In brief: The JSPCA is urging Jersey pet owners to ease their animals into the upcoming clocks change by adjusting feeding and walking routines gradually. Darker evenings also bring road safety concerns, with reflective gear and updated microchips recommended for all pets.
Creatures of Habit
Humans may relish the extra hour in bed when the clocks go back, but as Bailiwick Express reports, the JSPCA wants islanders to spare a thought for the four-legged members of the household. Pets, it turns out, did not get the memo about British Summer Time, and their internal clocks run on something altogether more stubborn than a smartphone update.
The JSPCA notes that routines such as feeding and walking can take animals time to adapt to, and recommends that owners make gradual adjustments in the days around the change. A little patience now, the organisation suggests, will spare both pet and owner the drama of a dog demanding breakfast at what feels, to the dog at least, like entirely the correct hour.
Darker Evenings, Safer Walks
Beyond the routine disruption, the clocks change brings a more practical hazard: darkness. With nights drawing in faster, after-work walks will increasingly take place by moonlight, and the JSPCA is encouraging owners to kit out both themselves and their pets with reflective leads, collars or clothing so that they can be spotted on dark roads.
Cat owners face a particular concern. The JSPCA advises keeping feline friends indoors overnight, pointing out that the onset of darkness will coincide with busy commuter periods, making wandering cats considerably harder for drivers to spot on busy roads. It is a simple precaution, but one that could make a significant difference on Jersey’s narrower country lanes.
Microchips: A Small Detail That Matters
The JSPCA also takes the opportunity to remind owners to check that their pets’ microchips are up to date. Should an animal go missing in the dark, an accurate microchip record is often the fastest route to a reunion. It costs nothing to check, and rather more in worry if a lost pet cannot be identified.
Source: Bailiwick Express
