HOUSTON – It’s not hard to find a kid who loves both music and dogs. And this is true for Yuvi Agarwal, a soon-to-be fifth grader at The Village School, a pre-kindergarten through 12th-grade private day and boarding school in Houston.
But what sets Yuvi apart from other children his age is how he brings music and dogs together.
After researching the effect music has on the anxiety level of animals, especially those in shelters, Yuvi had an idea to combine his passions by offering music therapy to dogs at a local pet shelter, which he aptly decided to call “Wild Tunes.”
Through his research, Yuvi learned that music reduces cortisol levels and can relax animals, slowing their heartbeat and decreasing their stress levels. This is especially important for shelter animals who were abandoned or rescued because of abusive owners. Each week, Yuvi’s mom takes him to Houston Pets Alive!, where he plays soft, rhythmic music on his keyboard or guitar for the dogs at the shelter. He wants to take Wild Tunes to as many shelters as possible and get more children involved in his creative initiative.
Yuvi and his mother, Priyanka Agarwal, joined KPRC 2+ Now to talk about Wild Tunes, and give a performance.
In Feb. 2024, Yuvi partnered with the Houston Humane Society to deliver music to shelter animals.
For more information on how to sign up to volunteer to deliver music to shelter animals, click here.