When Niall Harbison came across a dog shackled to a short chain, frail and in poor health, something about her plight stirred memories of his own battle with addiction. In that moment, he knew he had to save her.
He named her Tina — and what followed is an extraordinary story of survival, hope, and unconditional love. Despite the cruelty she had endured at the hands of humans, Tina refused to lose her faith in them. She didn’t retreat into fear or bitterness; instead, she opened her heart wider, offering trust and affection to those around her.
Sadly, only after six months of being freed, due to her life long condition of neglect, Tina lost her battle to kidney failure.
But her story didn’t end there. From the minute Tina was free of her chains, she got on with what needed to be done, inspiring a dog hospital to be built and named after her and Niall continued with his work in helping dogs not just in Ko Samui but working with other organisations around the world to sterilise dogs and educating people about the issue of stray dogs. The movement behind Tina has not stopped.
This is her story.
From today, Tina – The Dog who Changed the World is now available. This is the inspiring tale of a world-changing friendship between one man and a dog. The new memoir of 2025 is now available on Amazon Books, WH Smith, Bookshop. And it is also available on Kindle and Audible.
We have been following Niall on Instagram and the work that he does on the island of Ko Samui, Thailand. He had also founded We are Happy Doggo – their mission is to improve the lives of thousands of street dogs in Thailand and across the world. Every donation supports life-saving sterilisation, feeding, and medical treatment for street dogs.
Niall Harbison’s first book ‘Hope – How Street Dogs Taught Me the Meaning of Life‘ is a memoir. It tells of his journey from addiction and depression to changing the lives of thousands of dogs. It was a No.2 Sunday Times bestseller w/c 28-08-2023.
Niall has a “little dream” in life – it has been to look up and see Tina’s Book in an airport or a book shop in the number 1 spot.” Let’s make Niall’s dream come true. Let’s make Tina a best seller around the world! And in doing so, every penny goes to helping the dogs.
Hope taught me the meaning of life. Tina taught me the meaning of love. It’s not everyday you meet a golden retriever in Thailand.
Niall is currently in the UK on a book promotion tour, and we were privileged to meet him. At his request, a group of us and our dogs — many of them rescues — gathered in Kensington Gardens on Monday to welcome him.
It was a heartwarming afternoon spent with a truly remarkable and humble person, whose work has given so many dogs a second chance at life. And he took the time to meet every single doggo and their humans.
One dog who brought so many people together to champion a worldwide cause.
Photos by @AmieBarronPhotography
