Posted on: December 17, 2021
The Humane Society of Charlotte partnered with Arts+ of Charlotte in November 2022 to bring soothing, classical music to the shelter dogs and cats at the Toomey Ave. facility. The performers, aged seven to fourteen, all participate in the Arts+ Suzuki musical program and played beautiful orchestral compositions for the animals for more than an hour. The one-of-a-kind event was born from a belief that shelter animals and kids can mutually benefit one another and help build confidence.
“Kids and animals are the most perfect combination,” says Shelley Lyttle, a former sixth-grade teacher who manages Youth Programs for the Humane Society of Charlotte. “Dogs and cats don’t judge us. Being with them is relaxing. Especially with our reading-based programs, it’s a lot less intimidating for kids to read aloud to a furry, drooling wiggle-butt than it is to read to a teacher or a room full of classmates. Especially for kids who are trying to build their confidence, it’s important for them to get into that moment [with animals] and do what they know they can do.”
Click to read the full article from Southern Living Magazine online
