In a harmonious merger of music and animal welfare, the Minneapolis Animal Care & Control has teamed up with the MacPhail Center For Music on a new initiative titled Play for Paws, designed to bathe sheltered pets in the soothing strains of live music. According to information on the Minneapolis official website, this unique program invites students from the MacPhail Center to serenade the furry residents at the shelter, aiming to lessen the stress innate in the kennel environment.
Madison Weissenborn, the animal shelter's volunteer and outreach coordinator, highlights the importance of such stress alleviation tactics. "The kennel environment, even for a short time, is a potential stressor for most animals," Weissenborn explained, "Studies have shown the presence of music in shelter settings has led to increased time sleeping and decreased vocalizations, decreasing some of the stress for many shelter pets." This initiative is not only a balm for the animals but also provides budding musicians with an audience that's as non-judgmental as they come.
The setup is straightforward: Music students are required to first tour the animal shelter, following which they sign some paperwork to participate in Play for Paws. Once enrolled, the students can perform for the animals from 1 to 5 p.m., Monday through Friday. This serves a twofold purpose of enhancing the sheltered animals' well-being while providing musicians a platform to hone their performance skills.
"Our hope with this program is to bring local musicians into our shelter to provide, auditory enrichment and decrease stress while giving students a chance to perform in front of a very adorable audience," Weissenborn told the Minneapolis official website. The effort by Minneapolis Animal Care & Control to partner up for such a cause indeed reflects their commitment to the city's two-legged and four-legged denizens alike.
Going beyond the call of duty, the Minneapolis Animal Care & Control does more than just housing animals. With two vets, three veterinary technicians, four animal care technicians, and a contingent of animal control officers, they also play a critical role in rescuing animals, enforcing laws related to public health and safety, and probing into animal-related crimes. The invaluable contribution of volunteers, amassing over 7,000 hours, is a linchpin in the shelter’s ability to provide care to the animals in need.
For those interested in witnessing this symphony of kindness, or for more details on the program, visit the official Minneapolis Animal Care & Control's Play for Paws page.
