为什么不带一只宠物狗回家过节呢?

为什么不带一只宠物狗回家过节呢?

As your family gathers together for the holidays this season, do you have space for one more?

当你的家人在这个季节聚在一起度假的时候，是否还有多一个人的空间?

Astra got a vacation from the shelter and spent the holidays with a foster family. (Photo: LifeLine Animal Project)

Some animal shelters are hoping that people will open their homes for a week or two to give homeless dogs a temporary break from kennel life.

一些动物收容所希望人们能开放他们的家一两个星期，让无家可归的狗暂时离开狗窝。

At LifeLine Animal Project's three Atlanta-area shelters, organizers are hoping to place 60 dogs in foster homes the week of Thanksgiving. It's the fourth year for the "Home for the Pawlidays" event and it's a win-win for everyone involved, says Karen Hirsch, LifeLine's public relations director.

在生命线动物项目的三个亚特兰大地区的避难所，组织者希望在感恩节的那一周将60只狗送到寄养家庭。这是“波利迪丝之家”活动的第四年，对每个参与者来说都是双赢的，生命线的公共关系总监Karen Hirsch说。

"The dogs benefit because they get a break from the stressful shelter, they get lots of love and affection, and they get exposed to lots of potential adopters (their host's friends and family members)," Hirsch tells MNN. "Participants benefit because the dog brings love and light into their home. They get to experience the joy of having an animal, especially a shelter dog who is so appreciative of everything."

赫希告诉MNN:“狗狗们从中受益，因为它们从压力重重的收容所中得到了休息，它们得到了很多爱和情感，它们接触到了很多潜在的收养者(主人的朋友和家人)。”“狗狗给人们带来了爱和光，这让人们从中受益。他们会体验到拥有动物的快乐，尤其是一只收容所的狗，它对一切都很感激。”

Although fosters only commit to having the animals for a set period of time, many end up adopting their temporary pets, becoming their long-term fosters or working hard to find them permanent homes.

尽管福斯特只承诺在一段时间内饲养这些动物，但许多人最终还是收养了他们的临时宠物，成为他们长期的养父母，或者努力为他们找到永久的家。

When LifeLine did a similar program last year over Thanksgiving, 32 dogs got a break from the shelter for the week. Eighteen of the dogs ended up being adopted or long-term fostered by their holiday families.

去年感恩节期间，生命线做了一个类似的项目，32只狗在收容所休息了一周。其中18只狗最终被他们的度假家庭收养或长期抚养。

Shelter employees also benefit from the program. Not only do they get a bit of a respite when there are fewer dogs in the shelter to care for, but there's also an incredible feel-good element.

避难所的员工也从这个项目中受益。当收容所的狗狗越来越少的时候，他们不仅得到了一点喘息的机会，而且还有一种令人难以置信的良好感觉。

"They finally get to see a dog they love who has been in the shelter for way too long get a deserved break and get showered with love," Hirsch says. "You can't imagine how happy this makes employees and boosts morale."

赫希说:“他们终于看到了他们爱的狗，它在收容所里待了太久，得到了应得的休息，充满了爱。”“你无法想象这会让员工有多开心，并鼓舞士气。”

Fiction becomes reality

想象变成现实

Dogs can enjoy a break from all the noises and activity at a busy shelter. (Photo: Julia Ortay/Shutterstock)

Author Greg Kincaid wrote about the idea in his 2008 novel, "A Dog Named Christmas," where a fictional shelter asks people to foster dogs over the holidays. A young boy with disabilities asks his dad if he can foster a pup over Christmas, but his father is hesitant, thinking there's no way the boy will be able to return the dog when it's over. Hallmark made the story into a popular movie, which prompted Kincaid to see if he could launch a public service program like that in real life.

作家格雷格·金凯在他2008年的小说《一只名叫圣诞节的狗》中提到了这个想法。一个有残疾的小男孩问他的爸爸他是否可以在圣诞节的时候收养一只小狗，但是他的爸爸犹豫了，因为他认为孩子不可能在圣诞节之后把小狗还给他。贺曼公司把这个故事拍成了一部很受欢迎的电影，这促使金凯想看看他是否能在现实生活中开展这样一个公共服务项目。

When the movie was released, Kincaid says he heard from a woman who ran a Florida vet clinic where the runs were filled with strays instead of the dogs they were supposed to board over the holidays.

影片上映后，金凯说，他从一位在佛罗里达开了一家兽医诊所的女士那里听说，那里的狗都是流浪狗，而不是本该在假期里养的狗。

Kincaid encouraged shelters to jump on board and spread the word. But if families wanted to foster and there wasn't an official program in place, he urged them to simply go offer to take in a pet for a few days or weeks in December. The rewards were well worth it.

金凯鼓励避难所的人站出来，把消息传播出去。但如果有家庭想要领养，而又没有一个正式的计划，他建议他们在12月去收养几天或几周的宠物。回报是非常值得的。