Most of us were never taught who farm animals really are. We learned to see them as livestock, defined by their use instead of their individuality. But what happens when we flip the script and design their environments based on their ancestry, instincts, and emotional needs?
That is the groundbreaking work happening at Piedmont Farm Animal Refuge in North Carolina, led by Founder and Executive Director Lenore Braford and architect Paul Drake, whose animal centered design approach is redefining what sanctuary life can look like.
This conversation reveals what true safety, dignity, and compassion mean for rescued animals.
A New Way To See Farm Animals
When Paul began his architecture thesis, Lenore had just founded the refuge. Instead of designing for human convenience, Paul observed animals the same way architects study how humans live in space. He watched movement, social behavior, and safety instincts.Why Their Natural History Matters
Most farm animals today live in systems designed around production, not well being. Lenore and Paul asked a different set of questions.
⦁ Where did these animals originate?
⦁ What makes them feel safe?
⦁ What allows them to express who they truly are?
So now:
⦁ Goats sleep in bunk systems that mimic rocky ledges.
⦁ Turkeys are being moved deeper into wooded habitats.
⦁ Chickens live among shrubs and plants instead of mowed grass.
⦁ Cows have open sightlines to reduce stress.
The message is clear. Animals are not machines. They are individuals with instincts, bonds, trauma, and personality.
Safety Is Emotional, Not Just Physical
Lenore shared something powerful. It is not enough for animals to be safe. They also need to feel safe.
Many arrive carrying deep trauma. So the refuge designs environments where animals can retreat, choose not to interact, and engage with the world on their terms.
For visitors, the unique structures send another message. These animals are being honored, not used.
Built for Caregivers, Guests, and Community
Animal centered design integrates human needs in compassionate and thoughtful ways. The design supports caregiving, medical care, learning, and respectful guest interaction.
Everything is rooted in collaboration, observation, and planning.
The Power of Story: The Forever Home Documentary
The refuge’s work is featured in the new film Forever Home, created by Emmy winning filmmaker Allison Argo, who also created The Last Pig. The documentary follows individual animals and shows how environment shapes healing and trust.
Learn more or request a screening at: www.foreverhome.love
Funding Compassion, Sustainably
Running a sanctuary is both mission work and responsible business. The refuge sustains itself through sponsorships, grants, events, tours, and donor programs.
Their next major project supports rescued pigs in North Carolina, a state heavily affected by industrial pig farming and environmental pollution.
More at: www.piedmontrefuge.org
The Big Takeaway
Animal centered design is not about fancy architecture. It is about respect.
It shifts the question from:
How do we use animals? to How do we ensure they feel safe, seen, and free to live as themselves?
Even small changes matter. A shrub for shade. A quiet retreat space. A habitat that honors instinct.
Awareness grows compassion. Compassion creates change.
Listen. Learn. Share.
This episode will change the way you see farm animals. If it moves you, share it with someone who still believes farm animals are somehow different.
The more we understand them, the more we recognize how much they deserve lives of dignity and peace.
Episode Highlights
[00:00] Introduction
[04:00] Paul’s start with natural habitats.
[07:45] Where ducks feel safe.
[10:00] Building habitats based on animals natural needs.
[14:00] The environments goats most navigate to.
[17:00] Forever Home documentary makes waves.
[21:00] Design features for chickens.
[26:00] Piedmont Farm Animal Refuges fundraising best practices.
[31:00] Taking care of pigs.
About Lenore and Paul
Lenore Braford is the Founder and Executive Director of Piedmont Farm Animal Refuge. Lenore has over a decade of experience working with and enriching the lives of animals. Her commitment and passion to helping farm animals stems from her core beliefs in kindness, justice, and compassion for all living creatures. In 2012, Lenore founded the Refuge in Pittsboro, North Carolina where she leads a team of committed volunteers and staff in taking care of some of the most special individuals you will ever meet – the beloved animal residents.
Paul Drake is the architect and construction leader of the farm animal houses and infrastructure at the Refuge, where he is helping pioneer a new process called Animal-Centered Design. He splits his time working at Hobbs Architects, working on his own architectural projects, and volunteering at the Refuge. Paul received a BA from Oberlin College and a Master’s of Architecture from NC State University where he received the Kamphoefner and Catalano Scholarships for outstanding design work. He has a passion for designing sustainable structures that can improve the lives of animals.
https://www.facebook.com/PiedmontFarmAnimalRefuge/
https://www.instagram.com/piedmont_farm_animal_refuge/
https://www.piedmontrefuge.org/
About Cheryl Moss
Cheryl Moss is the host of the Better Life for Animals podcast, where she shares uplifting stories from sanctuaries and highlights the work of vegan activists, ethical consumers, and animal welfare leaders. She is also the founder of the Funding Blueprint for Sanctuaries summit 
designed to empower those involved with sanctuaries sustainable funding streams.
A passionate advocate for animal welfare, she is dedicated to ending factory farming and is working to raise $100,000 for Mercy For Animals to support underrepresented sanctuaries.
Beyond podcasting, Cheryl is a banking professional and an accomplished children’s author. A graduate of Main Street Vegan Academy, she promotes plant-based living through her books, Gabriel, Cluck, and Pickle the Pig, which inspire young readers to embrace kindness, sustainability, and compassion for animals.
When not advocating, she enjoys Pilates, and spending time with her rescue dogs and grandchildren. Through her work, writing, and activism, Cheryl continues to inspire positive change for animals and the planet.
https://www.facebook.com/BLFAnimals/
https://x.com/betterlife4anim
https://www.instagram.com/betterlife4animals/
https://www.linkedin.com/in/cherylmossabetterlifeforanimals/
