social limit. And decorations, candles, and shiny things appear overnight like a seasonal booby trap. They are overstimulated before the turkey even comes out of the oven.
MDARD’s State Veterinarian points out that pets can get overwhelmed quickly when everything changes all at once. A dedicated quiet room gives them a place where none of the chaos follows them. It does not have to be fancy. A spare bedroom, a home office, or even a sectioned-off corner works as long as it is consistent. Their bed, their toys, fresh water, the normal smells of home. A little reset zone where they can catch their breath while the rest of the house does whatever the rest of the house is doing.
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“New People, Large Crowds and Lively Activities Can Be Loud and Overly Stimulating for Pets”
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Holiday food safety is another thing MDARD keeps reminding people about, and honestly, it is worth repeating. Turkey skin, fat, gravy, desserts, grapes, raisins and anything with xylitol is a straight-up no for pets. Securing the trash matters more than people think, because dogs treat a holiday garbage bag like the main event. Decorations and plants should stay out of reach, especially when guests are distracted and not paying attention to what your cat is plotting.
They also recommend making sure pets have updated ID tags or microchips, because overstimulation plus open doors is a recipe for an accidental escape. And if you are traveling with pets, checking in with your vet beforehand avoids last-minute issues with carriers or travel requirements.
The whole message really comes down to this. Holidays are loud, messy and unpredictable. Pets do not understand the schedule shift, the sudden crowding, or why 12 people are laughing at once. A quiet room gives them a safe place to land when the overstimulation hits. It is simple, thoughtful, and honestly, if humans had an official quiet room during Thanksgiving, maybe I’d be calmer too.
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This story was originally published by PetHelpful on Nov 27, 2025, where it first appeared in the Pet News section. Add PetHelpful as a Preferred Source by clicking here.