Jack H. Schick

Give the Dog a Valium and Put on the Chopin



Posted: Saturday, August 06, 2011

by Jack H. Schick

Next weekend there’s a outdoor rock and roll music festival in upscale East Hampton, New York…maybe.  The organizers have run into a little trouble.  First, their plans were nixed by the ritzy village of Amagansett.  Some of the snooty citizens filed complaints about the potential of traffic jams, loud music and trash to clean up.  They finally filed a lawsuit to stop the Music to Know Festival.  It was forced to move to an old run way at the East Hampton Airport.  Now, a nearby animal shelter has filed a complaint, too.

The festival is expected to draw 6,000 fans on both Saturday and Sunday. The Animal Rescue Fund of the Hamptons, whose shelter is located on wooded land near the airport, is so concerned about the well-being of its 150 “residents” that Executive Director Sara Davidson is considering acquiring noise-reducing ear muffs for the pampered dogs and cats.  In addition, “soothing” classical music will be pumped through the kennels to drown out the rock music. Valium will be available for any animals that get too upset.

“The veterinarian will make the determination if any animals are reacting adversely to the sound…” Davidson said.  “She will make the determination of what, if any, medication they will need.  Valium is given to animals that are experiencing nervous conditions.  What we don’t know is how the animals are going to react to amplification and the low base line.”

Festival organizer Chris Jones thinks that worries about the “dire effect" the rock music will have on the dogs and cats are a little overblown.  “The animal shelter is literally 50 yards away from the main runway at the airport,” he said.  “So you have a G-5 engine that flies to England taking off 50 yards from the animal shelter.  I don’t think there’s going to be noise anywhere near the animal shelter other than noise from the airplanes.”

Davidson argued that the animals are used to the roar of jet engines but could very well be disturbed having to listen to rock and roll music from ten in the morning until ten at night two days in a row.

Scheduled to perform at the festival are British pop singer Ellie Goulding, who performed at Prince William’s wedding, the Tom Tom Club (formerly The Talking Heads), and the band Vampire Weekend.  I like The Heads.  If I could be sure the show will go on, I’d try to get tickets and head up there.  I’m probably not classy enough for the neighborhood, though.
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