Qual o melhor pet para você?

Gostei e repasso. Vi no Blog Animal da Revista Época uma divertida reportagem que sugere o melhor pet para cada tipo de pessoa (muitas das indicações são pura brincadeira). A introdução diz: "Cada pessoa tem uma personalidade e um estilo de vida. Então, também terá um bicho de estimação que mais se enquadra no seu perfil. O jornal inglês 'The Independent' listou em seu site os 20 pets perfeitos para várias personalidades". A matéria segue com uma tradução resumida (incluindo os erros de sempre) da reportagem original em inglês, mas eu fui no site do 'The Independent' e preferi postar aqui o texto completo, inclusive com todas as fotos. Para quem quiser ler a versão resumida em português, basta clicar aqui.

Abrindo um parêntese: Foi devido aos inúmeros erros de tradução que sempre encontro nas matérias publicadas aqui no Brasil que comecei a procurar e a postar as notícias originais em inglês dos sites internacionais. Algumas traduções são tão cabulosas que chegam a mudar totalmente o sentido das frases, divulgando portanto informações erradas. Se não houver uma base de comparação - a matéria original - não há como saber se a notícia está incorreta ou incompleta. E mesmo tendo acesso à matéria original - o que é difícil pois muitos sites omitem a fonte - é bastante chato ler as duas versões e sair comparando uma com a outra. Tradução é uma coisa muito séria e só deveria ser feita por quem entende do assunto que está traduzindo. Assim a possibilidade de interpretar os termos incorretamente seria bastante reduzida. Não basta entender a língua para saber traduzir um texto, é preciso estar familiarizado com os termos específicos daquele assunto. E é isso que os sites brasileiros de notícias infelizmente parecem não entender. Ou talvez seja tudo fruto de traduções apressadas sem prestar muita atenção ao trabalho.

At some time in life, most of us think about getting an animal companion. Whether you’re a city slicker or a country bumpkin, a fashionista or a geek, an OAP or a teen queen, Jamie Buckley and Madeleine North present the ultimate guide to the perfect furry (and not so furry) friend – whatever your situation.

For fashionistas: The Chihuahua! When the last part of your outfit is a Chihuahua tucked under your arm, you know you've made it to celeb central. The toy dog of choice for many a fashionista and "It girl" - because at 15-25cm tall and as little as two pounds in weight it can be easily held by wafer-thin arms - the Chihuahua has come up in the world. Thought to be the oldest breed of dog in the Americas, the "Chi" is also the smallest breed of dog in the world. For the complete low-down, visit the-british-chihuahua-club.org.uk.

For country bumpkins: The alpaca! Now, it would be absurd to keep alpacas in town (they are happiest in herds, so having just one is not an option). But if you have plenty of space, then you can generally keep 10 alpacas per acre. Why would you? Well, they have cute little bunched faces, they are friendly towards owners once they get to know them, they don't mind being petted, they make a pleasant humming noise when gathered in a herd, and they produce wonderful, soft fibre that is highly prized. For more information contact Graham & Jenny MacHarg, who are based in North Yorkshire, on 01653 619 520.

For lounge lizards: The Siamese! Gentlemen with louche habits deserve a pet that looks the part. Enter, the Siamese (if it could be swilling champagne from a flute and casually leaning against the bar, it would be). With its bright blue eyes and two-tone coat, it needs little introduction - though despite its nightclub-friendly appearance, it does not actually fair that well after dark, as its eyes do not adjust very well and its camouflage offers little disguise. Still, one would make great company when you get home and are mixing a night cap. Visit siameserescue.org.uk.

For teens: The ferret! Mind your trouser legs, because the irrepressible ferret gets everywhere, having initially been bred and trained to control vermin by the Romans. And you'll need to have your wits about you to keep up, as they love to muck around. It is best to get two ferrets if you are thinking of owning them, as they get lonely on their own; males are known as "hobs" and females are "jills". They'll usually live beyond 10 years, so be prepared. Most importantly, they require plenty of care, in terms of mucking out their cage and keeping them occupied, so they are only for diligent teens. Visit britishferretclub.co.uk.

