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小弟身為和簡醫師有過一面之緣的學弟，能做的不多，嘗試把這篇報導翻譯成中文，希望
能幫助大家以非華人報社的角度來重新省思這個事件，歡迎踴躍分享。關於流浪動物問
題，我們還有長足的進步空間。

BBC原始連結
https://tinyurl.com/zzvvzv4



The vet who 'euthanised' herself in Taiwan

安樂死自己的台灣獸醫師


A new law banning animal euthanasia is set to take force in Taiwan. It comes
almost a year after the shocking suicide of a vet overwhelmed by grief at the
plight of stray animals. The BBC's Cindy Sui explores this tragedy.




Perhaps veterinarian and animal lover Chien Chih-cheng was in the wrong job
at the wrong time.

或許愛動物的獸醫師簡稚澄，在不對的時間投入了不對的工作。


"She often worked overtime, rarely took a proper lunch break, and sacrificed
her holidays to give the dogs more attention and make their lives better,"
Winnie Lai, her colleague at a shelter for abandoned dogs in Taoyuan City,
remembers.

「她經常超時工作，很少好好地吃個中餐，還經常犧牲假期，只為了照顧浪狗，給他們更
好的生活。」簡雉澄在桃園收容所*的同事Winnie Lai回憶道。

*譯註: 全名為桃園市動物保護教育園區


As a graduate of Taiwan's top university with the highest score in a civil
service examination, Ms Chien could have chosen a desk job at head office,
but opted to personally care for the many pets abandoned each year in Taiwan.

從台灣最高學府畢業，還是公務人員考試榜首的簡醫師，資格其實可以進入主管機關的辦
公職務，她卻選擇到第一線親自照顧棄養寵物(流浪動物)。


The shelter's lobby was decorated with pictures of animals drawn by Ms Chien
to encourage adoptions, but many of them were destined to be put down.

為了讓動物更容易被領養，簡醫師親自在收容所的大廳佈置了許多動物的剪貼相片，然而
其中還是有許多提早結束了生命。


On 5 May last year, Ms Chien took her own life, using the same drug she used
to put down animals. She said she wanted to help people understand what
happens to strays in Taiwan.

在去年五月五日，簡醫師選了她安樂死動物使用的藥品，送自己離開人世。她曾說她希望
能讓人們了解台灣流浪動物的處境。


Taiwan was gripped by anger and soul-searching in the weeks that followed,
most of it focused on a life tragically cut short.

事件發生後數週，台灣社會陷入憤怒以及深刻的自省，其中多半關注在簡醫師悲劇的離
世。

12:03更新: 我看走了眼，原先翻成事件發生後一週，現已修正


But people also asked why frontline workers in Taiwan's battle against pet
abandonment were being put under so much pressure.

人們同時想知道，為什麼台灣處理棄養寵物的第一線工作者，會承受如此巨大的壓力。


In an interview Ms Chien once did with a local TV station CTI, she described
the first time she saw an animal put down.

簡醫師曾在中天電視新聞的訪問中談到她第一次看見動物被安樂死的情況。


"I went home and cried all night," she said.

「我回到家，哭了一整夜。」


But it was media appearances like this that meant she came under personal
attack. When it was revealed she had put down 700 dogs in two years, she was
labelled the "beautiful slaughterer".

然而在媒體報導後，簡醫師卻遭受了大量人身攻擊。有些人知道了她在兩年中安樂死了
700隻狗，便稱她為「美女劊子手」。


Shelter workers dreaded putting down the dogs, but Ms Chien and others saw
this as a better end for the unwanted, ageing or difficult-to-adopt animals
than leaving them at risk of disease in overcrowded shelters.




"They called her a butcher… We are frequently scolded. Some people say we'll
go to hell. They say we love to kill and are cruel," said Kao Yu-jie, one of
her co-workers.

