Ninety-year-old Donna James came to her daughter with a sweet request: a lap dog. Little did she know, Mocha, a blind rescue Chihuahua, was looking for a warm lap to call home.
In her search, Donna’s daughter reached out to Pawportunities, a foster-based rescue in Blue Springs, Missouri. Carrie Siems, the nonprofit’s executive director, knew Donna and Mocha were meant for each other.
“It was just a routine coordinating of fosters coming in on a large transport, and when they reached out about a different dog and explained what they were looking for, I knew Mocha would be perfect,” Siems told Upworthy.
Blind rescue dog Mocha meets Donna
A now-viral video on Instagram showed the moment Donna and Mocha met for the first time. Donna sat in her wheelchair and held Mocha gently on her lap. Instantly, they bonded.
“Isn’t that so sweet? I’m so thankful!” Donna’s daughter said. “This is exactly what they wanted!”
Siems stated in the caption that Mocha was not born blind but lost her eyesight suddenly one day and now wants to be in someone’s lap all the time. Both Donna and her husband tenderly petted Mocha, who started to doze off in her arms.
Donna’s daughter went on to explain that the family (a multigenerational household that includes Donna’s grandson) already has a cat, but that wasn’t the companion Donna was looking for. Donna’s exact request to her family was: “Now I don’t know what you guys think about this, but I just would like to have a lap dog. What would you think about that?”
Her daughter thought it was a wonderful idea. Donna gently kissed Mocha’s head and continued to comfort her.
“Oh my gosh! Look at her paws all just curled up! I love her so much!” exclaimed Siems. Donna’s daughter added, “This is what it’s all about!”
Bringing Mocha home
In the video’s caption, Siems noted the inspirational way in which Donna’s whole family committed to caring for Mocha. “The daughter and I discussed not wanting Mocha to get overly attached to her new mama, in case she encounters any health challenges,” she wrote.
Siems outlined, “So the daughter will take Mocha with her on daily coffee runs, and Mocha will also spend individualized time with the other members of the family, to help prepare Mocha if something happens to her new mama. That way she creates a bond with everyone in the family, even though she is primarily the mother’s companion.”
She explained to Upworthy, “I think a lot of people think they know what they’re looking for when looking to add a pet into their family, but what they want isn’t always in line with the types of dogs they’re looking at.” She highlighted, “People think a small dog will automatically become a lap dog, when each dog has a personality that’s uniquely theirs, and they may not be wired to be a lap dog.”
However, Siems believed Mocha’s gentle personality was the ultimate fit for Donna. “I think this particular family is really special with it being a multigenerational household that’s so loving and supportive of each other,” she said. “It’s really refreshing and beautiful to see.”
