When people visit our sanctuaries and meet our rescued residents firsthand, they are often surprised by how much farm animals have in common with their companion animals at home – and, for that matter, with humans. Many report these visits to be life-changing – from people just beginning to explore what a compassionate lifestyle means to them, to longtime vegans who are inspired to push their advocacy for animals to new heights. At the helm of these experiences is Director of Visitor Experience Michelle Waffner, whose own journey to Farm Sanctuary makes her an outstanding role model for those looking to embrace lessons from the shelter in their everyday lives. In her work at both our New York and Southern California Shelters, Michelle leads a team ofexceptional humanimals who help her plan meaningful, fun, and engaging ways to foster people’s connections with farm animals, while also demonstrating how accessible and fulfilling a plant-based lifestyle can be.
Michelle hangs out with Dimagio goat.
Michelle spends some quality time with Joy lamb.
Michelle is adept at relating to those who are just starting to embrace a more animal-friendly way of life because she was once in their shoes herself. Like many of us, Michelle started out as an animal lover who also consumed animal products. While it may be easy for committed vegans to understand this disconnect in hindsight, making the switch to a more compassionate lifestyle can be a long-term adjustment for many people. The important part is meeting people where they are and celebrating every compassionate choice – since all movement in this direction, no matter how small, directly benefits animals.
Of her own journey, Michelle reflects that she first went vegetarian because she started to feel that her choices were hypocritical. “If I met an animal or thought about an individual animal, I knew I wouldn’t want it to die because of me, but yet I would go inside and eat the meat that was in the fridge. So I decided to try vegetarianism. I didn’t tell anyone for the first three weeks, just to make sure I could do it.”
This transition inspired Michelle to investigate how her choices affected all farm animals. When she learned about factory farms, she was shocked to discover the appalling conditions that the animals confined in them face each day. Knowing she could no longer support a system that strayed so far from her compassionate values, Michelle soon decided to go vegan.
Michelle with Lily, one of the animals she honors with her veganism each day.
The shift to a plant-based diet was not the only major life change that Michelle embraced. Around the same time, she decided to leave her job doing lab work in search of a new path that she would find more fulfilling. While she enjoyed her job and was good at it, she realized that she could have a greater impact on issues she cared about elsewhere. And so she decided to build upon her growing
interest in animal rights by taking part in a three-month internship
at our New York Shelter. “I thought it would be fun to have that experience while I figured out what I really wanted to do with my life,” she recalls. But as it turned out, Farm Sanctuary life became Michelle’s way of life, and she felt empowered by the difference she was able to make for farm animals and the people who love them.
In April 2000, Michelle started as an Education Department intern, and she realized right away that this temporary position might not be so temporary after all. “As soon as I got to Farm Sanctuary as an intern it just really felt right. The work as an intern was dirty and hard, but it was a great experience and allowed me to get to know farm animals in a way I never had before, and meet other vegetarians and vegans for the first time.”
Michelle, right, with a few of her fellow vegans – staff members Sophia and Kelly – at a Hoe Down event at our Northern California Shelter.
Shortly thereafter, Michelle accepted a job as a summer tour guide at our New York Shelter. As she staffed the gift shop, cleaned our Bed & Breakfast cabins, and introduced guests to the incredible animal ambassadors who call Farm Sanctuary home, Michelle realized that this was where she, too, belonged.
Fortunately, an Education Coordinator positioned up, and Michelle became a full-time staff member. In the following years, she also served as Education Director before assuming her current position as Director of Visitor Experience.
While Michelle’s day-to-day has changed a great deal over the years, her enthusiasm for her work remains constant. She formerly worked at our Watkins Glen, NY, office, supervising our intern and volunteer
programs, Walk for Farm Animals events, the Adopt a Turkey Project, and the Farm Animal Forum, among
other responsibilities. Today, she divides her time between our New York and Southern California shelters, overseeing all projects within Farm Sanctuary’s Visitor Programs – including events, tours, and the New York Shelter Bed & Breakfast. While Michelle now spends most of the day at a desk – planning events and working on program development and oversight – she still occasionally gives tours of our sanctuary locations as well.
Michelle takes her responsibilities very seriously, striving to make all aspects of our Visitor Program as educational and efficient as they can be. Thanks to her oversight, thousands of visitors, like our rescued residents, have found sanctuary here as well – and through her leadership, thousands of people have been able to make meaningful connections with farm animals that help inspire their compassion for years to come.
Michelle takes the lead at an event.
One of Michelle’s all-time favorite sanctuary residents was Ivan goat, whom she had the pleasure of knowing for the majority of her time here. “I met Ivan when I was an intern in 2000,” Michelle remembers. “I don’t really know what it was about him – he was just super sweet and a gentle leader. … I used to give a lot of tours, and he always came over and visited with the tour guests.” Ivan lived to a ripe old age and passed away a few years ago, but Michelle will always treasure the close bond they shared over the span of 14 happy years together. And countless others also benefited from the special relationship they shared – as guests witnessed Michelle and Ivan’s interactions, then bonded with this remarkable goat on their own accord, they were able to see firsthand that farm animals just like him are someone, not something.
Michelle and Ivan, friends forever.
While Michelle’s job is more predictable than, for example, shelter work, she also appreciates the moments when our full staff comes together as a team to help the animals in our care. One of Michelle’s most memorable moments happened just a few weeks ago, when we evacuated our Southern California Shelter due to a nearby wildfire. Michelle was especially proud of the way her colleagues handled this hectic, frightening event, and was honored to work alongside them in making a direct impact in our rescued residents’ well-being.
“I sometimes give tours of the sanctuary, but don’t have experience directly handling animals – so I wouldn’t have been helpful [evacuating] the large animals,” Michelle explains. “But the Visitor Program staff was assigned to take care of the birds. They were loaded into carriers and driven to a safe location and unloaded. It was a stressful and scary day, but also really great to see everyone work together and get our animals to safety – and it felt good to be able to directly contribute by doing the bird evacuation.”
Michelle loves her bird friends, and was happy to be able to help them reach a safe place to wait out the recent Sand Fire.
Michelle is an inspiration for staff, volunteers, and visitors alike, helping countless people explore how they can contribute to creating a more compassionate world for all. In a movement that often yields great heartache due to the injustices farm animals routinely experience, Michelle advocates focusing on the good that exists in the world. “Sometimes activists focus on the bad or focus on the people doing bad things, but I think if we stay positive, we can actually do more for farm animals because we are in a better state of mind and are easier for people to talk to – which makes them more receptive to learning from us,” she explains.
Michelle enjoys a lighthearted moment at this year’s Barnyard Birthday Bash!
Michelle says that the biggest way her life has changed since coming to Farm Sanctuary is that she now feels a sense of fulfillment from her work. “We spend a lot of time at work, and it’s nice to know that what I am doing is making a difference in the world – or at least attempting to. Sometimes activists talk about burnout, but this job has allowed the opposite to happen with me. I feel like I am contributing in a way that fits with my personality and skills, which is uplifting. I also have met a ton of really amazing people who also care about animals through this job, and that is also uplifting.” Of course, we feel just as inspired working with Michelle, who sets a strong example of the positive difference we can make when we choose to live as kindly as possible. Thanks in large part to her skill, hard work, and dedication, more and more people are exploring what it means to live the Farm Sanctuary life – and together, in honor of the animals who call our shelters home, we can continue to make a difference for all.
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