Street Animals

Voice 1:
Thank you for joining us for today’s Spotlight program. I’m Liz Waid

Voice 2:
And I’m Joshua Leo. Spotlight uses a special English method of broadcasting. It is easier for people to understand no matter where in the world they live.

Voice 1:
In 2007, Margaret Ann Gordon went to walk her dog. She was living in Bulgaria. As she was walking, a group of seven or eight dogs ran towards her. No one owned these dogs. They lived on the city streets where Margaret lived. They were wild street dogs.

Voice 2:
The dogs attacked Margaret. They started to bite her. People nearby heard Margaret shouting and came to help. But it was too late. Doctors could not help Margaret. The dogs had bit her legs down to the bone. Margaret bled to death from her wounds.

Voice 1:
Like many countries, Bulgaria has a problem with wild dogs. There are around thirty five thousand [35,000] street dogs living in the capital city of Sofia. But Bulgaria is not the only country that struggles with the problems of street animals. Today’s Spotlight is on street animals, and how people are caring for them.

Voice 2:
Do you own a pet? Maybe you have a dog. Maybe you have a cat. You probably know someone who owns an animal. Studies say that there are about six hundred million [600,000,000] dogs and cats in the world. But eighty [80] percent of those animals do not have homes. This is a serious problem.

Voice 1:
Some people argue that cats and dogs were wild in the past - they are simply returning to a natural state. But this is not true. These pets have lived with humans for many generations. They are not able to live successfully and healthily in the wild. Cats and dogs need homes. They need to be fed regularly. They need the care of a good owner. Without that care, they become problems in their communities.

Voice 2:
People have owned animals since ancient times. Experts say people kept animals for three reasons. First, people kept animals as a job. They raised the animals to eat. Or people sold the animals to someone else for money. Second, people kept animals to help with work. Animals such as horses, cows, and camels helped people carry heavy loads. People used these animals for transportation. The animals also helped with farming tasks.

Voice 1:
Third, people owned animals as companions. People enjoyed spending time with these animals. Animals like dogs and cats are companion animals. They are like friends to humans. People still own animals for all these reasons today.

Voice 2:
Companion animals are also called pets. Owning a pet requires responsibility. A person must care for the animal. He must feed it, and make sure it is healthy. But too often people stop caring for their animals. They may not have enough money to care for their pet. Or they may decide that the pet is too much work. They let the animals run free and find their own food. These animals often become street animals.

Voice 1:
But pets do not live good lives on the streets. Often, it is difficult for the animal to find food. The animals do not receive care if they become sick. The animals may also mate often with other animals. This creates more homeless, wild animals.

Voice 2:
Street animals suffer from a number of problems. They may starve. They may suffer from disease. The animals face danger from humans also. Cars often hit street animals on roads. These problems make the animals aggressive and angry. They are not friendly.