The UK public’s perceptions on the issue of the dog overpopulation problem and people’s willingness to pay (WTP) for a humane stray dog management.

Abstract

The present study surveyed a UK representative sample of 500 individuals and employed the Choice Experiment (CE) to elicit the UK public’s views on the management of stray dogs and people’s willingness to pay (WTP) to reduce the current euthanasia rate. The results revealed that people have an emotional bonding with companion animals and are willing to pay to reduce the current euthanasia rate. According to the findings the UK public believes that the current stray dog management of euthanizing unhomed dogs is of grave or moderate concern and appears to be keen on the imposition of welfare-improving policies such as dog licensing, compulsory micro-chipping, etc. In addition, the CE investigated people’s willingness to pay (WTP) on a monthly basis to extend the current stray dog seven day statutory period in order to reduce the euthanasia rate. By constructing two payment methods, those of a Voluntary Contribution and of a Mandatory Council Tax Charge the study revealed that people are willing to pay £5.83 per month for small cross/mixed breed dog under the Voluntary Contribution regime and £2.14 per month for a young dog under the Mandatory Council Tax Charge regime.