【在生活中學習語言】Doggie Happy Hour 狗狗歡樂時光 
 
  2008/9/14 | 作者：黃裕美輯譯
 
  In the US where dogs are nor permitted in restaurants, several establishments around the Washington, DC, area have weekly gatherings for dogs and their owners.

美國餐廳多半禁止狗狗進入，但華府地區有些地方每周開放讓狗狗及其主人聚會。

With a beer in his hand and his two pugs by his side, Rick Schapira looked as happy as a dog with a bone. "It's the highlight of their week," said Schapira, referring to the doggy happy hour held on the Hotel Monaco's patio and gesturing to his miniature pooches, Teddy and Jingles. "When I say, 'Let's go to the doggy happy hour,' they get all excited and run to the door."

夏皮拉手上拿著一罐啤酒，身旁有兩隻哈巴狗作伴，他看來和正在啃骨頭的狗狗一樣自得其樂。「這是牠們每周的重頭戲，」夏皮拉說，他是指在摩納科旅館露天陽台所辦的狗狗歡樂時光，他並指指兩隻小狗泰迪和叮噹。「每當我說，『我們要去參加狗狗歡樂時光派對囉，』牠們就很興奮，立刻跑到門邊。」

Almost all US restaurants have a no-pets policy, so the happy hours that have sprung up over the past few years have become a big hit -- not only because they give people a chance to socialise with their canines, but also because they give them a chance to meet other dog lovers.

幾乎所有美國餐館政策上不准寵物入內，因此過去幾年來如雨後春筍林立的歡樂時光派對十分火紅，不只是因為它們給主人機會和狗狗「交誼」，也給他們機會見見其他愛狗族。

At the Hotel Monaco, outside Washington -- one of the first in the area to set up a doggy happy hour -- nearly 80 people and several dozen dogs gathered in the interior courtyard on a recent Friday. Poodles, chow-chows, a Saint-Bernard and various mutts milled about -- sniffing each other, sharing a bowl of water and sampling organic delicacies listed for two dollars on the menu -- while their owners drank wine and com-plimented each other on their dogs.

華府近郊的摩納科旅館是特區最早開始經營狗狗歡樂時光的餐廳。最近一個禮拜五，室內中庭總共有將近80個人和數十隻狗。貴賓犬、獅子狗、一隻聖伯納犬和不同品種的狗狗到處打轉，彼此聞來聞去，分享一碗水，品嚐有機美味食物，菜單上列出每樣食物要兩美元，牠們的主人則邊喝酒，邊讚美對方的狗。

The get-togethers have become so popular that some people even show up sans four-legged companion. "We don't even have a dog," confessed Judy Curtis, who has been bringing her 13-year-old daughter to doggy hap-py hour here since she was 10. "My daughter loves dogs, and here she can see all kinds of breeds." About 75-million dogs live in 45-million homes in the US. This year pet industry sales are expected to top $43-million, almost as much as Americans spend on toys for their children and twice as much as they spend on cosmetics.

這種聯歡會已經普受歡迎，有些人甚至沒帶四腳夥伴參加。「我們根本沒養狗，」茱蒂．柯提斯坦承，她從女兒10歲就開始帶她參加狗狗歡樂時光，如今她已13歲。「我女兒喜歡狗，在這裡她可以看到各種各樣品種的狗。」全美4千5百萬戶人家總共養了4千3百萬頭狗，今年寵物業銷售額料將上看4千3百萬美元，幾乎和美國人花在買子女玩具的錢相當，而且是化妝品的兩倍。

Photo shows dog owners bring their pets to a "Doggie Happy Hour" at Hotel Monaco on July 31, 2008. When dogs make friends, so do their owners.

圖中狗主人今年7月31日帶著愛犬參加在摩納科旅館舉行的狗狗歡樂時光派對。狗狗固然可以在這裡交朋友，還可以順便幫主人牽線。 
 
 
 

來源：人間福報
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