Yesterday I posted a video that depicted a dog in Japan who refused to leave his companion behind in the aftermath of the Tsunami. The dog was obviously very stressed, as well as sad and concerned for his "friend". This got me thinking: What other seemingly human occurrences/things effect animal emotions in profound ways? Music immediately came to mind. One may argue that only humans can experience and truly appreciate the wonders of music, but certain studies say otherwise. At least as far back as the 1909 appearance of "Effects of Music Upon Animals of the Zoo" in The New York Times, it has been found that different types of music appear to have the same unique effect on certain animals. For example, when upbeat music is played animals become noticeably delighted and become more social, while heavy metal causes agitation and aggression. Similar findings are already in use at various businesses in which animals are present. For example, the Arizona Animal Welfare League plays classical music in all of its pounds because classical has been found to have a calming influence over animals in captivity. Maybe something to think about the next time you play the radio near your pets? And although my last two posts may seem like fluff pieces, the next one is going to be a knockout.
-Zach
Sources: 1, 2
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