About a year ago I wrote about Through a Dog's Ear, a series of songs based on rhythms and musical patterns that proved most effective in calming dogs. The company's CDs play in more than 125 shelters around the world.

Research proves that music has a soothing effect on animals, so it seems like a necessity to have these songs playing in stressful environments. Shelter budgets are already stretched as far as they can go, but the Rescue Animal MP3 Project aims to get the music where its needed.

Pamela Fisher, a holistic veterinarian in Ohio, noticed that pets were relaxed by the songs playing in her office and area shelters. She founded the Rescue Animal MP3 Project to provide calming music on digital players to animal shelters and rescue groups across the country. The mission is funded by donations, including the copyrighted songs.

The music helps animals deal with the stress of living in a shelter, making them more appealing to adopters. And I bet the shelter staff benefits from the music too.