Friendship Animal Protective League volunteers serenade animals awaiting adoption (VIDEO)

ELYRIA — Over the sound of barking dogs echoing through Friendship Animal Protective League's Murray Ridge Road building, another sound flowed through the space. Harpist Tom Flowers and violinist Olivia Molina began in the center of the building, playing gentle duets before moving from room to room to serenade pets awaiting their forever homes. Flowers, of Elyria, first brought a small harp to the animal shelter in the spring and played for some of the dogs, he said. From there, Molina, a fifth-year student at Oberlin College, joined the retired Elyria High School Orchestra director and Akron Symphony member to play at Friendship APL on a regular basis. After starting in the center of the animal shelter, the pair moved to some of the smaller rooms for dogs and cats. Suess, a large, 1-year-old shepherd mix, lay down in his kennel when the pair played for him. In another room, a trio of Labrador retriever mix puppies — Harvest, Rune and Cobweb — tumbled over one another, pawing at the glass door of their kennel as Molina and Flowers played for them. Other dogs in the room cocked their heads, curious at the sound that bounced off the concrete walls. In a cat room, the pair found themselves under watchful green and yellow eyes peeking from the dozens of small cubbies around the space. Flowers held the door open to one cubby, home to 4-year-old Sasha, a fluffy black cat, who found herself serenaded by Molina. Flowers said the animals seem to respond to Molina's violin or vocalists who have joined them in the past. Molina agreed. Some of the animals seem confused, or intently follow the movement of her bow as she plays; others fall asleep. "I think they like it, it's calming," the psychology and violin performance double-major said. Friendship APL, 8303 Murray Ridge Road, has a number of animals available for adoption. It is open 11 a.m. to 6:30 p.m. Tuesday through Saturday and noon to 3 p.m. Sunday. Contact Carissa Woytach at (440) 329-7245 or cwoytach@chroniclet.com.