2016年经济学人 智利的流浪犬 想去哪就去哪

 

Stray dogs in Chile

智利的流浪犬

Spray as you go

想去哪就去哪

The state orders a sterilisation of stray mutts

国家下令给流浪犬们杀菌

IT IS one of the first things that visitors to Santiago, the Chilean capital, ask: “Why are there so many dogs everywhere?” Patricia Cocas, founder¹ of ProAnimal Chile, an animal-rights group, reckons that some 180,000 stray hounds wander the city of six million people; a further 80,000 are let out by their owners to roam as they please. The area around the presidential palace is a favoured hangout. Most mutts are harmless enough—Chile is free of rabies, which helps explain why they are tolerated. But some attack passers-by or chase cars down Santiago's main thoroughfare, the Alameda, occasionally ripping tyres with their teeth.

游客们去智利首都圣地亚哥旅行时，最初会打听的问题之一是：“为什么这儿到处都是狗呢？”智利的动物权利小组专业动物组织发起人Patricia Cocas估计大约十八万只流浪犬逡巡于六百万城市人口之间；有超过八万只流浪犬被它们的主人遗弃，任它们流浪。总统府附近地区就是他们最喜欢闲逛的位子。大部分流浪狗对人无害—智利没有狂犬病。这也就是流浪犬被容忍的原因。但是一些流浪犬攻击行人或者在圣地亚哥的主干道——林荫大道上追逐车辆，它们有时会用牙齿撕咬轮胎。

The government is now taking action. In her state-of-the-union speech last month, President Michelle Bachelet announced a national sterilisation programme for stray dogs (the details are still to be fleshed out). A bill on responsible pet ownership is due to come before Congress this month. It envisages² tougher penalties for those who abuse or abandon their pets, and the establishment of a register of dangerous dogs.

政府现在正在采取措施应对。在上个月总统米歇尔?巴切莱特的国情咨文演说中声明了一项针对流浪狗的国家除菌项目(细节还在补充当中)。这个月一份针对宠物所有权的法案将被交付国会。它预期针对那些虐待或遗弃宠物的人实施更重的惩罚，并且建立一家危险流浪狗管理处。

Ms Bachelet is trying to make the pooches political, weaving them into a broader narrative³ about inequality. Chile's cities need affordable⁴ veterinary centres where pets can be vaccinated⁵ and sterilised, she said in her speech. “In our country wealthy people can do that, but people without money have no way of caring for their pets.” But she insists there will be no cull⁶ of strays. For now, the mongrels on the lawns outside the palace where she works can sleep in peace.

巴切莱特正试图将处理流浪狗问题正式化，将它们同一个更宽泛意义上的不平等陈述结合到遗弃。她在演说中说智利的各个城市需要建立可支付得起的收益中心，在那儿宠物们可以接种疫苗以及除菌。“我们国家富人们可以实施那项行动但是穷人们就无法照看他们的宠物。”但是她坚持否定屠杀流浪狗。至少现在，总统府外，她散步的草坪上的流浪狗们能安闲地睡觉。

1 Founder   

n.创始者，缔造者

参考例句：

• He was extolled as the founder of their Florentine school.他被称颂为佛罗伦萨画派的鼻祖。
• According to the old tradition,Romulus was the founder of Rome.按照古老的传说，罗穆卢斯是古罗马的建国者。

2 envisages   

想像，设想( envisage的第三人称单数 )

参考例句：

• The board envisages that there will be a high profit. 董事会预期将会获得高额利润。
• The paper reviews and envisages the development trend of carbon electrode. 本文对炭电极的发展方向做了回顾与展望。

3 narrative   

n.叙述，故事；adj.叙事的，故事体的

参考例句：

• He was a writer of great narrative power.他是一位颇有记述能力的作家。
• Neither author was very strong on narrative.两个作者都不是很善于讲故事。

4 affordable   

adj.支付得起的，不太昂贵的

参考例句：

• The rent for the four-roomed house is affordable.四居室房屋的房租付得起。
• There are few affordable apartments in big cities.在大城市中没有几所公寓是便宜的。

5 vaccinated   

[医]已接种的，种痘的，接种过疫菌的

参考例句：

• I was vaccinated against tetanus. 我接种了破伤风疫苗。
• Were you vaccinated against smallpox as a child? 你小时候打过天花疫苗吗？

6 cull   

v.拣选；剔除；n.拣出的东西；剔除

参考例句：

• It is usually good practice to cull the poorest prior to field planting.通常在实践上的好方法是在出圃栽植前挑出最弱的苗木。
• Laura was passing around photographs she'd culled from the albums at home.劳拉正在分发她从家里相册中挑选出的相片。