There’s been a lot of talk lately about permanent daylight savings time, but has anyone considered its possible effects on animals?
Pets need a few days — even weeks — to adjust to a time change. Animals run on circadian rhythms — that is, their internal biological clock — and changes in an imposed schedule can be temporarily confusing. Meeting them halfway — like tweaking meal times — can help soothe the transition. Depending on the pet’s needs, walk times and medication schedules may need adjusting too.
Wildlife might actually benefit from permanent daylight savings time. Take deer, which are most active just after dusk. A 2022 study estimated that thousands of deer deaths could be avoided by further separating peak commuting hours from sunset — which is precisely what happens with daylight savings time.