142. Creating a Multispecies Community with Animal Welfare Scientist, Lauri Torgerson-White (S16)

Episode 3 of Series 16: The Captivity Conversation - Transcript In this episode, animal welfare scientist Lauri Torgerson‑White unpacks how sanctuaries can become true multispecies communities, exploring what agency, choice, and ethical care look like when we design environments with animals rather than for them.Guest Bios: Lauri Torgerson‑White is an agency‑focused animal welfare scientist working with New York University’s All Animals Initiative and serving as Director of Sanctuary Animal Well‑Being at Operation Angels. Her career spans the Detroit Zoo’s Center for Zoo Animal Welfare, Mercy For Animals, and Farm Sanctuary, where she helped establish sanctuary‑based research programs. Her scholarship explores animal cognition, behaviour, welfare, and ethical research design across farmed and zoological settings. Guided by data and driven by compassion, Lauri’s work asks how humans can re‑enter multispecies communities with humility, curiosity, and a commitment to shared flourishing.Book Recommendations: The Arrogant Ape: And A New Way To See Humanityby Christine Webb and Birds as Individuals by Len HowardRelated Links:TDWA BlogGuest Book Recommendations List Ep 111. What the Chicken Knows...with Author Sy MontgomeryEp 92. Speciesism and The Chicken Encounter That Changed Everything with Pattrice Jones of VINE Animal SanctuaryMentioned in this episode:PHAIR Conference CoverageNew Minis-series coming Summer 2026