第1607期:Puppy love

For some people, there’s no better companion than man’s best friend – a dog. This four-legged canine can bring comfort and joy and provide much-needed exercise for you when it needs walkies! This probably explains why dog ownership increased last year because people spent more time at home during the coronavirus pandemic lockdown.

对于某些人来说，没有比人类最好的朋友——狗更好的伴侣了。这只四足犬可以带来舒适和快乐，并在需要步行时为您提供急需的锻炼！这可能解释了为什么去年狗的拥有量增加了，因为在冠状病毒大流行封锁期间人们在家里度过了更多的时间。

It was demand for puppies in particular that saw the biggest increase. Who couldn’t resist their playful personalities, adorable eyes, and super-soft coats?

尤其是对小狗的需求增幅最大。谁无法抗拒他们俏皮的个性、可爱的眼睛和超柔软的外套？

However, as demand for a new pooch increased, so did the price tag. Popular breeds, such as Cockapoos and Cocker Spaniels, saw even sharper price increases, and puppies have been selling for £3,000 or more.

然而，随着对新狗的需求增加，价格标签也随之增加。受欢迎的品种，如 Cockapoos 和 Cocker Spaniels，价格上涨幅度更大，小狗的售价一直在 3,000 英镑或以上。

Animal welfare charities fear that high prices could encourage puppy farming, smuggling or dog theft. And a BBC investigation found some breeders have been selling puppies and kittens on social media sites – something charities have called “extremely irresponsible”.

动物福利慈善机构担心高价会鼓励养狗、走私或偷狗。 BBC 的一项调查发现，一些饲养员一直在社交媒体网站上出售幼犬和小猫——慈善机构称之为“极其不负责任”。

But despite some new owners purchasing a dog legally, maybe from a rescue centre or registered breeder, they’ve proved to be ill-prepared for life with a new pet, and the pet itself has found it hard to come to terms with life in a new home. Animal behaviourists in the UK have reported a surge in requests to help dogs suffering from fear-aggression after their lives have been turned upside down.

但是，尽管一些新主人合法地购买了一只狗，可能是从救援中心或注册的饲养员那里购买的，但事实证明，他们对新宠物的生活准备不足，而且宠物本身发现很难接受生活在一个新家。英国的动物行为学家报告说，在狗的生活被天翻地覆后，帮助遭受恐惧攻击的狗的请求激增。

Looking to the future, there are concerns about the welfare of these much-loved pets. Ian Atkin, manager of the Oxfordshire Animal Sanctuary in the UK, told the BBC: “At the moment, the dogs are having a great time, but separation anxiety could still surface when people go back to work.” And Claire Calder from the UK’s Dogs Trust rescue charity says “the economic situation also means that some people may find they can’t afford to look after a dog.” The message is not to buy a puppy in haste and to pick one that fits into your lifestyle.

展望未来，人们对这些备受喜爱的宠物的福利感到担忧。英国牛津郡动物保护区经理伊恩·阿特金（Ian Atkin）告诉 BBC：“目前，狗狗们玩得很开心，但当人们重返工作岗位时，分离焦虑仍可能浮出水面。”英国 Dogs Trust 救援慈善机构的 Claire Calder 说：“经济形势也意味着有些人可能会发现他们无力照顾狗。”信息不是匆忙购买一只小狗，而是选择适合您生活方式的小狗。

词汇表

companion 伴侣

man’s best friend 狗
canine 犬
puppy 小狗，幼犬
coat （动物的）皮毛
pooch 狗
breed 品种
Cockapoo 可卡颇犬
Cocker Spaniels 可卡犬
puppy farming 幼犬养殖
smuggling 走私，贩卖
breeder 饲养动物的人
irresponsible 不负责任的
legally 合法地，依法
rescue centre 救援中心
registered 已注册的
pet 宠物
animal behaviourist 动物行为学专家
fear-aggression 害怕受攻击
lives have been turned upside down 生活变得一团糟
separation anxiety 分离焦虑症