Last year, while walking near her home in Thailand, photographer Mari-Mo met a sweet dog named Moo Dang. The pup was cheerful and friendly and in the company of her loving owner, an older man who was homeless.
“They walked around the city together,” Mari-Mo told The Dodo. “Every day, they would come to rest at a convenience store near my house, a 7-Eleven.”
But the next time Mari-Mo saw Moo Dang, the older man was conspicuously absent. The dog was resting by herself in front of the store they frequented together.
“I saw her there next to a sign,” Mari-Mo said. “It listed things that she could and could not eat. I took a picture and posted it on my Facebook page.”
The dog, now apparently cared for by staff at the 7-Eleven soon went viral. And after talking to the owner of the store, Mari-Mo came to learn the bittersweet story of why the dog now rested there alone.
“They told me that Moo Dang’s owner got sick and had to be taken to the hospital, so he started caring for the dog,” Mari-Mo said. “After that, the dog stayed right there. Then came the news that Moo Dang’s owner had died.”
Moo Dang didn’t get that news — and like the loyalest of friends, she continued to wait for him for months.
On several occasions, in the weeks that followed, well-meaning locals tried to take Moo Dang home with them. But each time, she returned to the store.
“The staff at the store takes good care of her,” Mari-Mo said. “The [store] owner even took her to the vet and paid for everything.”
Moo Dang had lost her only friend, but as word of her sad situation spread, she gained many others.
“People come to the store to give her food and play with her,” Mari-Mo said. “There’s a school nearby, and the students come to spend time with her. Everyone loves her and tries to give her moments of happiness.”
Moo Dang’s story went viral, and adoption offers continued to roll in. But one stood out from the rest when it came to offering her the best possible future imaginable.
When a member of Thailand’s royal family, Princess Siribha Chudabhorn, learned of Moo Dang, she decided to ask the store owner if she could adopt her, inviting the pup to live at her palace as her pet.
Moo Dang, who spent months waiting outside for someone who would never return, will never have to face the world alone. And though parting ways is bittersweet for those who cared for her in the interim, they know a joyful life awaits her now.
“Everyone was sad to see Moo Dang go, but they know it’s best for her,” Mari-Mo said. “It’s so lucky. The princess will take care of everything for her.”
Moo Dang’s story isn’t just of one dog’s remarkable loyalty — it speaks also to the love and care other people gave her in return. In her darkest hour, they made sure the light of hope never went out.