The Journey Of A Lifetime

19 days for the best girl there ever was

Helping the street dogs is my mission in life but the last 18 months have seen me even more focused and filled with unimaginable drive to create a legacy for Tina, the best girl there ever was.

With the launch of her book this week and the hospital getting up and running I feel that so many things are converging.

I’m hoping she would be very proud…

2 Broken Souls

To a large extend I think a lot of us (humans and animals) carry many burdens with us. They come in many shapes and forms. For me it was 25 years of addiction, depression and anxiety ending up in ICU. For Tina it was a life shackled on a chain and having her puppies taken from her while living in dire circumstances. Both our lives nearly ended in the saddest possible ways. Sad and alone. Nobody would have missed us.

We were both lucky 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. Thats why I want to tell the world about Tina and wrote my new book about her remarkable impact.

I think we can both show that no matter how bad things in life get there is always a way back. You can be down but you are never out…

Traveling With A Purpose

I make no secret of the fact that I hate being away from the dogs and back in the “real world”. My heart is on my moped feeding the dogs in the jungle and being around the sickest creatures. I feel empty without them.

If I wanted to create the perfect life for myself I would keep doing that. Small and simple with the sun on my back and little to no travel. The thing about this mission is that to have a global impact and to help millions of dogs I have to forget about myself and focus on the greater good.

I took this photo at the airport heading off. The next 19 days involve traveling to 11 countries in 3 continents and meeting 1000s of people to tell people about Tina and my mission. It is all about promoting the book and getting everything lined up for her hospital opening.

It will be tough for me mentally as an introvert meeting so many people but I have my mini Tina and her original iconic bandana with me. Her memory will push me on. I also know how kind and generous people have been to me and Tina so shaking hands and hugging as many people is important to me. Nothing can explain just how humbled I am by the support and blessed by people’s kindness.

Keeping My Promise To Tina

I remember the day Tina died perfectly. I’d buried her myself and as I shoveled the last few mounds of dirt alone in the jungle I let out a massive roar. I don’t really know what I said but was something along the lines of “I will never let your life be forgotten”.

I’ve mentally and physically drained myself doing that over the last 18 months. I took the photo below on Sunday morning and I told her what we had achieved since I buried her in that spot…

• Sterilized 80,000 dogs stopping close to a million puppies being born

• Fed over 500,000 freshly cooked meals

• Re-homed 75 dogs around the world

• Built her field hospital (In the background)

• Treated hundreds of sicks dogs just like her

I’m not ashamed to say I still talk to her out loud. I said “Tina, I’m tired and this trip might break me but I’ll see you in 19 days time to tell you all about it”.

The Prize Of A Lifetime

I wanted to come up with something to launch the Tina book for people who follow with a money can’t buy prize. It features…

• Flights for 2 to Thailand

• Hotel for 7 days on Koh Samui

• Come and visit and help me with the dogs at Happy Doggo

You can enter here.

Using Tina’s Memory As Fuel

I sometimes think to myself that maybe I go on about Tina too much. People are bored of it. It’s 18 months ago. Most people who follow me now didn’t even know her. Maybe I should just let it go?

But If I am honest I hold onto Tina with everything I have not just because I love her but because without her I’m not even sure I could get through the daily challenges I face. Seeing dogs suffer, dogs being shot and such rampant cruelty is unbelievably tough mentally. There are days when I think to myself “How can I possibly keep doing this?”.

It is in those moments that I think of Tina. Her big face. The miserable life she had but the sheer joy we experienced together. I loved her deeply. Siting with her in the hammock was the most content I have ever been in my life. I’d do anything for just 10 minutes of that feeling over again.

My little dream in life has been to look up and see Tina’s Book in an airport or a book shop in the number 1 spot. I don’t care about me personally writing the book, and the money will help more dogs but it is more just my personal dream for Tina. In 19 days I want to go back to her grave in the evening when nobody is there and sit with her and tell her about it all. I want to tell her it’s been so hard and that I am nearly broken but that we did it. I want to tell her…

“Imagine that Tina, you were about to die alone and forgotten but now people all over the world are seeing your big beautiful face on the cover of a book. You’ve inspired me to be a better person as well as 1000s of other humans who struggle in life and you’ve impacted 10,000s of dogs”.

Every ounce of energy and drive I have is working towards that moment back with Tina with dogs being treated in her hospital behind her.

It’s amazing how one dog can change the world. Tina certainly has.

Big Love

Niall

P.S The best way to support the launch is simply to order the book here. Every penny I make goes to helping the dogs. There are Kindle and Audio versions also.

P.P.S You can still get tickets to the Irish event here for this Saturday the 10th May