The Dog Who Changed the World
A dog rescue activist in Thailand moves people all over the world.
What started in 2021 with a man on a moped who wanted to feed a few hungry street dogs is now an organization with supporters all over the world. In his book, founder Niall Harbison describes how Tina the dog inspired him to embark on his mission.
Every now and then I come across a story that doen’t let me go. Niall Harbison and his organization Happy Doggo is one such story. Or, to be more precise, it is his stories told on video that touch me deeply: of the dogs that he and his team find on the streets of Thailand in the most miserable conditions, which they then bring to Happy Doggo Land, treat medically and nurse back to health and often place for adoption. Of course, I am most touched by the stories of Tina and Alba. The two dog ladies who in turn touched Harbison so much that he created a lasting memory for them with important facilities at Happy Doggo Land. That I'm not the only one who is moved to tears by Harbison's dog stories is shown by the two million people who follow him on Instagram and X alone. And here on Substack.
“I remember the day Tina died perfectly”, Harbison writes on his Substack blog. He’d buried her himself and as he shoveled the last few mounds of dirt alone in the jungle he let out a massive roar. He don’t really know what he said but was something along the lines of “I will never let your life be forgotten”.
The book Tina. The Dog who Changed the World was published at the beginning of May 2025 and after less than two weeks was already number 1 on the bestseller list in the UK and Ireland. And if author Niall Harbison has his way, the book will soon be number 1 in the USA too. He is currently on a book tour there with a detour to Vancouver, Canada. He named Tina after the legendary singer Tina Turner, reports the TV station USA Today.
In the interview with USA Today, the Dublin native openly describes himself as an alcoholic. At least he was when he was still battling addiction, burnout and depression as a tech entrepreneur. Originally, he had moved to Dublin in the late 1990s to train as a chef, he worked at the Michelin-starred Peacock Alley and later became a private chef on the mega-yacht of Microsoft co-founder Paul Allen. After he quit, he returned to Dublin and co-founded the social media companies Simply Zesty and Lovin’ Dublin, which he sold for seven-figure sums. He moved to the Thai island of Koh Samui, intending to take a break. However, after a severe drinking binge, he found himself in intensive care - and only narrowly escaped death. This experience became a turning point which he describes as a "life-changing" catalyst.
To get back on his feet, Harbisson started jogging on the Island of Koh Samui. When he saw the many malnourished dogs, he started bringing food to some of them and sharing his videos of them online. The videos caught the attention of people all over the world who wanted to help him. Harbison started feeding and vaccinating as many dogs as he could, but he quickly realized that sterilization was the only way to solve the problem in the long term. In 2023, he travelled across Europe, the US and Dubai, organizing walks where dog lovers could share ideas on how they could help street dogs. Thousands came to talk to Harbison, according to the website of his organization Happy Doggo.
2023 was also the year Naill Harbison found Tina somewhere on the street. A golden-haired retriever, a rarity in Thailand, she had been abused for years for breeding. Her miserable condition reminded Harbison of his own miserable state. Tina saved him at least as much as he saved her. Both were luckx to get second chances. “I feel much more blessed than Tina because I’ve been 4.5 years sober and she only got to enjoy 6 months of freedom and joy,” Harbison writes on Substack. That is why he wants to tell the world about Tina and her remarkable impact - and not just on him personally.
Harbison secured a piece of land and set about building a sanctuary where only the sickest and weakest dogs would be taken in. His previous professional experience in marketing is now helping him to set up his project. Happy Doggo Land now has space for 15 dogs and a field clinic for them and street dogs that come to visit. According to the website, 82,000 dogs have been sterilized and 79 have been placed with families.
A separate kitchen has also been opened, where food is prepared for 1,200 dogs every day. The kitchen bears the name of Alba, another street dog, who has grown close to everyone's heart in the mere fortnight that she has been at Happy Doggo Land.
In 2025, the organization has also started building a state-of-the-art hospital that Naill Harbison wants to dedicate to his rescuer Tina. The hospital will be able to treat an even wider range of injuries and illnesses.
Tina's hospital will be located next to Happy Doggo Land. Covering an area of around 3,117 square meters, it will house two operating theatres, diagnostic facilities such as X-ray equipment, its own laboratory, a pharmacy and an intensive care unit. Niall Harbison is thus making good on his promise to Tina:
“If one dog could change the world, it's Tina. Rescued after a lifetime of mistreatment, Tina was the sweetest and most loving dog you could ever meet.
Her life with us was too short, but her memory and legacy will live on in Tina's Hospital.”
This text was first published in German on my website.