PET RESCUE

SCENE: The Zhang family are visiting a dog shelter. They are planning to
adopt a dog as a family pet.
ROLES (5): Mr. Zhang (father), Mrs. Zhang (mother), Mei (elder sister),
Cheng (younger brother), Holly (pet shelter worker)
READER AGES: 8 years and over

MEI: I can’t believe it is finally happening! We’re getting a dog! I’m so excited!
MRS. ZHANG: How many years have you been trying to convince your
father to let you have a dog, Mei? Five years? Six years?
MEI: Eight years! Since I was three years old!
MRS. ZHANG: I still can’t believe that Daddy has agreed to this whole plan.
After all, he hates dogs.
MR. ZHANG: I don’t hate dogs! I’m allergic to them!
CHENG: Daddy, what does ‘allergic’ mean?
MR. ZHANG: It means that my body doesn’t like being close to dogs. They
make my eyes itchy. My skin sometimes breaks out in a bumpy rash, too.
CHENG: Then why are we getting a dog, Daddy? Won’t it make you sick?
MR. ZHANG: I sincerely hope not, Cheng. That reminds me… we can only
look at dogs with short hair. Long haired dogs are the worst choice for
people with allergies.
MEI: Okay, Daddy. That sounds fair to me.
Holly walks over to join the family.
HOLLY: Good morning! My name is Holly. Is there anything in particular that
I can help you with today?
MEI: We’d like a dog, please. One with short hair. My dad is allergic.
HOLLY: (laughing) I think I’ll need a little more information than that! We
have lots of different short haired dogs. What type of dog are you looking
for?

1
MEI: What do you mean? Aren’t all dogs the same?
HOLLY: Good gracious, no! Some dogs are big, others are small. Some dogs
are playful, others are calm. There are many different types of dogs!
MRS. ZHANG: Can you please show us some different dog breeds, Holly?
MR. ZHANG: With short hair, remember!
HOLLY: Of course. This is Bobby the Beagle. Beagles are happy, fun-loving
dogs. They make wonderful pets for children, too.
CHENG: (to Bobby the Beagle) Hello there, Bobby. (to his parents) I love this
one. Can we take him home?
MRS. ZHANG: Hold on a minute, Cheng. We have lots more dogs to see
before we make a decision!
HOLLY: This is Chilli. She’s a Chihuahua. Chihuahuas are very easy to groom
and they are excellent watchdogs.
MEI: (to Chilli the Chihuahua) Well, aren’t you beautiful! (to her parents) I don’t
need to see any of the other dogs. I want Chilli!
MR. ZHANG: But Mei, there might be a dog that’s better suited to our family
that we haven’t seen yet. We should keep looking, just in case.
HOLLY: This is Doogie. Doogie is a Dachshund.
CHENG: No, he’s not! He’s a sausage dog!
HOLLY: (laughing) Yes, Dachshunds are sometimes called ‘sausage dogs’
because they are long and skinny, like a sausage. They’re great hunters… and
very cute, too!
MRS. ZHANG: Oh, I just love sausage dogs! I think we should take Doogie
home!
HOLLY: I have one more dog to show you. Introducing… Daisy the
Doberman!
MR. ZHANG: She’s very big, isn’t she? (thinking) Too big to live inside the
house, don’t you think?
HOLLY: Oh, yes! Dobermans are very energetic dogs. They need a large
backyard so they can run and play.
MEI: She does seem lovely. (to Daisy) Hello, Daisy.
Daisy licks Mei on the face. Mei giggles.
MEI: Look! She likes me!
2
MRS. ZHANG: An outside dog is probably a good idea. Less cleaning up for
me!
MR. ZHANG: And less itching and sneezing for me! (to Cheng) What do you
think of Daisy, Cheng?
CHENG: Can I ride her?
MEI: Of course not, Cheng! She’s not a horse!
CHENG: (thinking) I like her. She’s the giant of dogs!
MRS. ZHANG: (to Holly) I think we’ve made our decision, Holly. There’s only
one dog for us.
MEI: Daisy the Doberman! Time to take you home!