For Wags: The Pomeranian! If the Chihuahua is just too chi-chi for you and it is an altogether fluffier pooch you're after, then the Pomeranian is the new kid on the block. They have cute little foxy faces and dark little eyes, plus they're easily house-trained and get on well with other people and animals. But the reason the Pom would be perfect for a WAG is because it loves being groomed - at least daily - so a potential owner would immediately have a "salon buddy". To contact registered breeders of these wonderful pedigree dogs, visit pets4homes.co.uk.

For action men: The Springer Spaniel! A proper working dog, and sometimes quite a handful, the springer needs a lot of exercise and many are better suited to life in the country. They are excellent gun dogs, and are happy in water, mud, undergrowth, bracken or woodland. A young springer will almost certainly need to go to puppy school, so potential owners need to have time on their hands to get to grips with the breed. He will not come ready to listen and obey from the word go. They do need daily grooming and, as with all spaniels, are prone to infections in the ears, so pay special attention to these. For more information, visit thekennelclub.org.uk.

For gamers: The Tamagotchi! If you don't like hairs on the sofa, medical bills or the sound of a yap of welcome as you come through the door - and let's face it, if you're a total techy who resents being dragged away from your controllable D world - then flat-screen cutie Tamagotchi can be yours at the click of a mouse. A pet of no specific species, Tamagotchi owners are required to "look after" their digital creature as much as they would a real animal, with the advantage of being able to pooper-scoop at the touch of a button and minus the accompanying whiff. Created in 1996, in Japan of course, over 70 million of the small, egg-shaped computer consoles have been sold, but many schools have banned them, as children have been so fretful about keeping their virtual companion alive. Visit tamagotchi.com. (A melhor indicação de todas, hehehe!!!)

For tomboys: The Bedlington Terrier! Some say he looks like a curly whippet, others swear it's a lamb dressed up for a night out, but either way, the Bedlington is perfect for tomboys; don't be fooled by his delicate frame. For such a docile, meek-looking dog, he can still behave like a terrier and needs a fairly firm grasp. Not that he's neurotic. Just that he likes to run and can't shake off his professional breeding as a ratter. Much more important, though, is that he is a light shedder and only needs a weekly groom, so you won't be for ever cleaning up hairs. For a list of breeders, visit champdogs.co.uk.

For rock stars: The white tiger! It's hard to think of white tigers without conjuring up images of Siegfried and Roy. Harder still to forget that one of the duo's cuddly charges almost brought Roy to a very grizzly end. But if you've got your sprawling rock-star mansion, your fleet of Jags, your age-defying wife and still have that niggly feeling that something's missing - something larger-than-life and slightly more temperamental than you - a white tiger could just fit the bill. Majestically beautiful, reassuringly dangerous, you could even train it to come on stage to give your act that extra bit of grrrrrr.

For over-achievers: The Weimaraner! You've got the successful career, the seven-figure bonus (at least you did have last year), the house in the country and the big sports car. All you need now is the dog to go with it, and the buff and beautiful Weimaraner is surely he. First bred in central Germany as a hunter and retriever, he has the drive and energy to run all day, but is not naturally aggressive, so will make a great companion for any would-be master or mistress of the universe. For more details, contact Margarita Brooker of the Weimaraner Club of Great Britain on 01293 871373.

For the retired: The West Highland Terrier! The Westie, as he is known, has such a friendly and companiable nature that it is easy to see why he has become the top dog among "third agers". This, combined with the fact that your Westie likes regular but not excessive exercise, makes him a great excuse to keep active. But he also likes his kip, and will happily nap during the day, so is never too demanding. Inquisitive, intelligent, independent, ingenious ... you might be all these things, in which case the West Highland Terrier is the dog for you. Contact thewesthighlandwhiteterrierclubofengland.co.uk.

For young girls: The hamster! Small enough to mother, easy enough to keep (though Mummy and Daddy usually get lumped with cleaning out the cage), the hamster's a perfect starter pet - it's even a good induction to the "nothing lives for ever" line of discovery, as Hammy's average life-span is a mere two to three years. The mini mammal is thought to have been introduced to the UK during the Second World War, when they were drafted in for medical research. They've come a long way, baby. For all things hamsterial, visit hamsters.co.uk. (Eu sempre indico um hamster - ou ainda uma chinchila - para aquelas famílias onde os pais não gostam muito de bichos mas os filhos insistem em ter um pet)

For pushy princesses: The bush baby! If a Chihuahua just won't do and Daddy won't buy you that lovely white tiger, the bush baby is both exotic and cute enough to please the most impossible of princesses. Despite the big babyish eyes, it's the furry little creature's call - apparently a dead-ringer for a child's wailing - that earnt it its name. A native of South Africa, the lesser galago, as it's otherwise known, is about 15cm long (with a tail up to double that length), lives in trees, only comes out at night and feeds on butterflies, moths and beetles - a perfect fit for that bijou pad in Belgravia then.

