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Subject to Change

Wednesday, October 15, 2025

9:00 A.M. 2:00 P.M.

Optional Field Trips  ($75; includes lunch)

  • Bat World Sanctuary and Lake Mineral Wells State Park Founded in 1994 by Amanda Lollar after she came across an injured Mexican free-tailed bat lying on a hot sidewalk in Mineral Wells, Texas, Bat World is a GFAS-accredited sanctuary located 45 minutes from Fort Worth. Hoping to heal the bat’s injured wing and set her free, Lollar took the bat home and named her “Sunshine.” During her time in captivity, Sunshine taught Lollar the enchanting language of bats and sparked her indelible love for this remarkable species. In addition to the hundreds of non-releasable bats from around the world who have found permanent refuge at this indoor, natural habitat facility, thousands of injured and orphaned bats have also been rescued and returned to their rightful place in the wild. As Bat World Sanctuary doesn’t typically offer tours, this field trip is a one-time special program just for Animal Grantmakers Conference attendees. Before heading back to the Hilton Fort Worth, participants will stop for lunch at Lake Mineral Wells State Park and a discussion about animal welfare with a park staffer.
  • Companion Animals Lovers Field Trip - The Dallas-Fort Worth Metroplex area is home to several highly-respected organizations serving companion animals. As many are currently focused on helping companion animals displaced by the recent floods in Central Texas, the specifics of this field trip are not yet solidified. You can rest assured, however, that if you register for this field trip, you will get to see and hear from some of the most innovative shelters and rescues in the region. As soon as the details are confirmed, they will be posted here and on the Animal Grantmakers website. This field trip will also include a boxed lunch.

6:00 P.M. 7:30 P.M.

Welcome Reception

Join fellow attendees for drinks, appetizers, and networking as AGCon 2025 officially kicks off.

    Thursday, October 16, 2025

    7:15 A.M. – 8:30 A.M.

    Breakfast

    8:45 A.M. – 9:00 A.M.

    Conference Welcome

    9:00 A.M. – 10:15 A.M.

    Animal "Unwantedness"

    After an overview of the concept of "moral weight" and factors influencing the moral weightrelative importanceassigned to different animals from Bob Fischer (Texas State University, Rethink Priorities), various perspectives on which animals we decide to care about and implications for animals viewed as "unwanted," (e.g., "pests," "invasive species," and abandoned companion animals, as well as animals used in medical research and food production) will be discussed.

    10:15 A.M. – 10:30 A.M.

    Break

    10:30 A.M. – 11:45 A.M.
    Working with Municipalities and Elected Officials in Various Countries to Elevate Animal Welfare

    In this international session, panelists from several different countries will discuss working with local authorities and more broadly situating animal welfare work in human behavior change to reach outside the animal welfare “bubble." 

    11:45 A.M. – 12:00 P.M.

    Fourth Annual Melanie Anderson Lifetime Excellence in Animal Protection (LEAP) Award

    The Melanie Anderson LEAP Award was established by the Summerlee Foundation and Animal Grantmakers in 2022 to honor Melanie Anderson, Summerlee’s director of animal programs for 32 years. Geared toward lifetime achievement, it is given every fall at the Animal Grantmakers Conference to an animal advocate who has made a substantial and sustained contribution to the field of animal protection.

    12:00 P.M. – 1:15 P.M.

    Lunch

    1:15 P.M. – 2:50 P.M.

    Lightning Talks

    Concise and engaging, these five TED-inspired talksand talkerson diverse topics within animal protection will leave you wanting to hear more!

    • Protecting Animals, Protecting People - Mary Wakeham, Founder & CEO, Refuge4Pets and Links Group (U.K.) Trustee
    • Mitigating AI Safety Risks and Making AI a Positive Force for Animals - Max Taylor, AI for Animals
    • Improving Animal Welfare in Aquatic Food Systems - Alexandria Beck, Non-Profit Consultant
    • Animals in Tourism - Carol Kline, Ph.D., Appalachian State University
    • Sanctuaries as Lifetime Care - Liz Tyson, Ph.D., Born Free USA (primate sanctuary)

    2:50 P.M. – 3:05 P.M.

    Break

    3:05 P.M. – 4:20 P.M.

    Peer-to-Peer Grantmaking

    4:20 P.M. – 4:30 P.M.

    Break

    4:30 P.M. – 5:30 P.M.

    Animal Agriculture—and Being Vegan—in Texas

    Several panelists, including Sharon Núñez with Animal Equality and Monica Chen with New Roots Institute, will talk about animal agriculture in Texas, the leading producer of cattle in the United States by a wide margin. In addition to learning about some of their campaigns and programs (e.g., corporate pressure, humane education), attendees will hear about Texas' increasing vegan-friendliness.

    6:30 P.M. – 7:30 P.M.

    Yappy Hour  (Pay Own Way)

    7:30 P.M. – 9:30 P.M.

    Dine Around Fort Worth (Pay Own Way)

      Friday, October 17, 2025

      7:15 A.M. – 8:30 A.M.

      Breakfast

      11:45 A.M. – 1:00 P.M.

      Workshop 1

      1:00 P.M. – 2:15 P.M.

      Lunch

      2:15 P.M. – 3:15 P.M.

      Workshop 2

      3:15 P.M. – 3:30 P.M.
      Break

      3:30 P.M. – 5:00 P.M.

      Workshop 3

      6:30 P.M. – 8:30 P.M.

      Reception & Gala Dinner with Keynote

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