Young Pianist Brings Melody to Shelter Animals, Lifting Spirits

Denver, June 25 (AP) – Music is often hailed as the universal language, and a 12-year-old from Houston is testing its reach with an unlikely audience: dogs.

Yuvi Agarwal began playing the keyboard at age four and observed years later that his music had a calming effect on his family's restless golden doodle, Bozo. This inspired his curiosity about the potential benefits of music for stressed homeless animals.

With his parents' support, both marketing professionals, Yuvi launched the nonprofit Wild Tunes in 2023. The organization recruits musicians to perform at animal shelters. To date, about 100 volunteers spanning various age groups and skill levels have played at shelters in Houston, New Jersey, and Denver.

“You don’t need to understand the lyrics to appreciate music. It's all about the melody, harmony, and rhythm. It transcends linguistic boundaries and even species,” Agarwal explained following a performance of hits like The Beatles' “Hey Jude” and Ed Sheeran's “Perfect” on his portable keyboard at the Denver Animal Shelter.

Performing for an elderly miniature poodle named Pituca, Agarwal noted that many animals, including cats, react with excitement when he arrives at their kennel. After a few minutes of music, they tend to relax, with some even falling asleep.

Recalling a moment with a rescue dog named Penelope in Houston who initially refused to leave her kennel, Agarwal said, “She went from staying inside her enclosure to happily licking my face and nibbling my ears after I played for her.”

Nearby in the Denver shelter, volunteer Sarah McDonner captivated a 1-year-old stray boxer named Max with tunes from Mozart and Bach on her flute, noting how he tilted his head at the high notes.

“Positive human interaction through music gives animals something to look forward to, breaking the monotony of their day,” said McDonner, a professional musician who connected with Agarwal in Houston. Having recently moved to Denver, she facilitated the program's expansion to Colorado. “It’s important to offer them a change from their usual environment, enhancing their adoptability,” she added.

Though music’s impact on people is well documented, its effects on animals are less certain. Some studies indicate classical music can soothe dogs in stressful settings like shelters and veterinary clinics. Yet researchers caution that the data is insufficient to draw definitive conclusions.

“We often desire simple solutions, such as believing music calms animals, but it's more complex,” said Lori Kogan, head of the human-animal interaction section at the American Psychological Association.

Kogan, a Colorado State University professor and researcher with two decades of experience in human-animal relations, noted the mixed results from studies on music's effect on dogs, influenced by numerous factors including environment, volume, music type, and the dog’s breed and musical exposure.

She advocates for a personalized approach to introducing music to pets, suggesting, “If your pet enjoys music and seems calmer, it’s a positive form of enrichment. I'd recommend trying it to see how your pet responds.”

For Agarwal, his experiences at shelters are convincing evidence that music comforts stressed animals, and he aims to expand Wild Tunes nationwide. Musicians also benefit from this endeavor. “Playing in front of a nonjudgmental audience is a great way to practice and boost confidence,” he shared. (AP)

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