美国国家公共电台 NPR--Animal welfare groups are gearing up for a massive canine rescue in Virginia

Animal welfare groups are gearing up for a massive canine¹ rescue in Virginia

Transcript²

About 4,000 beagles are being rescued from a troubled breeding facility in Virginia run by a company that raises and sells animals for research. Animal welfare groups are trying to find them homes.

RACHEL MARTIN, HOST:

Today, animal welfare groups from around the country will start taking custody³ of thousands of dogs. This month, 4,000 beagles had to be removed from a troubled breeding facility in central Virginia. From member station WVTF, Sandy Hausman reports.

(SOUNDBITE OF DOGS BARKING)

SANDY HAUSMAN, BYLINE⁴: An international company called Envigo raises and sells animals for medical research. Last year, an employee of People for the Ethical⁵ Treatment of Animals went undercover here at Envigo's dog breeding facility west of Richmond. She made this and other recordings⁶ documenting the mistreatment of animals, according to PETA executive Daphna Nachminovitch.

DAPHNA NACHMINOVITCH: Mother dogs who were deprived of food for days. She found more than 360 dead puppies. These animals were going without veterinary care for painful conditions.

HAUSMAN: She says the U.S. Department of Agriculture, which enforces the Federal Animal Welfare Act, had also seen problems.

NACHMINOVITCH: The facility was cited for 74 violations⁷ in just 10 months, yet the USDA took no enforcement action.

HAUSMAN: So PETA filed a formal complaint with the USDA and reached out to state lawmakers. They rarely agree on anything but gave unanimous support to bills that protect dogs and cats bred for medical research. In May, the Justice Department and U.S. Attorney Christopher Kavanaugh led hundreds of federal, state and local police and animal welfare advocates in a raid on the facility.

CHRISTOPHER KAVANAUGH: I've been in federal prosecution⁸ for 15 years. It was one of the most complex operations that I've seen.

HAUSMAN: Four-hundred-and-forty-six beagles were taken away for emergency treatment. Under a consent decree, Envigo agreed to close its Virginia center over the next 60 days. The company, which did not respond to a call for comment, gave custody of about 4,000 dogs to the Humane⁹ Society of the United States. That group is now working with local shelters to find homes for the pups. Nachminovitch cites overwhelming interest from the public but warns these may not be good pets for everyone.

NACHMINOVITCH: They have been warehoused in cages their entire lives. They may be frightened. They've never taken stairs. They've never gone through a doorway¹⁰. They won't know what certain noises are. And so anyone who is considering adopting one of these dogs should have patience and should be home with the dogs.

HAUSMAN: U.S. Attorney Kavanaugh hopes this case puts other breeders on notice nationwide.

KAVANAUGH: Whether to humanely¹¹ and adequately treat an animal is not a question to be considered for your profit margin¹²; it's a requirement under the law.

HAUSMAN: Nachminovitch says PETA will be watching other Envigo operations in Texas, Indiana and Pennsylvania. She also hopes this matter will prompt public discussion of a more controversial issue - the use of animals in medical research.

For NPR News, I'm Sandy Hausman.

1 canine   

adj.犬的，犬科的

参考例句：

• The fox is a canine animal.狐狸是犬科动物。
• Herbivorous animals have very small canine teeth,or none.食草动物的犬牙很小或者没有。

2 transcript   

n.抄本，誊本，副本，肄业证书

参考例句：

• A transcript of the tapes was presented as evidence in court.一份录音带的文字本作为证据被呈交法庭。
• They wouldn't let me have a transcript of the interview.他们拒绝给我一份采访的文字整理稿。

3 custody   

n.监护，照看，羁押，拘留

参考例句：

• He spent a week in custody on remand awaiting sentence.等候判决期间他被还押候审一个星期。
• He was taken into custody immediately after the robbery.抢劫案发生后，他立即被押了起来。

4 byline   

n.署名；v.署名

参考例句：

• His byline was absent as well.他的署名也不见了。
• We wish to thank the author of this article which carries no byline.我们要感谢这篇文章的那位没有署名的作者。

5 ethical   

adj.伦理的，道德的，合乎道德的

参考例句：

• It is necessary to get the youth to have a high ethical concept.必须使青年具有高度的道德观念。
• It was a debate which aroused fervent ethical arguments.那是一场引发强烈的伦理道德争论的辩论。

6 recordings   

n.记录( recording的名词复数 )；录音；录像；唱片

参考例句：

• a boxed set of original recordings 一套盒装原声录音带
• old jazz recordings reissued on CD 以激光唱片重新发行的老爵士乐

7 violations   

违反( violation的名词复数 )； 冒犯； 违反（行为、事例）； 强奸

参考例句：

• This is one of the commonest traffic violations. 这是常见的违反交通规则之例。
• These violations of the code must cease forthwith. 这些违犯法规的行为必须立即停止。

8 prosecution   

n.起诉，告发，检举，执行，经营

参考例句：

• The Smiths brought a prosecution against the organizers.史密斯家对组织者们提出起诉。
• He attempts to rebut the assertion made by the prosecution witness.他试图反驳原告方证人所作的断言。

9 humane   

adj.人道的，富有同情心的

参考例句：

• Is it humane to kill animals for food?宰杀牲畜来吃合乎人道吗？
• Their aim is for a more just and humane society.他们的目标是建立一个更加公正、博爱的社会。

10 doorway   

n.门口，(喻)入门；门路，途径

参考例句：

• They huddled in the shop doorway to shelter from the rain.他们挤在商店门口躲雨。
• Mary suddenly appeared in the doorway.玛丽突然出现在门口。

11 humanely   

adv.仁慈地；人道地；富人情地；慈悲地

参考例句：

• Is the primary persona being treated humanely by the product? 该产品对待首要人物角色时是否有人情味？ 来自About Face 3交互设计精髓
• In any event, China's interest in treating criminals more humanely has limits. 无论如何，中国对更人道地对待罪犯的兴趣有限。 来自互联网

12 margin   

n.页边空白；差额；余地，余裕；边，边缘

参考例句：

• We allowed a margin of 20 minutes in catching the train.我们有20分钟的余地赶火车。
• The village is situated at the margin of a forest.村子位于森林的边缘。