Mission Viejo adopting 12-year-old boy’s music program to benefit homeless animals

The Mission Viejo Animal Services Center is adopting an innovative program called Wild Tunes founded by a 12-year-old Houston boy. Created by Yuvi Agarwal, the nonprofit Wild Tunes is dedicated to soothing shelter animals by encouraging volunteer musicians of all skill levels to play melodious instruments or sing for the benefit of shelter pets. 

The program will officially launch in Mission Viejo at noon on Tuesday, August 5 at 28095 Hillcrest. The public and media are invited to attend.  

By performing live music and creating soothing melodies, Wild Tunes aims to help pets build a positive association with humans and increase their chances of finding forever homes. 

"Music has the power to calm, connect, and heal," said Yuvi, an avid animal lover and talented musician. "Wild Tunes is a win-win opportunity that helps abandoned and stressed shelter pets associate humans with something good. When pets are routinely exposed to music, it helps them become more comfortable around humans, which ultimately increases their chances of finding forever homes. For the volunteers, it is a great way to practice their music and boost their confidence."

“We look forward to partnering with Wild Tunes to introduce a new form of enrichment powered by music that has the potential to improve the experience for the animals, improve staff well-being, and enhance the involvement of volunteers,” said Animal Services Director Brynn Lavison. 

The center, which is located at 28095 Hillcrest, is seeking volunteer musicians and singers to participate in the program. 

For more information and to register, visit wildtunes.org/volunteers or call 949-470-3045.