Pet ID & Italian Island

News Bites

Hi there.

It's time for an all-new episode of News Bites.

I'm Jacob Ingram.

And I'm Nancy Sun.

In today's news: the Ministry of Agriculture launches digital ID cards for pets, and an Italian island is giving away goats for free.

And in today's Tasty Tidbit: The world's first camera.

Stay tuned for those stories, coming up next.

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毛小孩有身分證 整合生老病死資訊

MOA Launches ID Cards For Pets

We've got big news from the Ministry of Agriculture (農業部).

They're rolling out something special for furry friends (毛小孩).

What might that be?

Well, it's digital pet ID cards, of course!

就是寵物數位身份證。

Now, you might be wondering what the big deal with these cards is.

They aren't just ordinary cards.

They're like a VIP pass for pets, helping with their management and welfare.

See, more and more people are welcoming pets into their families.

Right now, there are over 2 million pet dogs and cats in Taiwan, and most of them have microchips (微晶片) for identification.

In fact, the number of registered pet dogs and cats in Taiwan outnumbered newborns by nearly 100,000 last year.

去年台灣的寵物狗和貓，登記數量比新生兒多了近 十萬隻。

So pets are becoming more and more popular.

The Ministry wants to make things even easier for pet owners.

That's why it's introducing these ID cards.

The Ministry explained these digital cards will have all the important information about pets.

For example, their name, the name of the owner, if they've been neutered (絕育), and even their vaccination records (接種疫苗的紀錄).

Imagine a handy card with all these details!

But it's not just about convenience.

These digital ID cards will also help crack down on illegal breeding and smuggling of pets.

可以打擊非法繁殖和走私寵物。

With clear info on where your pet came from, it'll be easier to spot any shady business (可疑的交易).

The Ministry is also planning to make it super easy for pet owners to update their info without any hassle.

Remember, pets are not just animals! They're companions, and bring joy to many owners every day.

So, if you've got a pet, make sure to register them and grab their ID card.

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義大利小島 願意捐贈山羊

Italian Island Giving Away its Goats

Here's a quirky story coming all the way from Italy.

A tiny island off the coast of Sicily is dealing with a goat problem.

Yep, you heard that right - goats!

This island is called Alicudi.

It's super small, and only has about 100 people living there.

But the island has over 600 goats roaming around!

Now, these goats might seem cute, but they're causing quite a stir.

這些山羊也許看起來可愛，但是牠們也製造麻煩。

They're munching on people's crops, barging into homes, and basically making a mess everywhere they go.

牠們偷吃農作物，闖進人們家裡，引起混亂。

That sucks for the inhabitants (居民).

The mayor says it all started with a few goats supposedly escaping from their owner.

Then they multiplied.

他們繁殖得很快。

Now there's too many to handle.

They're causing "massive damage" to the island's landscape (也破壞風景).

But here's the twist: The Island has come up with a solution.

They're giving away these goats to anyone who wants them.

The goats would normally cost 200 euros each - that's just under 7000 NT.

But the Alicudi goats will be free to anyone who wants them!

It's not often you get free goats in life.

The goats will be checked out by a vet (獸醫會先檢查) before they are delivered.

So far, they've had requests from all over Italy, from as far as Tuscany to Lombardy.

There's also no limit to how many goats you can ask for.

So what if you ask for one million goats?

There's only 600 goats on the island, so requesting one million just isn't possible.

Well that's my masterplan to become a millionaire foiled.

I mean, imagine if you could get a million goats for free, with each of them worth 7000 NT.

All you'd have to do is sell them, then you'd be able to buy a dinky flat in Taipei (可以買一間小公寓).

Not everyone is convinced this plan will work smoothly.

Gloria, who runs a caf? on the island, is worried about how to get them off the island.

The island's terrain is mountainous, making it difficult to catch and transport the goats.

Despite the challenges, it's a creative solution to a dire situation.

Let's hope the goat giveaway helps bring some peace back to the tiny island of Alicudi!

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So in today's News Bites,

The Ministry of Agriculture is introducing digital ID cards for pets.

These cards will contain essential information, such as the pet's name, owner's name, neutering status and vaccination records.

The ID cards will also help to curb illegal breeding and smuggling activities.

Pet owners are encouraged to register their pets and obtain these ID cards to ensure their companions' well-being.

And,

A tiny Italian island off the coast of Sicily is giving away goats for free.

Only 100 humans live on Alicudi, but there's over 600 goats!

The goats often barge into people's homes and munch on crops, so they're causing lots of problems.

So the authorities are planning to give them away for free to anyone willing to take them.

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趣味小點

Tasty Tidbit

And in today's Tasty Tidbit…

Did you know the world's first "camera" was invented in the year 1816?

It was invented by Joseph Nicephore Niepce and was called the heliograph.

Heliographs use sunlight to send messages over long distances, and some special ones can even capture pictures!

They work by focusing sunlight onto a light-sensitive surface, like a special type of paper, to create an image.

They've been used for various purposes, from early photography experiments to scientific observations.

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And that's it for today's episode of News Bites!

If you have a fun fact, a joke or interesting news story you'd like to share with us, record your message and send us your Tasty tidbit to [e-mail], and you might hear it at the end of an episode.

We'll see you next time for an exciting new episode of News Bites!