「他們稱她為屠夫...我們經常被抨擊。有些人說我們會下地獄，因為我們殘忍且喜歡殺
戮。」簡的另一名同事Kao Yu-jie說。


"But people still abandon their dogs. You hear all kinds of reasons: their
dog is too mean, or not mean enough, barks too much, or doesn't bark enough."

「然而人們仍舊棄養他們的狗。你可以聽到各種理由，包括他們的狗太壞，或是不夠壞；
吠叫太多，或是叫的不夠。」


High kill rate　高安樂死率


Taiwan has two main problems when it comes to animal welfare: the number of
pets being abandoned and the number of strays allowed to reproduce.

在台灣關於(流浪)動物福利有兩大難題*：寵物棄養的數量，以及能夠繁殖的流浪動物數
量。

*譯註: 即是流浪動物的源頭問題


In reality, the situation has improved over the past decade thanks to
increased public awareness and efforts by shelters and activists to
discourage abandonment and encourage adoptions.

實際上，因為公眾關注提升，以及有收容組織和相關團體的努力，宣導不棄養、多領養，
在過去十年間情況確實有改善。


But the number of animals put down remains high and shelters are still
underfunded and understaffed. The work is difficult and hours long. In some
shelters, half the animals are killed.

然而每年收容動物安樂死的數量依舊很高，收容所依然資金短缺、人力不足，照顧收容動
物的難度高且工時長。某些收容所甚至有一半的動物被安樂死。


In 2015 around 10,900 were put down. And about 8,600 shelter animals died
last year from other causes, such as illness.

在台灣2015年約有10,900隻動物被安樂死，約8,600隻收容動物因為疾病或其他原因死亡
。


In the CTI interview, Ms Chien described the process of putting a dog down.
"We first let it take a stroll and eat some snacks and talk to it. Then we
take it into the 'humane room'.

在中天電視的採訪中，簡醫師描述了動物安樂死的過程：
「我們首先帶著狗散散步，給牠們吃一些小點心，和牠們說說話。接著我們帶牠們進入『
人道室』。」


"When you put it on the table, it's very scared and its whole body is
shaking. But after we administer the drug, it leaves in three to five
seconds. It no longer shakes. Actually, it's very sad."

「當動物被放上檯面，牠們會非常的害怕，全身顫抖。但當我們施予藥物，牠們約三到五
秒就離開了，不再顫抖，老實說，這真的很令人難過。」


No psychological counselling was provided for the staff. Psychological
support in this and other fields is practically unheard of in Taiwan.

相關人員沒被提供任何心理諮商。在台灣相關領域，根本沒有任何心理學方面的
支援。


The Taoyuan shelter actually had one of the lowest euthanasia rates and
highest adoption rates of any shelter.

桃園收容所其實曾是安樂死率最低，領養率最高的收容所。


But a letter Ms Chien left behind when she killed herself suggested her
concern for the welfare of the animals had consumed her. Her colleagues
attest to this, although experts remind us that many and complex factors lie
behind any suicide.

然而從簡醫師的遺書中可以知道，對於收容動物福利的關注幾乎令她消耗殆盡。她的同事
也這樣認為，儘管專家提醒自殺事件背後可能有許多複雜的因素。


"She put herself under a lot of pressure. She cared a lot about the animals
and the pressure from the work affected her," said Ms Lai.

「她在自己身上放了好多壓力。她一心都想著這些動物，工作的壓力也對她造成不好的影
響。」簡的同事Lai說。


In the letter, Ms Chien wrote: "I hope my departure will let all of you know
stray animals are also life. I hope the government knows the importance of
controlling the source [of the problem]… Please value life."

在遺書中，簡醫師寫道：「希望我的離開，可以讓所有人了解流浪動物全都和我們一樣是
生命。希望政府能了解控制（問題）源頭的重要性…..請更尊重生命。」


The irony of her exhortation to value life was not lost on observers and
blame was quick to be handed out.

