What"s Hot

My Dear Human，

I apparently need to keep you on a short leash1）， because you regularly forget why you are on this earth to begin with. You have one very simple job to do—feed me and pay attention to me when I am not asleep. I fail to understand why you allow anything with a keyboard or a remote2） to take your attention away from your only job， which is me. Technology has made you its slave and I prefer it when you are my slave. Freud3） would say that I have technology-envy， but he cant really say anything because hes dead.

While Im venting4）， I am concerned about your obsession with hoarding5） my excrement6）. When we go outside， you always lunge7） for it with your little blue baggie so you can get it before anyone else does and then you just throw it away. Can you explain that to me？ Never mind. Youre an odd duck8）， but I like you most of the time. Especially when you hand out the food.

But I feel compelled to ask who you really think is taking care of whom in this house？ You fetch and hand out the food， but who is guarding the food from the mice and burglars？ Who has the giant canine9） teeth？ And which one of us is on guard duty day and night because we dont like spending hours in front of the TV or the computer or yapping10） on the phone？ Just throwing it out there for you to think about.

As for the furniture， you like to sleep on the bed， same as me. Somewhat confusing to me is why you think I should sleep on the floor. You are a nice person， but you dont think things through very well. Just saying. By the way， I like the bed， especially when youre not at home.

Now， can we talk about the cat for a moment？ Such a kiss-ass11）. All that rubbing up against your legs when you come home as if he has done a damned thing since you left hours earlier. Let me enlighten12） you： He slept. He yawned. He stretched13）. I was on duty protecting the fat lazy cat and all of the food in the kitchen while you were gone. I was not sleeping. Except maybe on your bed for just a little bit.

Lastly， I would like to request that you not call me Sugar Pie or Honey Bun in front of that white poodle14） who lives down the street. Please. Stop. It. Youre killing me. Aside from not wanting to have my manhood doubted in front of the lady dogs， I may also need plausible15） deniability that you and I areacquainted16）. Just help me out， pal. No offense.

Is it dinner yet？ Can I have some food？ I want some food. Now. Please. Hello？ Step away from the computer and no one will get hurt. Not even the lazy cat. I promise. Hurry up！

Whats Hot

雖然寵物們不能說話，但這并不代表它們沒有自己的想法，不想捍衛自己的權利。一起來看一只狗狗是如何“寫信控訴”自家主人的吧！

親愛的人類：

我顯然需要把你拴得緊一點，因為你經常忘記你一開始來到這個地球上是為了什么。你有一件非常簡單的工作要做，那就是喂我，以及在我醒著的時候關注我。我不明白你為什么要讓所有那些帶鍵盤或遙控器的東西轉移你的注意力，而不去關注你唯一的工作——我。科技已經讓你成了它的奴隸，但我更喜歡你做我的奴隸。弗洛伊德也許會說我得了科技嫉妒癥，但他其實什么話都說不了，因為他已經死了。

當我拉臭臭的時候，我對你癡迷于藏起我的糞便這件事很感興趣。我們外出時，你總會拿著你那藍色的小塑料袋撲向我的糞便，這樣你就能趕在其他所有人之前得到它，可接著你就那么把它扔掉了。你能向我解釋一下這件事情嗎？算了，你本來就是個奇怪的家伙。不過大多數時間里我還是喜歡你的，尤其是當你分發食物的時候。

但我覺得我必須得問一下，在這個屋子里，你認為究竟是誰在照顧誰呢？你拿來食物分給我吃，但是誰一直在看守著食物，使它們不落入老鼠和小偷之手？是誰長著一副巨大的犬齒？又是我們當中的誰日日夜夜在站崗放哨（因為我們狗狗可不喜歡花那么多時間坐在電視機或電腦前，也不喜歡拿著手機聊個沒完）？我只把這個問題拋出來，你自己琢磨去吧。

至于家具，你喜歡睡在床上，我也是。讓我有點困惑的是，你為什么會認為我就應該睡地板呢。你是個不錯的家伙，但你想問題卻并不是很透徹。我只是隨口說說啦。順便說一聲，我喜歡待在床上，尤其是當你不在家的時候。

現在，我們能花點時間談一談那只貓嗎？那可真是個馬屁精。當你回到家時，他就靠著你的腿蹭來蹭去，好像自從你幾小時前離開之后，他做了件什么事兒一樣。讓我給你講講吧：他睡了覺，打了哈欠，還伸了懶腰。而我卻在你離開時堅守崗位，守護著那只又肥又懶的貓，以及廚房里的所有食物。我可沒有睡覺，除了可能在你的床上小憩了那么一小會兒。

最后，我想請求你不要再在住在街上的那只白色貴婦犬面前叫我“親愛的”或“小甜甜”了。求你了，別再這樣叫了。你這是要殺了我。除了不想在那些母狗面前讓自己的男子氣概遭到質疑之外，我可能還需要一些看似可靠的證據，表明我和你并不認識。就幫我一把吧，兄弟。沒有冒犯的意思。

這會兒是到晚飯時間了嗎？我能吃點東西嗎？我想要點吃的，現在就要。求你了。喂！離開那個電腦吧，沒有誰會因此而受傷的，連那只懶貓都不會，我保證。快點兒吧！

Animal rights is about letting animals live on their own terms. Animal rights can be written into our laws， but is not an actual list or bill of rights as we have for human society. It begins with our commitment not to act like masters of others. Animal rights is about justice—treating animals fairly.

