Orange County animal shelter wants volunteers to sing and play music for adoptable pets

An Orange County animal shelter is looking for musicians and singers of all skill levels who can volunteer their talents to help soothe shelter pets.

It’s part of the new “Wild Tunes” program officially launching at the Mission Viejo Animal Services Center next week. The goal is to boost the animals' chance of adoption by giving them positive experiences with people, while artists polish their performances in front of four-legged fans.

Brynn Lavison, the director of the facility, told LAist she’s hoping amateur and professional artists from every age group can come in for an hour about once a week and drown out the sounds of the shelter with live music.

“ They don't have to even be that great,” she said. “The animals don’t judge.”

About the program

Wild Tunes was started in 2023 by a then-10-year-old, Yuvi Agarwal, from Texas who described the nonprofit program as an opportunity to help abandoned and stressed pets associate humans with something positive.

“When pets are routinely exposed to music, it helps them become more comfortable around humans, which ultimately increases their chances of finding forever homes,” Agarwal said in a statement. “For the volunteers, it is a great way to practice their music and boost their confidence."

Lavison said she thought the program would be a great addition to their enrichment program, which already includes aromatherapy, handmade toys and peanut butter frisbees for the dogs, cats and other critters in their care.

“Certainly some of the animals that have been here a little bit longer could use this type of distraction, you know, and interaction with humans in a different way,” she said.

The first volunteer artist, 15-year-old Kayden Tokarski, stopped by to sing “Lost Boy” and “Rainbow” on Monday. Lavison said it did seem to calm the animals.

Several other Southern California shelters, including San Diego County and the Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals of L.A., also participate in the Wild Tunes program.

How to get involved

Yuvi, now 12, is scheduled to play his keyboard and officially launch the program at the Mission Viejo Animal Services Center on Tuesday, Aug. 5, at noon. The public is invited.

People interested in volunteering can register here or call (949) 470-3045. Musicians who wish to participate are asked to select the shelter and complete volunteer training before scheduling performance sessions with staff.

Keyboard, violin, guitar, flute and other string or wind instruments are welcome. Drums, chimes and percussion instruments are not, as they could be more anxiety-inducing than soothing for the shelter pets.

Lavison encouraged people in the community to come interact with the adoptable animals and enjoy a performance while they’re at it.

“ We're hoping to really make a difference in the animals that are here waiting for their homes through this program,” Lavison said.