ESL Podcast 1030 - Adopting a Pet

to put off - to delay; to decide to do something later than originally planned

They decided to put off opening a new location until they're generating $300,000 in sales annually.

pound - an animal shelter; a place where abandoned animals are kept until a new home can be found for them or until they are killed

How many dogs and cats were brought to the pound last month?

to adopt - to officially make a person or animal part of one's family

Last year, we adopted a golden retriever that is really well behaved.

breed - a specific type of an animal, especially a type of dog or horse

They want to find a dog breed that is friendly and doesn't bark very much.

neglected - not taken care of; not given enough food and shelter

The social workers found that the children were neglected, often left sitting in an empty apartment without food for days at a time.

abandoned - left on one's own, without care or supervision from other people

A lot of pet snakes are abandoned once they become too big to be kept inside the home.

to turn down - to reject or deny; to say no to someone or something

We were shocked when she turned down such a generous salary.

abuse - mistreatment; physical, emotional, and/or sexual harm that is intentional

Teachers are required by law to report cases where they suspect child abuse.

to be moved to - to be compelled; to feel strong emotions that make one want to respond in a particular way

We hope that people will be moved to donate to our cause when they receive our letters about the good work we've done.

to be put down - for an animal to be killed, especially because it is too old, sick, or injured, or a home cannot be found for it and there is no more space in the animal shelter

The veterinarian said our dog has cancer and will need to be put down within the next few weeks.

to pet - to caress; to gently touch and stroke an animal with one's hand, feeling its fur (hair)

Some doctors say that petting animals can help patients lower their blood pressure.

animal shelter - a pound; a place where abandoned animals are kept until a new home can be found for them or until they are killed

The animal shelter gives pets all their shots and vaccinations before it allows them to go home with a new family.

humane - showing compassion and kindness; refusing to harm or hurt others

How can we teach our children to be more humane to living creatures?

stray - a domesticated (tame and accustomed to living with people) animal that has been abandoned and does not have a home to live in

The city has so many stray dogs that they've become a safety problem.

tragic - very sad and distressful

Have you been reading the news stories about last week's tragic accident?

to push (one's) luck - to take things too far; to try very hard to make something happen, but at the risk that one might lose the good thing that one already has

Meghan's dad agreed to let her use the car for the evening, but when she asked for $50 too, he said, "Don't push your luck."