Because we humans often act as though we are the only beings on the planet. Humans are the only animals that have upset the balance of nature—yet we depend on other animals for our very survival. The environment in which we all live depends upon the rich diversity， and interplay3）， of nature.

There are lots of ways that humans exploit4） animals. We domesticate5） them and use them for food， even though our nutritional needs can be completely supplied by an animal-free diet. Although other materials are available， we use animals skin and other body parts for clothing， furs， hats， boots， rugs， jewelry and even pet toys.

Humans can talk about it and animals cannot. All animals wish to experience life in its fullness. Unlike many animals who have to kill to survive， humans do not. Why should humans cause misery to other beings when its not necessary？

Dominion is the idea that animals are ours to control. Animal rights challenges this by offering a way of living that strives6） to lessen the harm that humans inflict7） on the planet， each other and， of course， other animals. One way we can respect animals is to become vegans8）—people who do not eat or use animals or their products in any way.

What does dominion look like？ Here are some ways humans attempt to control nature and other animals：

*A government encouraging trapping and poisoning of animals to keep them off farms or ranches9） or out of our yards.

*A government attacks populations of free-living animals， such as birds， deer， wolves， coyotes， or black bears.

*Bounties10） （rewards of money） are offered to people who go out to kill certain animals.

*Artificial birth control is forced upon free-living animals to keep their numbers down.

Left to themselves， animals manage and balance their own populations naturally， according to how much food they have and the normal activities of predators.

"But they are only animals—arent they inferior to us？"

People often claim that because animals cannot talk or reason like us. Science， however， continuously teaches us that animals are highly complex beings who interact and communicate with each other.

What do you mean by animal rights？

動物權利到底指什么？

所有有意識的生物都享有被尊重的權利。任何意識到自身存在的生物都不應被貶低為“物品”，不應受人支配，不應用作“資源”或者“商品”。

被稱為動物權利的這一觀點的關鍵就是將道德關懷延伸到所有有意識的生物這樣一種變化。

沒有任何人需要展現特定的智力水平才能被給予道德關懷。沒有任何人需要長得漂亮才能被給予道德關懷。沒有任何生物需要對人類有益或者有能力承擔“義務”才能得到道德關懷。其他動物真正需要的就是擺脫它們對于人類的義務。

動物權利關乎讓動物按照自己的意志生活。動物權利可以被寫入法律，但它并不像我們為人類社會制定的法律那樣有實際的權利法規和法案。它始于我們人類承諾不再充當其他動物的主人。動物權利關乎公平——平等地對待動物。

因為我們人類往往表現得好像我們是地球上的唯一物種。人類是唯一已經打破自然平衡的動物，而我們自身卻要依賴其他動物生存下去。我們所有人所生存的環境都要依賴自然界豐富的多樣性以及與自然界的相互作用。

人類利用動物的手段有很多種。我們馴養它們、食用它們，盡管無動物成分的飲食完全可以滿足我們的營養需求。盡管有其他材料可供使用，但是我們還是使用動物的皮毛和其身體的其他部分來制作服裝、皮草、帽子、靴子、地毯、珠寶，甚至是寵物玩具。

人類可以說出自身的感受，而動物卻不可以。所有動物都希望盡情體驗生活。許多動物不得不通過獵殺而生存下來，而人類則不然。為什么人類要為其他生物帶來不必要的苦難呢？

支配權指的是動物是為我們所掌控的這樣一種觀點。動物權利提出了一種生活方式來挑戰這一觀點，這種方式努力減少人類對地球、彼此，當然還有對其他動物所造成的傷害。我們尊重動物的一種方式是成為嚴格的素食主義者，即不以任何方式食用和使用動物以及動物制品的人。

支配權有何種表現呢？下面是人類試圖控制自然和其他動物的一些手段。

*政府鼓勵人們設置陷阱或者放置毒藥使動物遠離農場、牧場和我們的院子。

*政府襲擊自由生長的動物群，比如鳥類、鹿、狼、郊狼以及黑熊。

*對外出捕殺某種特定動物的人群給予賞金（獎勵的錢）。

*對于自由生長的動物進行人工節育，從而減少它們的數量。

把權利留給動物自己，它們可以通過食物的數量以及食肉動物的正常活動自然而然地控制和平衡它們的種群數量。

“但是它們只是動物啊——難道它們不比我們低等嗎？”

人們經常那樣說是因為動物不能像我們一樣說話或者具有推理能力。然而，科學一直告誡我們動物是高度復雜的生物，彼此之間能夠進行互動和交流。

◎ From friendsofanimals.org

譯 / Fiona CAI

1. crux [kr?ks] n. 要點，關鍵；難點

2. accord [??k??d] vt. 給予（特殊對待）

3. interplay [??nt?ple?] n. 相互影響，相互作用

4. exploit [?k?spl??t] vt. 利用

5. domesticate [d??mest?ke?t] vt. 馴養，馴化

6. strive [stra?v] vi. 努力，奮斗

7. inflict [?n?fl?kt] vt. 使遭受（傷害或破壞等）

8. vegan [?vi?ɡ?n] n. 嚴格的素食主義者

9. ranch [rɑ?nt?] n. 大牧場

10. bounty [?ba?nti] n. （尤指政府對殺死害獸、提高產量所給的）獎賞，獎金，賞金