Peter J Li is associate professor of political science at the University of Houston-Downtown.

'It is an absorbing, well referenced and easy-to-read book which gives a thorough account of animal welfare in China and will be a ‘must have’ textbook for scholars, animal protectionists and those interested in social welfare.'

• Introduction: Animals in contemporary ChinaAnimal cruelty in contemporary China: is culture to blame?Human-animal relations in Chinese historyChina's "civil war" over dogsWildlife as a resource: the controversy of bear farmingAnimal agricultureProtection or utilisation: revising the Wildlife Protection LawChina's animal protection NGOsConclusionReferencesIndex