https://www.bbc.co.uk/programmes/p0gz6vrc
(14:10-17:05)
BBC Global News Podcast 全球新闻谈到了台湾的低生育率导致大家都去养宠物
https://voca.ro/19Sb8hixK6LP (音档) https://i.imgur.com/aKp8yD1.png
以下为完整的逐字稿
Taiwan's birth rate is among the lowest in the world. The latest figures show
that on average, fewer than one baby is born for every woman. Many
commentators blame economic factors for the trend, but as Ed Butler reports
from a cat refuge in Taipei, pets seem to be filling the gap.
台湾的出生率是全球最低的之一。最新数据显示，每位女性平均出生不到一个婴儿。许多
评论家将这一趋势归咎于经济因素，但正如BBC记者Ed Butler在台北一家猫咪收容所的报
导中所述，宠物似乎正在填补这项缺口
Meow!
BBC: OK, so I've just stepped into the quarantine section now. We're looking
at a few of them gazing out from their little pens. These are strays you just
collected?
我刚走进了隔离区。我们和门栏里的猫咪互相凝视。这些是你们刚收到的流浪猫吗？

收容所：Some were brought in by people who just saw them on the street, and
some of them, they were adopted. We have more and more requests of owners who
have to give away their cat.
有些是被人们发现在街上就带来的，有些则是被领养的。我们收到越来越多的请求，
饲主不得不送出他们的猫。
BBC: Who's this one? 这是谁啊
收容所：His name is Open. 他的名字是 "Open"
BBC: He's very open when it comes to talking. Aren't you? So you've got more
cats than you used to have. Are more people coming in and adopting them?
它在交谈时非常开放，是吧？所以你们现在有比以往更多的猫。有更多的人来领养它们吗

收容所：I think so. For sure, a lot more people are coming in to adopt,
especially when they're young couples.
我觉得有欸，越来越多的人来领养，特别是年轻情侣
BBC:So they're young couples, like people in their 20s?都是年轻情侣吗 20多岁的？
收容所： Yes, students. 对，还有学生
BBC:Interesting. So these are their new babies? 有趣，所以这些是他们的新宝宝？
受访：I think it is a lot like babies. 我觉得这些猫咪很像他们的宝宝
BBC：Baby cats and baby dogs. Pet ownership, it seems, is skyrocketing in
Taiwan at the moment,with furry friends now outnumbering the babies themselves.
The writer and comedian Vicky Wang is one of the new generation of Taiwanese
pet enthusiasts.
宠物猫和宠物狗。目前台湾的宠物饲养似乎正在飙升，毛茸茸的朋友现在甚至超过了婴儿
的数量。作家兼喜剧演员Vicky Wang是台湾新一代宠物爱好者之一。
Vicky: I am an owner of four cats because it makes more sense in a city. You
come home and there's someone there for you. It's comforting.
我养了四只猫，因为在城市里这样更合理。你回家，总有人在那等你。这让人感到温暖
BBC: I mean, I've seen a lot of buggies, well strollers, as you say, in the
States, and they are quite often not containing babies but dogs.
我想说，我在街上看到很多婴儿车，往往里面不是装着婴儿，而是狗。
Vicky: I think that's a uniquely Taiwanese thing because you're required to
have them in a containerto take them on the subway. It's like a wheelie
suitcase.
我认为这是台湾独有的特色，因为你需要把宠物放在容器里才能带上捷运。
就像一个有轮子的手提箱
BBC: Taiwan, I've read, has one of the lowest birth rates anywhere. Are pets
replacing babies? 我读到，台湾有全球最低的出生率之一。宠物正在取代婴儿吗？
Vicky: I, myself, I am 37 years old this year. It doesn't really make sense
for me to have kids anymore. It's a financial decision. It's nearly
impossible at the current Taiwanese salary to start a family in your 20s. I
am pushing 40 now. I can't even consider it, like, buying property somewhere
in Taipei, hopefully in a decent school district. That's completely out of
the question if I stay here and earn a Taiwanese salary. I don't want to put
a hierarchy between pets and children, but I wouldn't be surprised if someone
said, like, I can't afford to have a kid, so I am choosing pets.
我自己，今年37岁。对我来说生孩子已经不太现实了。这是一个财务决定。以台湾薪水
，20多岁就开始组家庭几乎是不可能的。我快40岁了。我甚至无法考虑在台北买房子，
希望一个不错的学区附近。如果我留在这里，拿台湾的薪水，那完全是不可能的
我不想在宠物和孩子之间建立等级之分，但如果有人说，
“我负担不起孩子，所以我选择养宠物，我也不会感到惊讶。”
Meow!
Taiwanese comedian Vicky Wang ending that report by Ed Butler.
全文结束
其他篇在BBC的频道
https://www.bbc.co.uk/programmes/w3ct4n4m
里面有更详细的内容，谈到老一辈很担心自己的小孩 (20-30岁) 养不起自己
https://voca.ro/1onSRK2OJeqm
备注
台湾再度登上外媒的podcast啦，政府可以不听人民的声音
总可以听听BBC的话了吧 ，少子化大成功