並非所有寵物狗都該絕育

In pet-loving nations such as Australia, nobody likes the idea of dogs churning out litters in squalid conditions or sitting homeless in a shelter.

在澳大利亞等喜愛寵物的國家裏，沒人喜歡看到狗狗在骯髒的環境裏製造垃圾，或者無家可歸地呆在收容所裏。

Responsible dog owners are therefore strongly encouraged to desex their pets, through programs such as national desexing month and low-cost surgery schemes. In some places in Australia, it is even compulsory.

因此我們強烈鼓勵負責任的狗主人給寵物做絕育，可以通過“全國絕育月”和“低成本手術方案”來實現。在澳大利亞一些地方，甚至有強制性要求。

But as we try to limit unwanted dogs, experts estimate there is demand in Australia for nearly half a million new puppies every year.

但因爲我們在努力控制意外出生的狗寶寶數量，專家估計澳大利亞每年有近50萬隻新生狗寶寶的需求。

Many desexed family pets are the ideal parents of the next generation of family companions, having demonstrated their ability to fit in with family life. Yet by desexing as early as possible, we are removing the best source of happy healthy pets from the doggy gene pool.

許多做了絕育的家庭寵物可以成爲下一代家庭寵物的理想父母，它們有適應家庭生活的能力，但早早被絕育了，我們就是從狗狗基因庫中去掉了最好的幸福健康寵物的基因。

We argue there's room for responsible pet owners and breeders to work together, breeding ideal companion animals and reducing the number of unwanted or unsafe dogs left in shelters.

我們認爲負責任的寵物主人和飼養員有合作的空間，培育出理想的陪伴型動物，減少留在收容所的不受歡迎或者危險的狗狗數量。

People want their dogs to suit their family's needs: tall or short, short-coated or non-shedding, couch potato or running buddy. We have created hundreds of breeds to meet these preferences. However, Australian pet-owners most value dogs that are affectionate, friendly, obedient and safe with children.

人們喜歡滿足家人需求的狗狗：或高或矮、短毛或不脫毛、肥宅或喜歡鍛鍊的。我們培育出了數百個品種來滿足這些需求。但澳大利亞的寵物主人最看重的是那些有情義、友好、溫順、適合陪孩子的狗狗。

Such dogs are a combination of nature and nurture. Most temperament traits in dogs, including aggression, have a genetic basis. Dogs bred for working roles, such as police work, have physical and behavioural assessments to make sure they can do their jobs well.

這樣的狗是先天與後天的結合。狗的大部分性情，如攻擊性，都是受基因影響的。爲某些工作培育的狗狗，如警犬，要進行身體和行爲評估，以確保他們能做好工作。

If we treat being a happy and safe companion as a job, we need to select breeding dogs with the right characteristics to succeed. This begins with carefully selecting parents who also have these traits. Many dogs who would breed perfect family pets are themselves family pets, and owners have years of observation to rely on.

如果我們希望有一個開心安全的狗陪伴，就需要選擇特徵合適的繁殖犬來滿足自己的需求。你要先選擇有這些特點的公犬和母犬，很多能繁殖出完美家庭寵物的狗狗本身就是家庭寵物，主人通過多年觀察就能發現這一點。