Last year, while walking through her neighborhood in Thailand, photographer Mari-Mo came across a cheerful dog named Moo Dang. The friendly pup was never far from her owner, an older homeless man, as they roamed the city side by side.
“They were always together,” Mari-Mo told The Dodo. “Every day, they would stop to rest at the 7-Eleven near my house.”
But one day, when Mari-Mo passed by the familiar spot, something had changed. Moo Dang was there — but her beloved companion was not.
“I found her lying next to a sign,” Mari-Mo said. “The sign listed what Moo Dang could and couldn’t eat. I took a photo and posted it on my Facebook page.”
It quickly became clear that the staff at 7-Eleven had stepped in to care for Moo Dang. As Mari-Mo learned more, the bittersweet reality unfolded.
“The store owner told me that Moo Dang’s owner had fallen ill and was taken to the hospital,” she said. “After that, Moo Dang stayed waiting at the store. Then came the heartbreaking news — her owner had passed away.”
But Moo Dang didn’t know. Day after day, she waited faithfully outside the store, hoping her friend would return.
In the weeks that followed, several kind-hearted locals tried to bring Moo Dang home. Each time, she found her way back to the 7-Eleven, her heart tethered to the place she last saw her best friend.
“The store staff takes wonderful care of her,” Mari-Mo said. “The owner even brought her to the vet and covered all the expenses.”
Though Moo Dang lost the one she loved most, she gained a new community. Word of her loyalty and gentle spirit spread quickly, and visitors began coming just to see her — bringing food, affection, and small moments of joy.
“Children from a nearby school often visit to play with her,” Mari-Mo said. “Everyone adores her.”
As Moo Dang’s story went viral, adoption offers poured in. But one offer stood out above all: Princess Siribha Chudabhorn of Thailand heard about Moo Dang and asked to adopt her personally, offering the loyal dog a life of luxury and love at her palace.
After months of waiting for someone who could never return, Moo Dang’s future was finally secure.
“Everyone was sad to say goodbye,” Mari-Mo said. “But they knew it was the best thing for her. She’s so lucky — the princess will take wonderful care of her.”
Moo Dang’s story isn’t just about unwavering loyalty — it’s also about the kindness of strangers and the new family she found when she needed it most. Thanks to the compassion of so many, the light of hope never faded, even in her darkest days.
