又中又英 - A fear of dogs | 褚簡寧

　　Some people love dogs, others dislike them, and there are some who fear dogs. I have said before I don't like or dislike dogs. I just dislike irresponsible dog owners who don't know how to manage their dogs. They allow their dogs to defecate (shit) in the streets without cleaning up afterwards. Some owners let their dogs bark continuously, disturbing neighbours. That has happened to me many times in Hong Kong. Former German Chancellor Angela Merkel has a fear of dogs. This condition is known as cynophobia. She said a dog bite caused her fear.

　　When Merkel went to Russia in 2007 to meet President Vladimir Putin, he brought his large black dog to the meeting room. Merkel sat frozen with fear. If you are frozen with fear, it means you are so scared that you become motionless. She wrote in her 2024 memoir that Putin did it deliberately to demonstrate power even though she had told Russian officials about her cynophobia. Putin denied he knew about her fear and apologized when Merkel's book came out. The Hong Kong government last month lifted a 30-year ban on dogs in restaurants. Owners can take their dogs to restaurants that apply for special permits when the new rule starts.

　　Some American states allow dogs in the outdoor dining areas of restaurants. I have been to one in San Diego where the dogs were well-behaved. Very few Hong Kong eateries have outdoor dining, but Hong Kong will allow dogs inside restaurants. Most Hong Kong restaurants are small, with tables close to each other. Many Hong Kong dogs are not well-trained. What happens if they bark, ruining the enjoyment of others? Does it mean customers with cynophobia can no longer go to their favourite restaurants which allow dogs?

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　　一些人愛狗，另一些人不喜歡狗，又有一些人怕狗。我以往曾經說過，我沒有很喜歡或討厭狗，我只是討厭那些不負責任、不懂得如何控制狗隻的狗主。他們容讓自己的狗隻在街上隨處大便（defecate），事後又不清理。另一些狗主則容讓狗隻不斷吠叫，滋擾鄰舍。這在我還在香港的時候已經多次發生在我身上。前德國總理安格拉．默克爾害怕狗隻，這種狀況叫作cynophobia，恐犬症。她說，是因為一次狗咬，導致她心生畏懼。

　　默克爾2007年去俄羅斯會見總統弗拉基米爾．普京時，他帶了他的大黑狗進到會議室。默克爾坐在那兒，frozen with fear——若你是frozen with fear，意即你懼怕得動不了。她在2024年的自傳中寫到，普京是刻意為之，以展示權力，即使她已告訴了俄羅斯官員她有恐犬症（cynophobia）。當默克爾的書面世時，普京否認自己知道她的恐懼，亦道了歉。香港政府上個月解除了長達30年禁止寵物狗進入餐廳的禁令。新法例生效之後，狗主可以帶同狗隻，進入那些申請了特別牌照的餐廳。

　　一些美國州分，容許狗隻進入餐廳的露天用餐區域。我就去過聖地牙哥的一間餐廳，那兒的狗隻都很乖巧。香港很少食肆有露天用餐區，但香港將會容許狗隻進入餐廳。大部分香港餐廳都地方淺窄，餐桌緊靠。許多香港狗隻都並非訓練有素。如果牠們吠叫，破壞了其他人的雅興，又會怎麼樣？這是否意味着，有恐犬症（cynophobia）的食客，不能再去他們最喜歡但容許犬隻入內的餐廳呢？

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Michael Chugani褚簡寧
中譯：七刻