THE END

3
 PET RESCUE

SCENE: The Zhang family are visiting a dog shelter. They are planning to
adopt a dog as a family pet.
ROLES (5): Mr. Zhang (father), Mrs. Zhang (mother), Mei (elder sister),
Cheng (younger brother), Holly (pet shelter worker)
READER AGES: 8 years and over

MEI: I can’t believe it is finally happening! We’re getting a dog! I’m so excited!
MRS. ZHANG: How many years have you been trying to convince your
father to let you have a dog, Mei? Five years? Six years?
MEI: Eight years! Since I was three years old!
MRS. ZHANG: I still can’t believe that Daddy has agreed to this whole plan.
After all, he hates dogs.
MR. ZHANG: I don’t hate dogs! I’m allergic to them!
CHENG: Daddy, what does ‘allergic’ mean?
MR. ZHANG: It means that my body doesn’t like being close to dogs. They
make my eyes itchy. My skin sometimes breaks out in a bumpy rash, too.
CHENG: Then why are we getting a dog, Daddy? Won’t it make you sick?
MR. ZHANG: I sincerely hope not, Cheng. That reminds me… we can only
look at dogs with short hair. Long haired dogs are the worst choice for
people with allergies.
MEI: Okay, Daddy. That sounds fair to me.
Holly walks over to join the family.
HOLLY: Good morning! My name is Holly. Is there anything in particular that
I can help you with today?
MEI: We’d like a dog, please. One with short hair. My dad is allergic.
HOLLY: (laughing) I think I’ll need a little more information than that! We
have lots of different short haired dogs. What type of dog are you looking
for?

1
MEI: What do you mean? Aren’t all dogs the same?
HOLLY: Good gracious, no! Some dogs are big, others are small. Some dogs
are playful, others are calm. There are many different types of dogs!
MRS. ZHANG: Can you please show us some different dog breeds, Holly?
MR. ZHANG: With short hair, remember!
HOLLY: Of course. This is Bobby the Beagle. Beagles are happy, fun-loving
dogs. They make wonderful pets for children, too.
CHENG: (to Bobby the Beagle) Hello there, Bobby. (to his parents) I love this
one. Can we take him home?
MRS. ZHANG: Hold on a minute, Cheng. We have lots more dogs to see
before we make a decision!
HOLLY: This is Chilli. She’s a Chihuahua. Chihuahuas are very easy to groom
and they are excellent watchdogs.
MEI: (to Chilli the Chihuahua) Well, aren’t you beautiful! (to her parents) I don’t
need to see any of the other dogs. I want Chilli!
MR. ZHANG: But Mei, there might be a dog that’s better suited to our family
that we haven’t seen yet. We should keep looking, just in case.
HOLLY: This is Doogie. Doogie is a Dachshund.
CHENG: No, he’s not! He’s a sausage dog!
HOLLY: (laughing) Yes, Dachshunds are sometimes called ‘sausage dogs’
because they are long and skinny, like a sausage. They’re great hunters… and
very cute, too!
MRS. ZHANG: Oh, I just love sausage dogs! I think we should take Doogie
home!
HOLLY: I have one more dog to show you. Introducing… Daisy the
Doberman!
MR. ZHANG: She’s very big, isn’t she? (thinking) Too big to live inside the
house, don’t you think?
HOLLY: Oh, yes! Dobermans are very energetic dogs. They need a large
backyard so they can run and play.
MEI: She does seem lovely. (to Daisy) Hello, Daisy.
Daisy licks Mei on the face. Mei giggles.
MEI: Look! She likes me!
2
MRS. ZHANG: An outside dog is probably a good idea. Less cleaning up for
me!
MR. ZHANG: And less itching and sneezing for me! (to Cheng) What do you
think of Daisy, Cheng?
CHENG: Can I ride her?
MEI: Of course not, Cheng! She’s not a horse!
CHENG: (thinking) I like her. She’s the giant of dogs!
MRS. ZHANG: (to Holly) I think we’ve made our decision, Holly. There’s only
one dog for us.
MEI: Daisy the Doberman! Time to take you home!

THE END

3
Pet Rescue - Super Six Questions

Name: Date:

Pet Rescue
1. Write about a time when you or someone you know adopted a pet.

2. Predict who might adopt the other dogs. Draw a picture of each dog with their new owner
in the table below.
Bobby the Beagle Chilli the Chihuaha Doogie the Dachshund

3. Imagine Daisy the Doberman could talk. Write three questions Daisy might ask her new
owners.

4. Mr. Zhang is allergic to dogs. Explain in your own words what allergic means.

5. Draw a picture of the Zhang family with Daisy the Doberman.

6. What problem did the Zhang family have? How did they resolve this problem?

COMPREHENSION
Pet Rescue - QAR Questions

Name: Date:

Pet Rescue

Right There Think and Search

- In the Text - - In the Text -
Where did the Zhang family go to What happens to Mr. Zhang if he gets
adopt a dog? too close to dogs?

Author and Me On My Own

- In My Head - - In My Head -
Why did the Zhang family decide to If you could adopt one of the dogs
adopt Daisy the Doberman? from the story, which dog would you
choose? Why?

COMPREHENSION