It’s that time of year again.

At 2 a.m. local time on Sunday, clocks will go back one hour, giving British Columbians an extra hour of sleep.

This, despite five years of government promises that the province would end time changes and stick to daylight saving time.

While the health effects The biannual time change in humans has been well documented, Kim Monteith, behavior and welfare manager for the BC SPCA, says it can also be inconvenient for pets.

“They can be very sensitive, and this small change can make them uncomfortable,” she said. They may become more vocal, pace, pant, or demand attention if they are confused about the change in routine.

Monteith’s dog, a three-year-old Prague ratter named Itsy, rummages through things when she’s unsure about a new schedule.

WATCH | Do Vancouverites like daylight saving time?

What do Vancouverites think about daylight saving time?

British Columbia is once again changing its clock this weekend, despite years of promises that the province would end time changes and stick to daylight saving time. CBC’s Maurice Katz went to ask Vancouver residents what they think about daylight saving time.

Before a time change, whether in the fall or spring, she said pet owners should slowly adjust feeding and play times — for example, feeding them 10 minutes later every day of the week preceding the fallback time change.

Taking them out more often helps them adjust their internal clock, she added.

On Sunday mornings, when your pets wake you up early to demand a walk or breakfast, Monteith said pet owners should try not to get up. If dogs ask to go outside for a “potty break,” she said, you should let them out but start changing their schedule.

“You don’t want to stress your pet,” she said.

When will British Columbia stop changing the time?

In 2019, more than 223,000 British Columbians voted on whether or not to stop changing the clocks. A huge 93 percent of participants voted in favor of moving to permanent daylight saving time.

Former premier John Horgan said in 2019 that British Columbia would end biannual time changes, but did not give a firm timeline. However, he and current Premier David Eby have said the law will not be passed until B.C.’s U.S. neighbors, including Washington state, Oregon and California, have done so. likewise.

WATCH | Eby says the provincial position has not changed during the 2023 interview:

British Columbia Premier David Eby still waiting for U.S. before abandoning annual time change

British Columbia passed legislation in 2019 to maintain daylight saving time, but wants to make this change in concert with the entire West Coast.

The Sunshine Protection Act passed the U.S. Senate in 2022, but it has yet to pass the House of Representatives, which has the final say.

It was reintroduced in the House in March 2023 but has not been proposed again this year. There has been no real movement since 2023, making the timing of permanent daylight saving time in British Columbia more than a little uncertain.