For eternal students: The corn snake! The corn snake has been a previous Pet of the Week in this magazine, and we felt that no guide would be complete without a mention. What makes it so special (and suited to students) is its relaxed approach to life. Cornies are a great "starter snake", so you can get to know the breed and how to handle them before moving on to larger snakes or more demanding reptiles. Plus you can get your vivarium and a snake to put in it for less than £100, so the costs of keeping them are not prohibitive. Contact Jumanji Pets on 020-7372 5693.

For bachelors: Tropical fish! The angelfish is perfect for the man about town who can take off at a moment's notice. The tanks are easy to "pimp", and you don't need a huge amount of space. Plus, if you get a biological tank, the friendly bacteria will break down the harmful ammonia, and the feeding is a doddle. And owners swear their fish can recognise them after a while. Contact Graham Parker at directtropicals. co.uk (01446 701072) for all you need to know.

For globetrotters: The Heinz 57 moggy! Don't call your local cat-rescue centre asking for a Heinz 57 - it's just a way of saying that your potential cat is not exactly pedigree. Who needs a pampered feline anyway? Your basic tabby cat is much more quirky, and has lived a little, so has bags of character. Plump for one of these, and you'll give an orphan cat a home, as well as knowing that they're not fussy when it comes to cat-sitters, or house guests when you're away. As long as they're stroked and fed, and given a bit of love while you're gone, they'll be happy. And even happier when you're home, so it's win-win all round. Visit catchat.org.

For geeks: The rat! Rats are not the kind of wild animal you want to arrive in your home unannounced, but tame pets are another matter entirely. Extremely intelligent, they're very clean (they dedicate about a third of their waking hours to grooming, you know) and they love company (so keep at least two - they shouldn't live alone). Small pet toys, boxes and lengths of pipe all help keep them interested - and if the owner is truly geeky, they'll have as much fun constructing the playground as the rats will playing in it. See fancy-rats.co.uk for more information.

For Goths: The Tarantula! This plump, hairy arachnid looks a lot more dangerous than he really is, though he is a voracious eater and will snack happily on dried insects in captivity. In the jungle, he is more aggressive and will take small rodents and reptiles (you can see it on YouTube, but it's not pretty). He will need a secure tank with branches to mimic his natural habitat, and needs to keep humid and warm with areas of darkness. Fully grown specimens reach about 15cm, but he is only seen as a "medium-sized" spider by breeders. And there are some real monsters out there, like the Goliath birdeater. (Quando eu era pequena eu criava aranhinhas minúsculas como pets. Fiquei curiosa para conhecer a tal aranha Golias e uma pesquisa no Google mostrou espécimes realmente *e-n-o-r-m-e-s*. Chequem também o "Goliath frog", absolutamente *n-o-j-e-n-t-o*)

For families: Chickens! So divorced have many of us come from the food chain that it is hard to think of chickens in any terms other than Kiev, Kentucky or korma, but you are guaranteed to become attached to these fluffy cluckers, and will soon see them as an extension of the family. For example, the Buff Orpington is a firm favourite with those wanting to grab a piece of the good life and keep their own chucks. A "heavy" breed, she was originally bred (near Orpington in Kent) in the 1880s to be a steady egg-layer and eventually to end up on the table. For absolutely everything you need to know about buying, housing and keeping these golden beauties safe from the wily fox, call Jill Bowis on 01631 720223, or visit bufforpington.co.uk.

For young boys: The rabbit! Oooh it is a cutey, but this rabbit is far from a fluffy toy. For instance, the giant of the Lop breeds is smarter than a hamster or guinea pig, you can litter train him, and even get him to know his name. Ideal as a starter-pet, the bunny lives for about five years, doesn't take up much space, and is usually most awake in the mornings and evenings - which fits in nicely around the school day. Contact giantrabbitrescue.co.uk. (Também costumo indicar, assim como os porquinhos-da-índia)