The Future is Now 未來就是現在
Greetings to all our readers. I want to introduce myself at this point because I am about to begin a new role here at Animals Taiwan. As most readers will know, the founder and tireless workhorse of Animals Taiwan, Sean McCormack, has left Taiwan to share his knowledge of animal rescue and welfare with other groups in Latin America . You can read all about his new adventures at Seanimals.blogspot.com or follow the links from our Website. Since Sean's departure, things at Animals Taiwan have changed quite a bit. Others are learning how to do the things that Sean used to do, and we no longer look to him to make so many key decisions. In other words, things got tougher. But we all believe in the project we have started here, and we are determined to move on. This is what I want to talk about.
各位讀者大家好。在此我想要介紹一下自己，因為我將扮演在 AT 組織裡的一個全新角色。正如各位讀者所知道， Sean McCromack ，也就是 AT 的創立人兼永遠不會喊累的長工，已經離開台灣前往拉丁美洲，與其他的團體分享他對於援救動物與動物福利的知識。 各位可以在 Seanimals.Blogspot.com 或從其他本站上的連結中， 閱讀他的新冒險事蹟。 既然 Sean 已經離開台灣， AT 的事務將會有些許的改變。其他人將學習如何如同 Sean 一樣地處理各種事情，我們也將不再向他尋求任何有關做出重要決定的指示。換句話 說，情況變得較 為艱難。但我們還是相信這個成為我們起點的計畫，並且我們決定繼續進行。這些就是我想要 說的 。

Sean was born to be a leader, as anyone who knows him can confirm. Leading a group of people in a large-scale project is never easy. Unforseen problems arise, and it takes a capable leader to keep the ship on course. Recently, our core members have resolved to find a new person to assume the role of Secretary General but, so far, no Ban Ki-moon has come knocking at our door. This is where I bring this essay round to myself.
Sean 天生就是一個領導者，而正如任何人所知道的，他可以印證這句話。領導一群人是一個大規模的計畫，而且十分不簡單。不預期的困難會湧現，這時就需要一個有能 力的領導者來穩定大家。最近我們的核心成員企圖去尋找一個新成員去承擔 Secretary General 的工作，然而至今，還沒有潘基文 ( 聯合國秘書長 , 編按：暗 喻：合適的人 ) 來應 徵這個職位。這就是我寫這篇文章的緣起 。

I joined Animals Taiwan about two years ago when the group was in need of a Website makeover. Designing and maintaining Websites for humanitarian causes is a hobby of mine -- something I do for pleasure, not profit. But the Internet is useful for much more than Websites, and I began to bring various networking tools online to help our volunteers communicate more effectively. In this way, I came to know more about the structure and management of the organization than most of the other volunteers, providing Sean with a lot of behind-the-scenes advice and ideas along the way. My vision of what Animals Taiwan is destined to become matches Sean's in most every way. This is not a simple statement to make because there are, in fact, many possible directions in which the organization could evolve. But, without that magic element of leadership, we risk ending up with no clear direction at all. Because of the void left by Sean's departure, I recently volunteered to temporarily assume the position of "Interim" Secretary General until our Ban Ki-moon comes along. I hope I can perform adequately in this substantial challenge.
我加入動物台灣大約二年之前，當這個團體正需要網站更新時。設計並且維護為人道發聲的網站，是我個人的嗜好 -- 我會開開心心地做這事，而不是為了實質的利益。 然而，網際網路可以比單純的網站發揮更大的作用，於是我開始為我們的志工提供許多有助於溝通的工具。透過這種參與的方式，相較於一般的志工，我變得深入地 去了解組織運作、組織結構，進而能提供 Sean 一些組織運作幕後的想法和建議。我對於動物台灣的長遠發展，在 絕大方面，都是和 Sean 有相同的看法。這句話並不是 說說而已，實際上，一個組織可能的發展方向可以非常多。但是，如沒有領導，我們將失去 清晰的前進方向。基於 Sean 的 啟程，我最近自願擔任暫時性的 " 臨時 " 秘書長直到有適任的人出現。我期待我可以扮演好這個角色，並克服所有的挑戰。

