Why do children care deeply about animals but grow up accepting their harm? This talk explores how social norms around food and belonging can shift early compassion and how some young people experience a tension between the two.

Drawing on insights from developmental and social psychology and my own research, I offer a new perspective on how environments like sanctuaries might support children to reconnect with their values. These spaces may also allow children to imagine a different way of relating to non-human animals; one that aligns more closely with their earlier moral beliefs.

This session outlines a research direction linking schools and sanctuaries to help children hold onto compassion in a world that often teaches them not to.