日本人口老齡化致狗狗失寵

Japan's aging population and the higher cost of keeping dogs has likely contributed to the sliding number of pet canines in the country, with cats overtaking them last year for the first time since an annual survey began in 1994, according to industry experts.

業內專家表示，自1994年開展一項年度調查以來，去年日本寵物貓的數量首次超過了寵物狗的數量；人口老齡化以及更爲高昂的養狗成本或許是造成該國寵物狗數量下降的原因。

A survey by the Japan Pet Food Association released showed that the estimated number of pet cats stood at 9,526,000 in 2017, remaining alMost unchanged in recent years, while the number of dogs fell to 8,920,000, down for the third consecutive year.

日本寵物食品協會發布的一項調查顯示，2017年寵物貓的數量估計有952.6萬隻，幾乎與近年持平；而寵物狗的數量已連續下降三年，跌至892萬條。

"The biggest reason behind the fall in the number of pet dogs is probably declining birthrate and graying population," said a public relations officer at major pet company Aeonpet Co.

大型寵物公司永旺的一位公關人員稱：“寵物狗數量下降最主要的原因或許是不斷下降的出生率和正在老齡化的人口。”

She says more elderly people are giving up on dogs and keeping cats instead due to the perception that dogs require greater care as owners need to take them out for walks every day and are legally obliged to get them vaccinated.

她表示，由於認爲照料狗的要求更高：主人需每天外出遛狗且負有法律責任爲狗注射疫苗，更多老年人放棄養狗轉而養貓。

According to the association, the average cost of keeping a dog for its entire lifetime is estimated at about 1.6 million yen while that of a cat about 1.08 million yen. The gap possibly affected people's choices.

日本寵物食品協會稱，從生到死養一條狗平均約要花費160萬日元，而養一隻貓約需108萬日元。這一費用差可能影響了人們的選擇。

Toshiharu Ishiguro, the 69-year-old head of the Gifu Veterinary Medical Association, said, "More baby boomers who used to keep dogs are giving up welcoming new dogs" fearing they may not be able to take care of them until their death as a dog's average life expectancy now exceeds 14 years.

69歲的岐阜獸醫協會會長Toshiharu Ishiguro表示：“在過去習慣養狗的嬰兒潮一代，現在放棄養新的狗了。”因爲狗的平均壽命已拉長到14年，他們怕自己沒辦法撐到照顧它們走完一生。”