During the next few months, I hope to provide our many volunteers with a set of ears and a nudging voice to help them succeed in their various roles. We are a multi-faceted organization that seeks not only to help animals in need, but also, to address the roots of the strays problem here in Taiwan through advocacy and education. We aim to accomplish a lot because we feel our "catchy" name and mixed-nationality approach will ultimately attract hundreds of volunteers to our cause. Staying organized and developing an efficient structure is of paramount importance, and this is where I feel I can make a worthy contribution. Believe it or not, we currently have 23 "coordinator" positions and are actually considering creating a few more.
在接下來的幾個月，我期許能為眾多的志工提供一雙耳 朵，聆聽各位的建議；能提供隽語，使各位扮演自己的職位更加成功。我們是一個多面向的組織，不僅僅尋求幫忙遭折磨的動物，同時也期望能直指台灣流浪動物問 題的核心，透過教育和提倡我們的理念。我們立志遠大，正因為我們 選了響亮的名字，且我們有著來自各個國家的志工，這更是能吸引數以百計的後來者投入。當前之急，是建立分工確實並有效率的組織架構，這是我認為我能為各位 帶來的。呃，信不信由你，我們目前已有 23 個連絡人 (coordinator) 的職位，同時我們正準備要有更多。

When I decided to offer myself as temporary "leader" of the group, I made a list of things I hope to accomplish. It ran to 19 items, and I have since thought of a few more. Clearly, I need fortune to be on my side, and I pray my social skills will be up to this immense challenge. Just to highlight a few initiatives I will be pushing, you will hopefully soon see some enhanced networking and publicity campaigns targeting the horrible crime of abandoning animals and buying pets that are not really wanted. When it comes to dogs and cats, instant gratification and a "me first" attitude are simply not acceptable. The public needs to be reminded of this truth. Under my watch, I will see to it that Animals Taiwan develops official position statements on these matters and others.
當我決定擔任這個團隊的暫時領導人時，我列了一張預定達成的清單。它已有 19 個項目，而我完成它之後，又想到了更多。簡而言之，我需要好運，祈求我的人際關系能力，足以應付這項挑戰。先強調我預定推展的工作吧，順利的話，你們很快 地可以看到，一些強化後過的組織交流活動及公眾關係活動，於反棄養、反購買不當繁殖竉物之上。當面臨大量的流浪犬貓問題時，頭痛醫頭、先求解決眼前問題的 態度，是不足已解決流浪動物問題的。社會大眾必須知道事實的真相。在我個人的管理下，我會讓動物台灣能發展一致的立場和理念，之於動物福利相關議題。

Other immediate concerns involve streamlining our adoption, fostering and sponsorship schemes. The way we have approached these tasks used to work fine, but we are now observing a saturation effect. It seems most people willing to take in unlucky, abandoned animals have already done so. But we cannot accept defeat; we will just have to become more creative, even as we attack the roots of the problem through education, CNR and the lobbying of government branches.
其它的考量，比方 說使我們的送養流程暢通無堵、推展我們的犬貓中途之家及助養計畫。我們用的方法在過去運作的很好，儘管我們現在觀察到有些飽和的現象。似乎大部分有意願認 養被棄養動物的人，都已經認養了。但我們不會接受挫折，我們將更有創造力，我們將直接走向流浪動物問題的核心，透過民眾的宣傳 教育、 CNR( 捕捉、 絕育、釋放 ) 、及遊 說影響政府 的作法。

I also hope this essay might affect you, the reader -- right now. We are always in need of more committed good souls prepared to give some of their time. For myself, a deep belief that our treatment of animals reflects our own sense of self-esteem requires me to take action on this issue. Humanitarianism and animal welfare cannot be separated in my opinion. This world is suffering from myriad problems, and part of me suspects the look in the eye of an abandoned, needy animal summarizes our human failings in a way that words cannot. We all want to live to see world peace and environmental security, but I do not doubt that learning more about compassion is the right place to start. Animals are a gift we must not scorn through indifference. Please consider joining us to help make this island and this world a better place, both for animals and for people.
我也希望這篇文章可以影響到你，現在正在讀這篇文章的讀者。我們一直需要願意投入時間精力的人。就我個人而言，因為深刻地相信，人們對待動物的方式將反映 出我們對人性的自覺，所以我必須投身於這件工作。人道關懷和動物福利在我的認知是一體兩面。這個世界有許許多多的問題，而我猜測，在那些被棄養的動物眼神 中，一語 說盡了這些問 題的根源，而這本來是很難用三言兩語去描述的。我們都希望看到一個和平的世界、一個環保的世界，我也不反對從學習推己及人是個好的開始。但，動物是上天給 人的禮物，吾人不應忽視之。請考慮加入我們，讓我們能改善這個島，這個世界，無論是對人類或是動物而言。


Peter Dearman
February, 2008
2008 年 2 月