In any animal shelter, the cacophony of sounds may seem overwhelming at times – both to the people and to the animals. While we do provide hearing protection for our team members working in the dog kennels, we also play the radio (Lite98) softly throughout the day, which seems to help the kennels stay quieter and the animals stay more relaxed. The staff enjoys singing along, and you might catch them crooning while they’re cleaning.
In our adoption center we have put together a “shelter soundtrack” – a collection of family-friendly music that could be animal-oriented, playful or something that relates to the theme of “going home.” When you visit the Robins-Starr Humane Center, take a minute to listen and imagine the animals are the ones singing to you. From the Beatles’ lyrics “Help! I need somebody!” to Carrie Underwood’s “Temporary Home,” some of the songs might make you smile or even bring a tear to your eye.
After you take your new pet home, you can start a new soundtrack together. By adopting a homeless pet, not only are you saving a life but you’re getting a wonderful companion who won’t mind your singing and might even join in for a duet!
Kyla Finck is the manager of animal care at the Richmond SPCA. To read the biographies of our regular bloggers, please click here. Before posting a comment, please review our comment guidelines. Please note that our comment policy requires a first and last name to be used as your screen name.
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