Close your eyes for a minute. What do you hear? Maybe birds chirping, a gentle breeze rustling leaves, a happy cat purring. Or, more realistically, phones ringing, doors slamming, the clang of dishes being cleaned, trash bins being emptied, and the persistent hum of the people around you. Which soundtrack puts you at ease, and which makes you want to pull your hair out (or, if you’re a cat, squeeze into the corner of your hidebox)? Noise levels affect our mood and well-being, and of course the same is true for shelter animals, with a little added pressure: Eat well, get good sleep, and put your best self forward for potential adopters!
If we want to improve animals’ health and well-being while they’re in the shelter and give them the best chance at finding a home, we need to think beyond optimizing cages and kennels to optimizing the rest of the shelter environment, and University of British Columbia researcher Bailey Eagan has some helpful tips on where to start. Based on data gathered at the British Columbia SPCA, Bailey and her fellow researchers found cats exhibited more fear behavior when noise levels in the shelter were highest and more maintenance behavior like eating or grooming when sound levels were lowest, and that, overall, sound affects behavior and likely also cat welfare and should be controlled as much as possible.
Lower the Volume on a Budget
Yes, you can decrease decibels on a budget! Follow Bailey’s practical advice below for reducing four common sources of shelter noise.
Opening and closing doors and cupboards
Budget fix: Use silicone or felt pads and line doors with weather-stripping tape. Try to keep doors closed when possible, which helps create a noise barrier.
Splurge: Spring for a commercial door closer.
Stainless steel enclosures rattle when opened or closed
Budget fix: Add Plasti Dip coating to areas where metal meets metal, which can decrease sound by as much as 60 decibels.
Splurge: Install a ShorLine Quiet-Closing Latch.
Cleaning and filling metal food dishes
Budget fix: Replace metal dishes with rubber-coated dishes or place a towel under the dish.
Filling and transporting garbage bins
Budget fix: Place a foam pad between the bottom of the garbage bag and the bin and use a quiet dolly to move bins around.
Though cats are especially sensitive to environmental stress, minimizing noise levels is good for dogs and humans too. Bailey points out that while hearing damage begins with prolonged exposure to sound measured at 70 decibels for humans and 100 decibels for dogs, noise levels in animal shelters can reach up to 120 decibels.
For more tips on measuring and minimizing sound in your facility and the importance of preserving some peace and quiet for animals as shelters open back up—and an impactful demonstration of just how loud routine shelter activities can get—watch Bailey’s fascinating presentation to CASCAR, the California Animal Shelter COVID Action Response group (presentation slides available here).
