To Americans， pets are not just property， but a part of the family. After all， pets are people， too.
Americans love pets. And its not just puppy lovepuppy love n.少男少女短暂的爱情， 早年初恋 ， either. Many pet owners treat their furry friends as part of the family. Sometimes they spice up their pets lives with entertainingentertaining n.招待， 款待 videos and amusingamusing adj.有趣的 toys.
对美国人而言，宠物不仅仅是他们所拥有的一样东西而已，它是家庭的一部分。毕竟，宠物也是“人”啊！
美国人的宠物情结
美国人很爱宠物，而且这不是一时冲动，一种不成熟的、短暂的爱。很多宠物的主人把这些毛茸茸的朋友当作家庭的一部分，有时候还为宠物准备娱乐用的录像带和玩具来增添它们生活的乐趣。
If they have an eye for fashion， pet owners can dress their pets in stylish stylish adj.时髦的， 漂亮的， 流行的 clothes. For special occasions， they can use canine perfumeperfume n.烟， 气体，香味，芳香，香水 to make their dogs smell， well， less beastly. You might say Americans treat their pets like they treat their children—sometimes even better.
In America， there are more householdshousehold n.一家人， 家庭， 家族， 王室 with pets than those with children. At least 43 percent of U.S. homes have pets of some sort. ExoticExotic adj.外来的，外国来的 creatures， such as monkeys， snakes and even wolves， find a home with some Americans. More common pets include tropicaltropical adj.热带的， 热情的 fish， mice and birds. Americans sometimes have strong feelings about whether dogs or cats make better pets. “Dog people” and “cat people” often enjoy friendly rivalriesrivalry n.竞争， 竞赛， 敌对， 敌对状态 .
如果宠物的主人具有时尚的眼光，还会让他们的宠物穿上时髦的衣服。在特殊的场合里，甚至为宠物喷上狗儿专用的香水，让它们味道好闻一点，减少一些动物身上的味道。可以说，美国人待他们的宠物如同待他们的孩子一样——有时甚至更好。
在美国，有宠物的家庭比有孩子的家庭还多。至少百分之四十三的美国家庭有不同种类的宠物，有些美国家庭养一些外国品种的动物，例如猴子、蛇、甚至狼；比较常见的宠物有热带鱼、老鼠和鸟。不过，最受欢迎的还是猫和狗。美国人有时候很在乎到底最好的宠物是猫还是狗，“爱狗的人”和“爱猫的人”喜欢开玩笑地彼此争辩。
Leading a dogs life in America isnt such a bad thing. Many grocerygrocery n.<美>食品杂货店， 食品， 杂货 stores sell gourmetgourmet n.能精选品评美食、美酒的人 pet foods to owners eagereager adj.热心于， 渴望着 to please their pets. In Houston， Texas， dogs can have their dinner delivereddeliver vt.递送， 陈述， 释放， 发表， 交付， 引渡， 瞄准， 给予 to their homes， just like pizza. Welltodo canines can attend doggy daycare centers while their owners work. Pets can even accompany their owners on vacation. Fancy hotels are beginning to accommodateaccommodate vt.供应， 使适应， 调节， 和解， 向……提供， 容纳， 调和 both man and beast. Furry guests at hotels can enjoy gourmet meals served on fine china and sleep in soft beds.
Beneath the fluffy luxuriesluxury n.奢侈， 华贵 ， there lies a basic American belief Pets have a right to be treated well.
在美国，狗的生活并不坏，很多杂货店都有宠物美食卖，让他们的主人可以讨好它们的。在得克萨斯州的休斯敦市，狗儿还能享用专程送到家的晚餐，如同比萨一样。家境好的狗儿在主人上班的时候可以去狗儿托育中心。宠物甚至可以和它们的主人一同去度假，高级饭店已经开始可以同时留宿人和宠物，这些毛茸茸的客人在饭店可以享用以精致瓷器盛装的美食，可以睡在柔软的床上。
在舒适奢华的享受之下，在美国存在着一种基本信念：宠物有受到妥善对待的权利。
At least 75 animal welfare organizations exist in America. These provide care and adoption services for homeless and abused animals. Veterinariansveterinarian n.兽医 can give animals an incredibleincredible adj.<口>难以置信的 level of medical care for an incredible price. To pay for the hightech health care， people can buy health insurance for their pets. And when its time to say goodbye， owners can burybury vt.埋葬， 掩埋， 隐藏 their pets in a respectable pet cemetery.
The average American enjoys having pets around， and for good reason. Researchers have discovered that interacting with animals lowers a persons blood pressure. Dogs can offer protection from burglarsburglar n.夜贼 and unwelcome visitors. Cats can help rid the home of unwanted pests. Little creatures of all shapes and sizes can provide companionship and love.
美国至少存在着七十五个动物福利组织，他们为无家可归的动物及被虐待的动物提供照顾与领养的服务。兽医能提供给动物极好的医疗照顾，当然价格也极昂贵。若为了负担更先进的健康医疗照顾，人们可以为他们的宠物买健康保险。如果和宠物道别的时机到了，主人们可以在一块体面的墓地将他们的宠物埋葬。
美国人一般都喜欢有宠物为伴，这是有原因的。研究人员发现，与动物为伍能够降低人的血压。狗能防止小偷及不受欢迎的访客。猫能帮忙清除家里讨人厌的害虫和有害的小动物。任何种类及大小的小宠物都能带给人们相伴与爱的感觉。
In many cases， having a pet prepares a young couple for the responsibilitiesresponsibility n.责任， 职责 of parenthoodparenthood n.父母身份， 亲子关系 . Pets even encourage social relationships. They give their owners an appearance of friendliness， and they provide a good topic of conversation.
Pets are as basic to American culture as hot dogs or apple pie. To Americans， pets are not just propertyproperty n.所有物，道具 ， but a part of the family. After all， pets are people， too.
很多时候，拥有一只宠物能培养年轻夫妻作为人父母责任。宠物甚至有助于人际关系：它们使主人们看起来更友善，也带给人们一个交谈的好话题。
宠物作为美国文化中很基本的一部分，就如热狗和苹果派一样。对美国人而言，宠物不仅仅是他们所拥有的一样东西而已，它是家庭的一部分。毕竟，宠物也是“人”啊！
宠物是指家庭豢养的受人喜欢的小动物。美国人很爱宠物，而且不是因为一时的冲动。他们把宠物当作人来看待，并把它们当作家庭中的一员。而且，美国人的宠物情节还在日益浓重。在中国，饲养宠物也越来越成为一种时尚，特别是在一些大城市。本文旨在介绍美国人的宠物情节，介绍他们如何对待宠物。
