Anti-Cruelty brings in volunteer musicians part of national program to play for animals

The Anti-Cruelty animal shelter in Chicago has some news sounds 

It's all part of a new program bringing music to pets in a place that can sound like a sad song on a loop.

"It's jarring for the dogs. It's jarring for the humans," said Emily Hlehmn, vice president of operations at Animal-Cruelty.

There's now a new sound thanks to Yuvi Agarwal, a 12-year-old musician and composer, who is also the founder of the nonprofit, Wild Tunes.

"We recruit volunteers to come and play, sing live music for animals in shelters," he said.

Since launching in Houston two years ago, Wild Tunes is now in eight states.

"We're the first in Chicago. We're the first in Illinois to be able to launch this program," Hlehmn said.

Wild Tunes connects shelters like Anti-Cruelty with volunteer musicians of all backgrounds and levels of experience, including 10-year-old Ben Govertsen, who plays the cello for a captive audience of cats.

"Some of them are vibing. Some of them were just fighting," he said.

The musicians bring a welcome mood change for the animals, visitors, and staff.

"We know that music really helps to calm them and reduces their anxiety that they feel when they're in the shelter environment, which then makes them more adoptable," Emily Hlehmn said.

The shelter plans to book musicians every afternoon, seven days a week. It's music to the ears of all shapes and sizes.