- November 1, 2024
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In a yoga session that included downward dog and a "paws" for breathing, about a dozen locals enjoyed the company of a few furry friends at the Flagler Humane Society on Sunday, Oct. 21.
Melissa Byram, of Meditation Mama Yoga, a local mobile yoga business, brought the stretches to the animals for two different 45-minute flows to cheer up the pets and hopefully encourage adoption. Guests paid $15 to participate in each session: dogs at 1 p.m. and cats at 2:30 p.m. All of the money from "Yoga Poses, Dog Noses and Meomaste Yoga" went to the humane society.
"I am a huge animal lover. I have two dogs; both of them are rescues. All my animals have always been rescues. I'm a big fan of adopting; don't shop," Byram said. "So, I thought it would be a great opportunity to bring awareness to them and snuggle with dogs. And who doesn't want to do that?"
She said the idea came about after she watched a viral video on social media of dogs in a yoga class. She knew she had to bring that same joy to these local animals.
Byram, a Palm Coast resident, noted that there was a shift in the energy when the dogs walked into the room: smiles lit up faces, giggles interrupted the deep breathes and no one was bothered when a dog came over to their mat mid yoga pose.
A few of the dogs walked in a little unsure of the scene, but quickly became affectionate with all the yogis.
"I would say it's a palpable energy, a palpable genuine connection between participants and the animals," she said.
Byram hopes to repeat this event, ideally making it a quarterly class to benefit the humane society.