為什么不帶一只寵物狗回家過節(jié)呢?

為什么不帶一只寵物狗回家過節(jié)呢?

As your family gathers together for the holidays this season, do you have space for one more?

當你的家人在這個季節(jié)聚在一起度假的時候，是否還有多一個人的空間?

Astra got a vacation from the shelter and spent the holidays with a foster family. (Photo: LifeLine Animal Project)

Some animal shelters are hoping that people will open their homes for a week or two to give homeless dogs a temporary break from kennel life.

一些動物收容所希望人們能開放他們的家一兩個星期，讓無家可歸的狗暫時離開狗窩。

At LifeLine Animal Project's three Atlanta-area shelters, organizers are hoping to place 60 dogs in foster homes the week of Thanksgiving. It's the fourth year for the "Home for the Pawlidays" event and it's a win-win for everyone involved, says Karen Hirsch, LifeLine's public relations director.

在生命線動物項目的三個亞特蘭大地區(qū)的避難所，組織者希望在感恩節(jié)的那一周將60只狗送到寄養(yǎng)家庭。這是“波利迪絲之家”活動的第四年，對每個參與者來說都是雙贏的，生命線的公共關(guān)系總監(jiān)Karen Hirsch說。

"The dogs benefit because they get a break from the stressful shelter, they get lots of love and affection, and they get exposed to lots of potential adopters (their host's friends and family members)," Hirsch tells MNN. "Participants benefit because the dog brings love and light into their home. They get to experience the joy of having an animal, especially a shelter dog who is so appreciative of everything."

赫希告訴MNN:“狗狗們從中受益，因為它們從壓力重重的收容所中得到了休息，它們得到了很多愛和情感，它們接觸到了很多潛在的收養(yǎng)者(主人的朋友和家人)。”“狗狗給人們帶來了愛和光，這讓人們從中受益。他們會體驗到擁有動物的快樂，尤其是一只收容所的狗，它對一切都很感激。”

Although fosters only commit to having the animals for a set period of time, many end up adopting their temporary pets, becoming their long-term fosters or working hard to find them permanent homes.

盡管福斯特只承諾在一段時間內(nèi)飼養(yǎng)這些動物，但許多人最終還是收養(yǎng)了他們的臨時寵物，成為他們長期的養(yǎng)父母，或者努力為他們找到永久的家。

When LifeLine did a similar program last year over Thanksgiving, 32 dogs got a break from the shelter for the week. Eighteen of the dogs ended up being adopted or long-term fostered by their holiday families.

去年感恩節(jié)期間，生命線做了一個類似的項目，32只狗在收容所休息了一周。其中18只狗最終被他們的度假家庭收養(yǎng)或長期撫養(yǎng)。

Shelter employees also benefit from the program. Not only do they get a bit of a respite when there are fewer dogs in the shelter to care for, but there's also an incredible feel-good element.

避難所的員工也從這個項目中受益。當收容所的狗狗越來越少的時候，他們不僅得到了一點喘息的機會，而且還有一種令人難以置信的良好感覺。

"They finally get to see a dog they love who has been in the shelter for way too long get a deserved break and get showered with love," Hirsch says. "You can't imagine how happy this makes employees and boosts morale."

赫希說:“他們終于看到了他們愛的狗，它在收容所里待了太久，得到了應(yīng)得的休息，充滿了愛。”“你無法想象這會讓員工有多開心，并鼓舞士氣。”

Fiction becomes reality

想象變成現(xiàn)實

Dogs can enjoy a break from all the noises and activity at a busy shelter. (Photo: Julia Ortay/Shutterstock)

Author Greg Kincaid wrote about the idea in his 2008 novel, "A Dog Named Christmas," where a fictional shelter asks people to foster dogs over the holidays. A young boy with disabilities asks his dad if he can foster a pup over Christmas, but his father is hesitant, thinking there's no way the boy will be able to return the dog when it's over. Hallmark made the story into a popular movie, which prompted Kincaid to see if he could launch a public service program like that in real life.

作家格雷格·金凱在他2008年的小說《一只名叫圣誕節(jié)的狗》中提到了這個想法。一個有殘疾的小男孩問他的爸爸他是否可以在圣誕節(jié)的時候收養(yǎng)一只小狗，但是他的爸爸猶豫了，因為他認為孩子不可能在圣誕節(jié)之后把小狗還給他。賀曼公司把這個故事拍成了一部很受歡迎的電影，這促使金凱想看看他是否能在現(xiàn)實生活中開展這樣一個公共服務(wù)項目。

When the movie was released, Kincaid says he heard from a woman who ran a Florida vet clinic where the runs were filled with strays instead of the dogs they were supposed to board over the holidays.

影片上映后，金凱說，他從一位在佛羅里達開了一家獸醫(yī)診所的女士那里聽說，那里的狗都是流浪狗，而不是本該在假期里養(yǎng)的狗。

Kincaid encouraged shelters to jump on board and spread the word. But if families wanted to foster and there wasn't an official program in place, he urged them to simply go offer to take in a pet for a few days or weeks in December. The rewards were well worth it.

金凱鼓勵避難所的人站出來，把消息傳播出去。但如果有家庭想要領(lǐng)養(yǎng)，而又沒有一個正式的計劃，他建議他們在12月去收養(yǎng)幾天或幾周的寵物?；貓笫欠浅Ｖ档玫?。