台灣毛小孩數量超越兒童! 衛報:「娃娃車」成新指標

<p>Screengrab from The Guardian</p>

Screengrab from The Guardian

【看CP學英文】據衛報報導,在台灣的街頭上看到狗狗坐在娃娃車裡已是稀鬆平常的事,然背後卻反應出台灣逐年下降的生育率和台灣人對於「毛小孩」的看法。

Dogs in prams have become an increasingly common sight in Taiwan, and it speaks volumes amid the nation’s declining birthrate, reflecting a changing attitude Taiwanese have towards fur babies, according to The Guardian.

報導指出,分析師於九月初估,台灣的寵物數量已超越了15歲以下孩童人數。

The British newspaper cited analysts who have estimated in September that the number of Taiwanese pets has already surpassed the number of children 15 and under.

衛報表示,將毛小孩放置娃娃車中的現象同時也指出在台灣養小孩所面臨的經濟瓶頸,而短暫的預產假也是其中之一。

This growing trend of putting pets in strollers may be indicative of the economic barriers many Taiwanese are facing in having children, they reported, hinting at the minimal maternity leave as a possible explanation.

Syin是一位台灣居民,在與衛報訪談中表示自己親眼見證台灣寵物量的激增,尤其在年輕人中更為明顯。

In an interview with The Guardian, Syin, a local Taiwanese resident admits seeing the rate of pet ownership grow, especially among younger generations.

Syin指出,這個現象背後的原因可能歸因於養小孩經濟負荷量太大,也須扛較多的責任。

According to Syin, the reason behind this interest in pets may be the soaring costs of raising children in Taiwan and the responsibilities associated with parenthood.

Photo courtesy of Shutterstock
Photo courtesy of Shutterstock

台灣的「毛娃娃車」現象更是帶出寵物商品店的銷售量,其中一位寵物娃娃車製造商發言人的報告指出,從2002年至2015年,銷售量成長為五成。

This trend has also seen the pet accessory retail market boom, with a spokeswoman for pet pram manufacturer, Ibiyaya, reporting more than five-fold sales increase between 2002 and 2015.

然而,衛報表示,當台灣人在考慮要幫毛小孩買哪一款的太陽眼鏡、雨衣或小鞋子時,台灣動物社會研究會執行長Wu Hung卻擔憂這樣的舉動可能只是為了滿足主人自己的需求,而非動物的。

However, as Taiwanese ponder over which sunglasses, raincoats, or shoes to get their fur babies, Wu Hung, the executive director of the Environment and Animal Society of Taiwan (East) revealed his worries that these actions may be focused more on “human fulfillment, rather than on the animal’s needs”.

Hung補充雖然娃娃車能夠幫助殘障或是年紀較大的寵物活動,但是大部分的毛小孩還是需要適時的運動。

Hung added that though strollers are good for improving the life of old or disabled animals, pets still need exercise on a daily basis.