Pets become victim of economy 经济不景气，狗儿也遭殃

Cash strapped pet owners are returning animals to shelters

听力练习

Brothers Choco and Furby have lived together for eight years (Come on in.) and apprehensively entered their new caged quarters.

The economy has orphaned the Chows.

-She gave up two family members when she brought them to us.

Their owner lost her home.

-These dogs are here because the owner actually ended up in a foreclosure, having the downsized situation, couldn't afford to keep them any longer.

It is a sad tale playing out for pet owners around the country. Michael McGeough lives a lean life on a fixed income. But rising gas and grocery costs forced him to surrender his cat to a shelter.

-Yeah, I (had a ) hard time letting her go, she cried all the way there.

All he has left of Zeba is her food dish. McGeough says he could no longer afford to feed her.

-Well, I was getting the help you know on the food bank and came through a lot of times that they haven’t stuffing. By the time we finished grocery shopping, and summed by cat food, I'm like broke.

As money strains grow, shelter workers worry so will pet surrenders and the number of owners putting off annual check-ups they can't afford. Finances are still tight for McGeough. But he no longer fears his cat’s fate.

-I felt good when I heard that she was adopted.

Now these victims of foreclosure need a new home too.

In Bellevue, Elisa Jaffe, Komo 4 News.

WORDS IN THE NEWS

1. Foreclosure : N-Var

Foreclosure is when someone who has lent money to a person or organization so that they can buy property takes possession of the property because the money has not been repaid. (BUSINESS)

2. play out : phrasal verb

If a dramatic event is played out, it gradually takes place.

3. live : verb

If you say that someone lives in particular circumstances or that they live a particular kind of life, you mean that they are in those circumstances or that they have that kind of life.

4. lean : adj

If you describe periods of time as lean, you mean that people have less of something such as money or are less successful than they used to be.

文本参考中文翻译

Choco和Furby两兄弟已经在一起生活了八年了，现在他们紧张地躲到笼子里去了。

经济危机使这两只中国狗成了孤儿。

——她把这两只狗送给我们的时候就好像放弃了两个家人。

他们的女主人也无家可归了。

——她的财产被没收了，而且目前经济形势糟糕，她没有能力再供养两只小狗了，所以就送给我们了。

全国范围内宠物主人的形式都不是那么乐观。Michael McGeough依靠一点微薄的固定工资过着清贫的生活。但是，油价上升，生活成本的提高使他不得不把自己的宠物猫送到宠物收养所。

——是的，送她走真的很难过，她一路上都在哭泣。

他放弃Zeba的主要原因就是她的口粮。McGeough说他已经无力为自己的宠物猫购买食品了。

——我从食物银行得到了一些帮助，依靠这样度过了一段时间。但是当我去杂货店买东西，支付猫食时，我觉得自己就要破产了。

由于银根持续紧缩，收养所的工作人员担心，宠物的主人可能不能支付宠物的费用，放弃的宠物也会也越来越多。McGeough的财政状况仍然很紧张，但是他不再需要担心猫的命运了。

——当我听说她被别人收养的时候感觉好了很多。

现在，这些经济破产的受害者也需要找一个新家了。