A dog sits on a sun chair at a beach for dogs on the Tiber river in Rome August 19, 2009. [Agencies]

阅读难度：

A proposal to levy a tax on cats and dogs that stunned Italy on Friday turned out to be all bark and no bite after a wave of popular anger saw it withdrawn on the same day it was made public, Reuters reported.

Italy was abuzz for hours after local media reported that a parliamentary commission had proposed a tax on domestic "animals of affection" to raise revenue for debt-strapped cities and towns.

Protestors said the policy would prompt more people to abandon animals.

The proposal was withdrawn by early Friday evening.（点击路透社网站查看原文）

意大利“猫狗税”流产

       周五，一条向猫狗征税的提案震惊了整个意大利，不过到头来也是“干打雷不下雨”。在一片反对声中，提案于公布的当天就被撤回了。

       据路透社报道，当地一家媒体曝出议会委员会提议向国内的宠物征税，以此来为债务缠身的城镇增加收入。消息一传出就引发了民众数小时的争论。

       反对者称，此举将会使更多的人遗弃宠物。

       最终，该提案于周五晚间早些时候被收回。

(China.org.cn May 21, 2012)