Puppies in the pandemic: Families find furry friends

Floppy ears. Pudgy bellies. Wagging tails. Eyes almost too big for their adorable faces. There's no denying puppies are adorable and dogs are wonderful companions, at least if you ask a few households in the Cape Girardeau region who have added a new, four-legged member since the COVID-19 pandemic began earlier this year.

Nancy Watts first saw Crystal, a boxer mix who's orange with dark stripes, on the Humane Society of Southeast Missouri's website.

"Her eyes," Watts said. "That's how I fell in love with her."

Watts has two other pets, an 11-year-old Labrador retriever, Trigger, and a cat, Molly. She'd lost two other pets, and Trigger took the losses pretty hard.

Then Watts' mother died. She'd been very much a dog person, Watts said, and that decided her.

Whittney Twomey gives her dog, Mochi, a treat at the Sho.AI office Tuesday, Sept. 1, 2020, in Cape Girardeau. Twomey and her boyfriend, Sho Rust, got Mochi from a friend's litter in March. They frequently have her in the office with them, which Twomey said is the best decision we made all year.Sarah Yenesel ~ sarahy@semissourian.com

Since COVID-19, HSSEMO asks would-be adopters for a list of animals they'd like to see, and at their appointment, those animals are brought out.

"She was one of the first on my list," Watts said of Crystal.

Watts said the connection with Crystal was immediate, and even though she saw two other dogs, "they were nice, but we didn't click."

Watts brought Trigger to the shelter later, to see how they got along, and they hit it off, she said.

"We all came home together that day," she said.

Parker Gleeson, a SEMO senior, pets his dog, Gucci, at the Cape Trails dog park Wednesday, Sept. 2, 2020, in Cape Girardeau. Gleeson said he stayed in the Cape area during the summer to live apart from his family since his mother has an autoimmune disorder, which makes her susceptible to COVID-19. While he worked during the week, he was alone otherwise. He turned to HSSEMO in June, where he found Gucci. He said they connected instantly. I needed some reason to get out of the house...It really helped me out during a time of, like, loneliness, Gleeson said.Sarah Yenesel ~ sarahy@semissourian.com

Just weeks after Crystal got her new home, on April 20, Watts tested positive for COVID-19. Fortunately, she didn't have to go to the hospital, she said, but she was still very sick.

And Crystal was at her side the entire time.

"She's a caretaker," Watts said. "She's my baby."

At Ashley and Craig Raney's house, Cannon, a dachshund/Shih Tzu mix, joined the family Aug. 1. Cannon joined their children, Cason, 7, and Colbie, 4.

Ashley said she'd had a dachshund while growing up, for 18 years. After her childhood pet died, she thought she wouldn't get another dog, but then, earlier this year, a neighbor sent her a picture of their family's new puppy, and, well, "That's it, we're getting another dog," she said.

Jennifer McQuay and her son, Dawson, 10, sit with their dog, Wintson, and tabby cat, Wesley, on Winston's favorite seat in the house Wednesday, Sept. 1, 2020, in Jackson. Jennifer and Dawson planned to volunteer for the HSSEMO until the pandemic hit. When quarantine started, they opted to foster dogs instead. Winston was their first foster. I knew from the minute we picked him up that we were going to keep him, Jennifer said. They adopted him a week later. Our family is complete again, she said.Sarah Yenesel ~ sarahy@semissourian.com

Now that their children are a little older, Ashley said, it'll be great to have a dog for them to grow up with.

Cannon is still really young, born in early June, so the family is working on teaching him tricks, but he's still very much a puppy, Ashley said.

"You forget about what that's like," she said, with the sleepless nights and the continual chewing on everything -- even shoes, Colbie said.

"After we lost (childhood pet) Bentley, my mom swore she'd never love another dog," Ashley said. "But she was instantly smitten. Cannon's done the impossible."

As for Whittney Twomey, who with boyfriend. Sho Rust. had been looking for a dog for several years, Mochi Bear was the perfect fit.

Nancy Watts holds her dog, Crystal, as she licks her face at Capaha Park Wednesday, Sept. 2, 2020, in Cape Girardeau. Through grief and sickness, Crystal has been at Nancy's side.Sarah Yenesel ~ sarahy@semissourian.com

In Japanese, "mochi" can refer to a type of rice cake, or ice cream, but can also mean something cute and fluffy, which Mochi Bear definitely is, Twomey said.

The labradoodle is "super chill, and just the easiest dog you could imagine," Twomey said.

"She picked us," Twomey said. When she and Rust had gone to visit her friend whose dog had a litter, Mochi was in their laps, nibbling their feet, immediately affectionate, she said.

Mochi's good at pictures, but she's not Instagram famous yet, Twomey said, laughing. For now, they're sticking to playing hide and seek and learning tricks.

"There hasn't been a day when I've thought, 'Oh, this is a lot,'" Twomey said. "Not a single moment."

Nancy Watts and her dog, Crystal, sit on a picnic table at Capaha Park Wednesday, Sept. 2, 2020, in Cape Girardeau.Sarah Yenesel ~ sarahy@semissourian.com