以下新闻转载自中华网：
2006-04-29 15:18:23
英国一家公司进行的一项最新调查显示，英国几乎有一半的宠物主人表示，他们对待自己的宠物就像在照顾自己的孩子一样。还有一些宠物主人竟然表示，比起自己的家庭成员来，他们更喜爱自己的宠物。
Nearly half of pet owners say they treat their pet like their children, with some preferring them to family members, a survey has found. Five per cent said they considered their pet to be more important than their family.
还有五分之一的宠物主人表示，会在遗嘱中给自己心爱的宠物留下一笔钱，这样就能保证自己死后有人能照顾它们。
A fifth of owners said they planned to leave their pets money in their will to ensure they were looked after when they died, according to the research.
调查显示，有一半的狗主人允许自己的宠物上沙发，同时也有一半的猫咪每天晚上是和主人一起睡在床上的。另外，有大概三分之二的小狗和45％的猫咪在生日或是圣诞节时，都会得到主人送的一件礼物。
Half of dog owners allow their pets on the sofa, while one in two cats sleep on their owner‘s bed every night.Nearly two-thirds of dogs and 45% of cats receive a gift for their birthday and Christmas.
报道说，尽管人们对宠物爱护有加，但是只有20％的宠物主人为它们上了保险，以应付猫猫狗狗所需要昂贵的治疗费用。开展调查的Saga公司的总裁安德鲁·古德塞尔说：“我们知道，对于很多人来说，自己喜欢的小猫或小狗能陪伴在自己身边确实能让你的生活发生改变。”“然而，人们认真考虑为自己的宠物投保以防意外事故或疾病也是非常重要的。”
But despite their devotion to their pets, only 20% of owners have taken out insurance in case their cat or dog needs expensive veterinary treatment. Andrew Goodsell, chief executive of Saga, the company that carried out the research, said: "We know that, for many, the company of a beloved cat or dog can really make a difference to their quality of life. "However, it‘s important that people seriously consider taking out insurance to cover their pet in case of an accident or illness."
