Parliament Speaks out for Ostrich Rights 

　　German parliamentarians stood up for the rights of ostriches, calling on the government to lay down minimum standards under which the birds should be kept before being killed for their meat. The Bundesrat upper house asked for existing animal protection legislation to be fleshed out to include the ostrich. The bird has become a popular dish for Germans seeking alternatives to traditional meat and poultry after a number of Europe-wide health scares. The regional government of Schleswig-Holstein, which is home to 20 ostrich farms, said studies had shown the birds, which can grow up to six feet tall and weigh up to 330 pounds, each need 2,150 square feet of space. It said safeguards were also needed to ensure the animals, usually found in Africa, do not freeze in cold German winters. 


　　德国的议员们为鸵鸟的权利挺身而出，呼吁政府制定鸵鸟在被杀而食之以前所应享有的最低生活标准。德国联邦上院要求扩充现有的动物保护立法，将鸵鸟纳入保护范围。数次蔓延全欧的(畜禽卫生问题带来的)健康恐慌使德国人急于寻找传统家禽家畜的替代品，鸵鸟由此成为流行美食。石勒苏益格-荷尔斯泰因州(简称石荷州)有20家鸵鸟场，该地政府称研究显示高可达6英尺、体重可达330磅的鸵鸟每只需要2150平方英尺的空间。此外，为了确保这种通常生活在非洲的动物不在寒冷的德国冬天挨冻，还应该采取一些安全措施。


　　Remarks：这样的眷顾真的让动物们消受不起了，因为你得在成为popular dish之后才有可能得到这样的"权利"。

来源：《英语学习》