Volunteer musicians perform for shelter animals
By Tony Cabrera
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MISSION VIEJO, California (KABC) — Live, soothing music is part of new volunteer program at Mission Viejo Animal Services Center. It’s called Wild Tunes and it was founded by a 12-year-old boy in Houston. It has since spread to shelters across the country.
“I get emotional, it’s so rewarding,” said volunteer Elliot Battle, as he played guitar and sang for some of the dogs. “It just makes me feel really good that I can use my gift to give back.
“I try to play my favorite songs, and the songs that relax me,” said volunteer Nicole Steiman as she played her harp to the cats. “And they relax me just looking at them curling up sometimes to sleep or sometimes they’ll come up to here.”
“I remember the first time I started singing, there was one little dog and he was a little shaky at first and was like very overwhelmed. And then he started to calm down and he laid down on the floor and I saw his eyes close and I was, like, wow, that’s beautiful,” said Wild Tunes Ambassador Kayden Tokarski, who comes to sing to the animals.
For the one-stop-shop shelter, the program helps them rehabilitate the animals to be ready for adoption.
“Some have been through a lot. We investigate cruelty and neglect and those ones are the ones that are really special to us,” said Animal Services Director Brynn Lavison.
It’s become very popular with volunteers of all ages who want to help make a difference, even if it’s just for a couple minutes.
“The real big change that I can see is in the dogs. When the dogs, if there’s no dogs coming and going, they’re all just laying in their kennels. There’s a musician playing. They are so calm, like they’re listening,” Lavison said.
“I didn’t realize that it touched them like it touches us and it’s just a it’s a very special thing to be able to come together and give them some peace. That’s the biggest thing for me. It’s a beautiful thing to watch.”
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