‘Teddy Bear Face’ Dog Returned 7 Times, Doesn’t Understand What He Did Wrong

A Heartbreaking Goodbye

Martin, a sweet senior dog, had spent his entire life in a loving home—until everything changed.

His owner, an 89-year-old man, had reached a point where he could no longer care for Martin the way he deserved.

Heartbroken but knowing it was the right thing to do, he brought Martin to the SPCA of Wake County, hoping someone new would give him the love and care he needed.

It wasn’t easy saying goodbye—but his owner’s biggest wish was for Martin to find a family who would cherish him in his golden years.

Image credit: SPCA of Wake County/Facebook

A ‘Perfect’ Dog—But No One Would Keep Him

From the moment Martin arrived, he showed everyone just how gentle and loving he was.

With his soft, teddy bear-like face, he became a staff favorite.
Despite his age and mild hearing loss, he was house-trained, great with kids, and friendly with all dogs.

But for some reason, every time someone took him home, they brought him back.

Seven times.

Within just two months, Martin had been returned to the shelter again and again.

He didn’t understand why no one wanted him.
He didn’t understand what he was doing wrong.

Image credit: Lisa Hughet/Faceook

A Desperate Attempt to Save Martin

The shelter staff refused to give up on him.

They knew Martin wasn’t the problem—he just hadn’t found the right home yet.

So they took to Facebook, writing a heartfelt plea for someone to finally give Martin the forever home he deserved:

“Martin really is the bestest boy. His former owner said he is extremely gentle, especially with kids—he used to cuddle up with their grandkids so they could lie their heads on him for a nap.
He’s great with people of all ages, including seniors, gets along with dogs of all sizes and energy levels, and is housetrained and crate-trained.”

They hoped someone, somewhere, would see the post and fall in love.

And then—everything changed.

Going Viral—and Finding The Perfect Family

The post spread like wildfire, quickly racking up nearly 3,000 shares.

Within 48 hours, the shelter was flooded with so many adoption applications that they had to close submissions.

But among the dozens of potential adopters, one couple stood out—

They specialized in caring for senior dogs, and they weren’t afraid of Martin’s age or heartworm disease.

They simply fell in love with him.

And just like that, Martin’s luck finally turned around.

The Happy Ending He Always Deserved

Now, Martin is living the good life with his new family, soaking up all the love and snuggles he could ever dream of.

In fact, he became so popular that when his adopters took him to a pet store, the employees immediately recognized him and asked—
“Is that Martin?!”

Though the SPCA of Wake County staff miss him dearly, they are beyond thrilled that Martin finally found his forever home.