Teksti yläkoulu- ja lukioikäisille englannintunnilla käytettäväksi

Animals as Gifts

The RSPCA, the old and famous English society for the protection of animals, asked some time ago 200 people for their views about giving animals as Christmas presents.

Almost half of those who were asked thought that a puppy or a kitten would make a suitable gift for a lonely older person. More than one in ten believed these animals would be a good present for a child.

The RSPCA was disturbed by the survey's results. Some 15 per cent of those who were interviewed were perfectly happy to give a pet as a present — they seemed to believe that animals could be treated like consumer goods.

Many people give pets as presents without realising how difficult and expensive they are to keep. For instance, it costs about 3000—5000 € in food alone to look after a dog during its lifetime. On top of this there are vet's bills and kennel charges when the owners go on holiday.

A couple of years ago just one of the RSPCA's dog shelters received about 100 unwanted puppies in the three months after Christmas. The puppies had been found dumped in rubbish chutes and dustbins or were roaming the streets. They included two 12-week-old puppies which had been abandoned during a blizzard. The RSPCA could find a new home for only 80 and had to destroy the rest.

Sanastoa:
views = mielipiteet, näkemykset
disturbed = järkyttynyt
survey = tutkimus, selvitys
interview = haastatella
consumer goods = kulutustavaroita
vet = veterinarian = eläinlääkäri
dump = heittää pois
rubbish chute = roskakuilu
dustbin = roskapönttö
abandoned = hylätty
blizzard = lumimyrsky
destroy = hävittää, lopettaa (eläin)