Willingness to pay: animal welfare and related influencing factors in China

Personal willingness to pay, an important research aspect on nonhuman animal welfare, is the foundation of animal welfare legislation. As China has no special laws on the issue, it is important to study animal welfare. This article assesses personal willingness to pay for animal welfare in China, using the Contingent Valuation Method. Based on collected data of 229 visitors from Heilongjiang Northeast Tiger Garden (Harbin), Beijing Zoo, Changchun Zoo and Botanical Garden, Dalian Forest Zoo, and Harbin North Forest Zoo, the study researched willingness to pay for animal welfare and associated influence factors in China. Results showed a high rate of personal willingness to pay (89.5%). Factors such as age, education, and income had obvious effects on personal willingness to pay; however, gender and career had only slight effects.