簡醫師諷刺地以死勸誡人們尊重生命，究責的呼聲隨即傳遞開來。


Newspapers accused the government of "murdering" her, with many saying it
failed to come up with effective ways to stamp out pet abandonment or prevent
strays from reproducing.

新聞報紙指控政府「謀殺」，許多人說是因為政府始終提不出杜絕流浪動物源頭的治本方
案。


Some accused "higher-level bureaucrats" of trying to convince the public that
Ms Chien simply couldn't handle her work pressures. But other commentators
said that while shelter workers were easy to target, all of society must take
responsibility.




Many believe the root of the problem is the insufficient enforcement of a
neutering and spaying law.

有些人相信問題的根本在於沒有足夠的能量投入動物絕育以及相關法規的設計。


The chief of the animal protection section of the Council of Agriculture,
Chiang Wen-chuan, said a law requiring spaying and neutering only recently
came into effect, and doesn't allow staff to impose fines immediately.

農委會動物保護科科長Chiang Wen-Chuan說，要求動物絕育的法規最近才即將生效，但動
保人員目前仍無法對違規事項開立罰鍰。


And even though staff pay visits to the owners of 60,000 animals each year to
urge them to follow the laws, only 30% of the island's 1.7 million dogs have
been spayed or neutered.

此外即便動保人員每年拜訪了60,000隻動物的飼主，規勸他們按規定將寵物絕育，全島
170萬犬隻中也僅有30%被絕育。


"We are very short-staffed. All of Taiwan only has 140 animal protection
staff," said Mr Chiang. "It's a systematic problem. Ending euthanasia and
expanding shelters and staff will not solve the problem."

「我們人手非常吃緊，整個台灣只有140位動保相關人員。」Mr Chiang說。

「這是系統性的問題，禁止安樂死動物，擴大收容所及人員編制並無法解決問題。」


Some Taiwanese also believe such medical procedures change the personality of
their pets. Others want to breed to give to friends or sell.

有些台灣人認為絕育會改變動物的個性，有些人則希望能夠讓寵物繁殖，將幼獸送給朋友
或是販售。


Short-term measures　權宜之計


Ms Chien already knew, when she died, that a new law was coming into force.

在簡醫師離世時，她就已經知道新的法規（零安樂死）即將生效


>From 4 February 2017, it will be illegal to put down abandoned animals.
Budgets have also increased by 40%, there will be more inspectors and now
anybody who wishes to abandon their pet at a shelter will have to pay a fee
as high as $125 (￡100).

從2017/02/04開始，安樂死收容動物將不再合法。相關預算增加40%，也會有更多動保官
，此外(合法)棄養動物也須付出$125美元的費用。


As well as increasing adoption, the public are being encouraged to microchip,
as well as spay and neuter their animals

伴隨領養率增加，飼主也被鼓勵將動物植入晶片管理並絕育。


The authorities say this is nothing to do with Ms Chien's suicide, and her
story, which was simply a human tragedy.

主管機關說這些和簡醫師的悲劇事件並沒有直接關聯性。


The government has pledged to increase funding and staffing at shelters and
provide psychological counselling. But many see these as short-term measures.

政府保證會增加收容所的資金和人力，也會提供心理諮詢。許多人認為這些不過是權宜之
計。


Activists want the government to crack down on breeders, implement subsidies
for NGOs to spay and neuter, and provide assistance to groups that take in
strays.

動保運動人士要求政府打擊繁殖業者，提供NGO(非營利組織)絕育補助，並對流浪動物相
關團體提供協助。


Perhaps Ms Chien was not the catalyst for the changes, but her love for
animals will not be forgotten by her husband, also an animal control worker,
and her colleagues - all of whom were left pain-stricken by her death.

或許簡醫師並不直接促成這些改變，然而除了悲傷以外，簡醫師對動物的愛也將永遠留在
她的同事，以及同為流浪動物工作者的丈夫心中。

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