Factors influencing Chinese public attitudes toward farm animal welfare

Abstract

A comprehensive understanding of current Chinese public attitudes toward farm animal welfare and the relevant influencing factors is essential for improving farm animal welfare and promoting further development of animal husbandry. The attitudes of 3,726 respondents in China were investigated using paper and online questionnaires. Three components (affective, cognitive, and behavioral) of attitudes toward farm animal welfare were assessed using 18 items designed based on the literature review. Influential factors of attitudes toward farm animal welfare were explored via tobit regression. The results revealed that the Chinese public not only considers farm animals to be emotional and sentient but are also sympathetic toward farm animals that suffer inhumane treatment. Although they have limited knowledge about farm animal welfare, the public believes improving farm animal welfare is beneficial, especially for food safety and human health. The Chinese public prefers regulation policies to incentive policies for improving farm animal welfare. The main factors influencing attitudes toward farm animal welfare included gender, age, education, monthly household income, area of residence, farm animal raising experience, and attention to farm animal welfare events. The effect of these influencing factors on attitudes varied. These findings provide a basis for improving Chinese public attitudes toward farm animal welfare. The implications of formulating and implementing effective policies to improve the Chinese public attitudes toward farm animal welfare were discussed.

Understanding the consumer-citizen gap in Chinese public attitudes toward farm animal welfare

“…Education was found to have a significant and positive impact on attitudes in the dual role, which aligns with previous studies 10 , 13 . It is generally accepted that more educated individuals have greater access to information about farm animal welfare and are more aware of animal protection 61 In contrast to participants with other educational attainment, participants with postgraduate degrees displayed significantly more positive attitudes in the citizen role compared to the consumer role.…”

“…Given that the average attitude scale score of the participants (Mean = 58.48 ± 4.724) exceeded the neutral midpoint (54.00), this study reinforces the findings from earlier research that the majority of the Chinese public hold positive attitudes toward farm animal welfare 4 , 10 , 13 , 15 . To some extent, the participants’ responses could reflect the features of Chinese public attitudes toward farm animal welfare.…”

“…Unlike participants in other occupations, the consumer role attitude scores of those who are students and unemployed individuals are lower than the citizen role. This significant discrepancy may be attributed to their relatively limited experience in purchasing animal products or their financial constraints which prevent them from affording premium of welfare-friendly animal products 13 .…”

“…Within this framework, attitudes are generally acknowledged as the most immediate predictors of behavior, followed by social norms and perceived behavioral control 12 . In the context of farm animal welfare, public attitudes are recognized as a potent driving force for its improvement 13 . For instance, in Europe, the mounting public concern for farm animal welfare has catalyzed the implementation of new and stricter legal provisions within the European Union 14 .…”

“…There is evidence that the Chinese public self-reports a willingness to pay a premium for welfare-friendly animal products, even in cases where they may not be well-acquainted with the concept of animal welfare 4 , 10 . These attitudes have been found to be associated with a range of demographic characteristics, including gender, age, education, occupation, monthly household income, and area of residence 4 , 10 , 13 , 15 , 16 . Nevertheless, it is worth noting that compared to regions where farm animal welfare is more advanced, such as Europe, Oceania, and North America, there is a relative scarcity of research on this topic in the Chinese context 17 .…”