Accidental Shooting Helps Save over 70 Cats

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Category: Human Interest

Listening

Unlocking Word Meanings

Read the following words/expressions found in today’s article.

  1. uninhabitable / ˌʌn ɪnˈhæ bɪ tə bəl / (adj.) – not safe or suitable to live in
    Example:

    Their house was destroyed by the typhoon and is now uninhabitable.


  2. feces / ˈfi siz / (n.) – the solid waste released from the body
    Example:

    The old building has a terrible smell because it’s filled with animal feces.


  3. abdomen / ˈæb də mən / (n.) – the part of the body below the chest where the stomach and other organs are found
    Example:

    He couldn’t eat well for weeks because he had surgery on his abdomen.


  4. discharge / dɪsˈtʃɑrdʒ / (v.) – to shoot or fire a gun or a weapon
    Example:

    He accidentally discharged his gun and shot his leg.


  5. odor / ˈoʊ dər / (n.) – a particular smell, especially an unpleasant one
    Example:

    The odor coming from the pile of garbage is so bad.


Article

Read the text below.

An accidental shooting led police in New Hampshire to a house that was overrun with more than 70 cats and was declared uninhabitable because it was covered with feline feces and urine.


Police in Kensington got a call from a hospital on Dec. 8 that a man was admitted to the emergency room with a gunshot wound to the abdomen. Police went to the hospital and spoke to the man, who said he was cleaning a rifle and put it on a workbench when it fell to the floor and discharged a round, injuring him. Police concluded it was an accidental shooting.


Police also went to the home, where they initially found at least 30 cats.


“There was an overwhelming odor coming from inside the residence,” Kensington Police Chief Scott Cain said in a news release Dec. 10. “It was discovered (the) inside was completely covered in feline feces and urine.”


Police called the New Hampshire Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals, which removed 67 cats on Dec. 8. Five more were found on Dec. 10.


An SPCA spokeswoman said the cats’ health will be checked, but that initially they seemed scared but friendly. (AP)


This article was provided by The Japan Times Alpha.


Viewpoint Discussion

Enjoy a discussion with your tutor.

Discussion A

  • The man was accidentally shot in the abdomen when his rifle hit the ground. What could gun owners do to avoid accidental shooting (ex. have a professional clean their guns, unload them before cleaning)? What do you think gun owners can do to prepare for accidental shootings (ex. learn first aid)? Discuss.
  • Why do you think some people want to own guns? Discuss.

Discussion B

  • By December 10, police officers have found a total of 72 cats in the house. Why do you think the man stayed in the house even though it was overrun by cats? Do you think it’s possible to have a huge number of animals and still keep the house habitable? Why or why not? Discuss.
  • The cats found were taken care of by the New Hampshire Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals. Do you think it would be easy to have 72 cats adopted? What can the shelter do to speed up adoptions (ex. give free cat food/free cat-care kit to those who will adopt)? Discuss.