A gentle dog rescued from village streets in Hong Kong is still waiting for a family—despite showing up to adoption events again and again.

Team for Animals in Lantau South (TAILS) rescue in Lantau Island shared a heartbreaking video on Instagram about how Mara, a calm and affectionate dog, has been overlooked at 25 adoption events without finding a family.

In the video, the tan dog was sitting quietly beside café-style chairs, as on-screen text said she has been to “more than 20 adoption days” and still has not found a home.

Carina Milligan, director of TAILS, said staff cannot be completely certain of Mara’s exact age but estimate she is around 4 years old, based on veterinary observations including the condition of her teeth and the known timing and number of litters she has had.

“She is a Hong Kong special mixed breed—essentially a mongrel, but we prefer to call them special breeds,” Milligan told Newsweek.

Mara the dog sitting at an adoption event where she was overlooked. | Instagram/@tails.lantau

From Loosely Owned Village Dog To Rescue Care

Milligan first encountered Mara in summer 2023 in Mui Wo on Lantau Island, where she was loosely owned but generally roamed free in the area.

“She had an ‘owner’ but essentially he was just a base for her to return to at the end of the day and didn’t feed or care for her properly,” Milligan said, adding Mara lived outdoors with other dogs who were chained.

Despite living as a street dog searching for food, Mara stood out for her unusually relaxed demeanor around people, Milligan said.

“She was very calm, gentle and sweet and would sit by your feet and hold out her front paw for attention,” she said.

Mara had not been spayed and was often falling pregnant in the streets. TAILS worked to rehome her puppies and hoped to desex Mara after one litter—until vets discovered she had heartworm, preventing surgery at the time.

After multiple conversations with Mara’s owner, Milligan said he initially resisted surrendering her to TAILS, and during that period Mara became pregnant again, forcing further delays.

Only after her puppies were rehomed did the owner finally agree to surrender Mara. TAILS began her heartworm treatment in October 2024, when she first came fully under the group’s care.

“Mara is known to us as super mom,” Milligan said. “We have so far helped rehome 12 of her children.” But now, the rescue hope to find a home for Mara herself.

Still Searching For a Forever Home

As her puppies find forever homes, Mara has continued to be overlooked—something Milligan says is part of a broader challenge in dog adoption.

“It is always harder for adult dogs to get adopted,” she said. “A lot of people want dogs from the puppy stage… They believe that they will build a stronger bond this way. This however, is not always true.”

In the U.S., Shelter Animals Count estimates 1.9 million dogs and cats were adopted in the first half of 2025, but older dogs like Mara continue to find it more difficult to find homes. In 2025, adoptions rose for juvenile dogs and small dogs were up by 6 percent, but adult dog adoptions fell 6 percent and senior dog adoptions slipped by 2 percent, with large dog adoptions down 9 percent.

Milligan added that older dogs can form deep attachments quickly once they are placed in a stable home.

“Once they find [loving homes], you will see how quickly they will appreciate it and the bond will be as strong within those first few weeks as it would have been if you’d taken them in from birth,” she said.

For now, Mara is still searching for the right home. “Having lived on the streets, she is used to having the freedom to run around all day, so she needs a family who can continue to give her regular exercise and time outdoors,” Milligan said. “But most importantly, she needs a home where she can get the love and attention she deserves… she’s quite demanding for cuddles and belly rubs around the clock.”

Milligan described Mara as “super loyal” and strongly bonded to her people—traits the rescue hopes will shine through to potential adopters who may be hesitating over an adult dog.

“She just wants to spend as much time as possible with her humans,” she said.