遛狗不清便便？DNA追责主人

 　　Spain’s north-eastern city of Tarragona has threatened to use DNA¹ analysis of dog droppings to track down owners who fail to clear up their pet’s mess.

　　西班牙东北部城市塔拉戈纳（Tarragona）扬言要对狗狗的粪便进行DNA分析，以追查不清理自己宠物狗粪便的主人。

　　The coastal² Mediterranean³ city would work with a local university to create a DNA database⁴ of registered dogs that could be used to identify their owners, said Ivana Martinez, the city’s city councillor for public spaces, on news radio Cadena Ser.

　　塔拉戈纳市公共空间议员伊凡娜?马丁内兹（Ivana Martinez）在接受卡迪纳塞（Cadena Ser）新闻电台采访时表示，这个地中海海滨城市将与当地一所大学合作创建当地注册宠物狗的DNA数据库，这个数据库可以用来确定他们的主人。

　　Droppings found on the street or in parks could then be matched through the DNA database to a registered pet, and its owner issued with a fine, she said.

　　她说，这样一来，街道上和公园里发现的宠物狗粪便可以通过DNA数据库匹配到已注册的宠物狗，从而对主人进行罚款。

　　遛狗不清便便？DNA追责主人

　　“Right now, unless the police are at the scene at the right moment it is very difficult to know who is breaching⁵ the rules,” Martinez said.

　　马丁内兹说：“目前，除非正好有警察在现场目击了这一过程，否则很难确定到底是谁违反了规定。”

　　Pet owners will have to cover the cost of the DNA testing in addition to paying a fine.

　　除了罚款外，“肇事”宠物狗的主人还必须支付DNA检测的费用。

　　Martinez said the city wanted the database to be up and running “as soon as possible” but did not provide a date.

　　马丁内兹表示市政府希望尽快建成并运行这一数据库，但并未给出具体日期。

　　Tarragona, a city of 135,000 people which is known for its wealth of Roman ruins, including a seaside amphitheatre, has more than 2,800 registered dogs, according to city hall.

　　塔拉戈纳市因拥有大量的古罗马遗址而闻名，其中包括海边的古罗马圆形竞技场。该市现有人口13.5万，根据市政厅提供的数据，目前注册登记的宠物狗超过2800只。

　　Vocabulary

　　droppings：鸟类及小动物的)粪便

　　amphitheatre：圆形竞技场

1 DNA   

(缩)deoxyribonucleic acid 脱氧核糖核酸

参考例句：

• DNA is stored in the nucleus of a cell.脱氧核糖核酸储存于细胞的细胞核里。
• Gene mutations are alterations in the DNA code.基因突变是指DNA密码的改变。

2 coastal   

adj.海岸的，沿海的，沿岸的

参考例句：

• The ocean waves are slowly eating away the coastal rocks.大海的波浪慢慢地侵蚀着岸边的岩石。
• This country will fortify the coastal areas.该国将加强沿海地区的防御。

3 Mediterranean   

adj.地中海的；地中海沿岸的

参考例句：

• The houses are Mediterranean in character.这些房子都属地中海风格。
• Gibraltar is the key to the Mediterranean.直布罗陀是地中海的要冲。

4 database   

n.数据库 （=databank）

参考例句：

• I discovered some new information in the database.我在资料库里发现了一些新信息。
• We planned to build an online database.我们计划建一个联机数据库。

5 breaching   

攻破( breach的过去式 )； 破坏，违反

参考例句：

• The company was prosecuted for breaching the Health and Safety Act. 这家公司被控违反《卫生安全条例》。
• Third, an agency can abuse its discretion by breaching certain principles of judge-made law. 第三，行政机关会因违反某些法官制定的法律原则而构成滥用自由裁量权。