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 Humanity

by Christine Webb and Birds as Individuals by Len Howard

Related Links:

TDWA Blog

Guest Book Recommendations List

Ep 111. What the Chicken Knows...with Author Sy Montgomery

Ep 92. Speciesism and The Chicken Encounter That Changed Everything with Pattrice Jones of VINE Animal Sanctuary

Mentioned in this episode:

PHAIR Conference Coverage

New Minis-series coming Summer 2026