Wild Tunes program brings live music to Mission Viejo animal shelter

A Houston-born nonprofit that stations volunteer musicians inside animal shelters has taken hold at Mission Viejo Animal Services, filling kennels with soft piano, guitar and harp on most weekdays and Saturdays since August 2024.

Wild Tunes, founded in 2023 by then-10-year-old Yuvi Agarwal in Houston, works to calm traumatized animals and make them adoption-ready through live music — a model that has visibly quieted kennels at the award-winning Orange County shelter.

Leah Morita, 13, has been visiting Mission Viejo Animal Services with her mother, Alyssa, every other week since 2025, playing soft instruments for animals in the shelter's kennels. For Alyssa Morita, the visits hold meaning that reaches beyond the shelter walls. "Music is such a gift," she said in a March 31 interview at the facility, according to Voice of OC. Her daughter's response after each session has become its own reward: "[Leah] feels so energized when we come home," Morita said.

Shelter staff say the program's calming effect is immediate. "I know when there's a volunteer here when there is no barking. It's quiet," said Alison Nieves, an animal services coordinator at Mission Viejo Animal Services, according to Voice of OC. Shelter officials say repeated exposure to gentle sounds and calm volunteers helps animals with difficult pasts learn to associate humans with safety — a critical step toward adoption.

Wild Tunes accepts musicians of all ages and abilities and follows shelter guidelines designed to protect animals and maintain a soothing environment. Volunteers play instruments including piano, guitar and harp, and the program runs most weekdays and Saturdays.

Kayden Tokarski, the Wild Tunes ambassador for Southern California, said the science is straightforward. "Music is a powerful tool. It affects more than just humans — it also affects animals," Tokarski said, according to Voice of OC. On the program's reach and purpose, Tokarski said "[The program is] something really important. More joy and peace in the world."

Mission Viejo Animal Services has also drawn national recognition apart from Wild Tunes. Director Brynn Lavison said her agency's work is built on community trust. "Our officers and staff take great pride in protecting animals and our community through compassionate care, proactive service, and meaningful human-animal connections," Lavison said, according to Voice of OC. "Our work is rooted in service, accountability, and community trust." The shelter received the Outstanding Animal Care and Control Award from the National Animal Care & Control Association.

Wild Tunes has since expanded to other Southern California shelters and is working toward further growth in Northern California, according to Voice of OC.