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Animal Shelters
Animal Shelters

Learn English with this animal shelters English lesson

Date: Nov 22 2017

Themes: Family, Pets

Grammar: Contractions and Abbreviations

Intro

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Have you ever thought about bringing a rescue dog home from the pound? There are so many animals who need people to care for them, so if you’re in the market for a pet, visiting an animal shelter is a wonderful option.

If you’re only interested in a purebred dog, the pound might not be your best choice, but it’s great if you’re OK with adopting a mutt. Mostly it’s about finding a pet who you bond with and who wants to go home with you!

Read more to learn Marni and Amanda’s opinions about animal shelters in this English lesson about finding a pet.

Dialog

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2. Study - Read the dialog again to see how the vocab words are used.

Marni

Marni

Amanda

Amanda

Marni:  So, I’m in the market for a dog, and I was thinking we should go to the local animal shelter so I can pick out the perfect dog.

Amanda:  How are you going to get a purebred there?

Marni:  I don’t want a purebred. I want to rescue a dog and do the right thing for a mixed breed or mutt. Just some dog that really needs a good home.

Amanda:  So you’re going to drag me down to the Humane Society?

Marni:  Yeah. Or the pound, or whatever you want to call it. We’re going to go.

Amanda:  Don’t you care about dog pedigree?

Marni:  Absolutely not! At the animal shelter, they actually spay and neuter all the pets so they won’t keep propagating. That we will just have the dog that you want and no more unwanted animals.

Amanda:  So, what kind of dog are you going to get?

Marni:  That’s the beauty! I don’t know.

Amanda:  I mean, you have no idea.

Marni:  Exactly.

Amanda:  It’s like a grab bag.

Marni:  I will know when I see the dog if that’s the dog for me.

Amanda:  All right. Take me to the pound. Can’t wait.

 

Grammar Point

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Quizzes

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Lesson MP3

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Discussion

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Marni wants to bring a new dog home. She’s interested in adopting one from an animal shelter and thinks Amanda might like to join her. Sadly, it’s immediately clear that Amanda doesn’t enjoy visiting the pound. It’s more important to Amanda that she know a dog’s pedigree, and that’s difficult to learn when adopting pets.

Marni doesn’t really care. She’s more than happy to choose a mutt, as long as it needs a home. She thinks it’s smart that animal shelters spay and neuter animals when they arrive. It means that fewer dogs and other animals might be without a home one day.

Have you ever adopted a pet from an animal shelter? What was your experience like?

 

Comments

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La Princesse de la vie

Egypt

I never adopted a dog before. But I wanted to have a cat. Unfortunately, pets are not allowed at my house :( They can be really good relating friends.

05:32 PM Nov 22 2017 |

1 person likes this

MaryMoscow

MaryMoscow

Russian Federation

Speaking about Russia, just a few people here har that experience.. Actually we don’t have good shelters and petshops are more popular) It’s because of I’ve never adopted a pet from an animal shelter

05:48 PM Nov 17 2013 |

1 person likes this

jef_maiko

jef_maiko

Brazil

I have never adopted a pet from an animal shelter, because I don`t have a place to it. I disagree of acumulate pets and put them in inapropriate home and say that love them. I think them distreat them.

11:14 PM Nov 16 2013 |

1 person likes this

Nadya_Hope

Nadya_Hope

Russian Federation

I like animals but I cannot take care about them. that’s why I have never adopted any pets from an animal shelter.

06:46 PM Nov 16 2013 |

Blonder

Blonder

Brazil

I love dog so much !!! I have one and I dont live without him…

05:07 PM Nov 16 2013 |

mauroyamaguchi

Japan

I love animals, but don’t have time and space to treat then well.

12:03 AM Nov 16 2013 |

Jasonlongo

Jasonlongo

Congo, Democratic Republic Of The

I don’t really like animals, but I seldom adopt  dogs and cats.

06:28 PM Nov 15 2013 |

1 person likes this

kaancay38

kaancay38

Turkey

I love animals…

01:12 PM Nov 15 2013 |

kowatch

kowatch

Hungary

I haven’t adopted pet yet. But we had mutts everytime. I have experienced they are healthier and they live longer than full-blood dogs. My uncle had rottweilers and all of them were about 5-6 years old when they died. The reason of death was cancer. 

10:58 AM Nov 15 2013 |

1 person likes this

 julito

julito

Argentina

 I love dogs, unfortunately I live in an apartment  and with few time  free  to dedicate to my mascot  .For this reason  I prefer  not to  visit the pound  . As for Amanda, wait that  she, alongside with Marni visit   animal shelter and spot a  dog  looking at her with pleading eyes  as if saying , please , take me home, take me home. i am sure that Amanda`s heart ,  falling for  that dog  will melt down  ,ask to fill in the form and take  home  the chosen ” mutt ” lol…..

10:45 AM Nov 15 2013 |

arv123

arv123

India

I have two mutt pets in home . we have great bonding with each other . Everyday both pets wait for me till i come back from the office after will play for sometimes. It’s an amazing feeling no matters what is hapening around either you have some job pressure or else you have some other issues in your life . The way they both shows their affection & love to me . It helps me to get some relief from work some how. I feel so blessed to having them in my life . :):):)

07:07 AM Nov 15 2013 |

ola33

ola33

Japan

I think it’s a very heartbreaking to place a dog in a shelter. That’s why i don’t get one. Who will I give it to when I’m away on holidays. Everyone is busy and have their own life and here is someone’s dog to take care. Plus, the holiday won’t be a holiday for me. I’ll be always thinking about how my buddy there, is he comphy, treated well, not hungry, get along with other dogs. Plus, their life span is pretty short. It’s quite painful  when your pet dies. But if I lived in a country, close to the wood, I’d have a dog or two, the big ones, bigger a wolf (we have cases wolves attack dogs) , bigger then a bear…  A good pedigree dog costs lots of money. But half bred are cuter. Any dog is good actually if you love it, take of it, treat it like a member of the family. In Russia we have lots of stray dogs, you don’t have to go to a shelter, just pick the one from the street. In Russia the dogs   aren’t neutered. I don’t think it’s the right thing to do to an animal.

03:37 AM Nov 15 2013 |

Juneshang

Juneshang

China

I like dogs very much. I can’t understand why some people abandan their lovely dogs.


I also have a dog.He is a German shepherd. He is lovely and clever.Although sometimes borings me,i like him very much.He is just like my family member.-


So i want to say to the people who abandan their dogs,once you take the dogs to your house,you should take the responsibility for his whole life.Because for you,you just stay with him for several years.But for him,it is his whole life to accompany with you.He will love you,loyal to you during his whole life.Because you are his whole world.

03:18 AM Nov 15 2013 |

Eric_

Eric_

China

I adopted a dog for serval years,but recently he has stolen by a thieft!


In my village,we offten adopt a rural dog as a gard.


As the winter coming,some restaurants will make a hotpot with a dog meat as material!~ From the news, a living dog could be sold about 1000RMb!~That makes the people take a risk of stealing a dog,then sell it…


What a shame~Hope all the people regard the pet as a friend….

02:55 AM Nov 15 2013 |

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