How tragic Tina melted hearts around the world, inspired rocker Liam to adopt a pup and made a hospital for dogs happen

News.com.au

11-05-2025

Dog rescuer NIALL HARBISON is beloved on social media and around the globe for his work with the Happy Doggo sanctuary. In this edited extract from new book Tina: The Dog Who Changed the World, he shares the moving story of one very special girl – and a hardman rocker who stepped in to help.
It all starts, as so many dog rescues do, with WhatsApp pinging.
I don't recognise the number, so I can be pretty sure that the image I've received will be of a dog – and it's probably not a cute 'awww' kind.
As I wait for it to download, there's a familiar sense of dread of whatever's coming next. It wasn't long after getting sober that my mission to save the street dogs in Thailand began.
You'd imagine I'd get hardened to seeing upsetting pictures of mistreated animals after all this time. Some are cruelly abused by humans, others were just unlucky enough to be born. Unwanted and unloved by anyone.
As the picture on my iPhone finally crystallises into a clear photograph, I see it's a dog on a chain. The fur is fair, thin and matted in places, while sparse in others, with sore-looking skin exposed. The poor thing has been lying in its own toileting.
But the dog's face is long and noble somehow, and poking out from the fur obscuring its vision are the most vulnerable-looking, saddest dark eyes I've ever seen: an expression of complete dejection. I groan audibly and put my head in my hands.
It is impossible to tell the breed from the picture, and let's be honest the 'breeds' in Thailand are way more loosely based on the intended breed. Most of the dogs out here in Koh Samui are a mix-up of all sorts as they've haphazardly mated on the street and multiplied (and multiplied, and multiplied …).
This particular poor mite had been spotted by a tourist in the mountains that morning. I'm knackered. I want my dinner, I want a shower, and I want to curl up on the sofa with my own dog Snoop. But this is one of those moments when you just know you have to drop everything.
I quickly find the number of my Aussie mate, Rod. He moved out here to retire from working in the police force, but because he's as passionate about animal welfare as I am, he seemed to work even harder now in his so-called retirement. When a dog rescue seems like it might be a complex one, Rod is the guy I call. He picks up after three rings.
'Rod,' I announce, cutting short any pleasantries. 'I need your help, my friend, there's another dog that needs us right now – and I have a feeling this one won't be easy …'
TRIGGERED CHILDHOOD MEMORIES
I really wanted Tina Turner, as we'd named her, to know that not all humans were bad. She obviously was a special dog for holding onto life as long as she had, and I was taking care of her now to make up for that.
I'm not sure whether I twigged this at the time, but there was something about Tina that brought back more of my unhappy and slightly complicated childhood memories. I guess her being a mummy of all the pups that she'd been separated from, most likely before it was time to do so, triggered those memories again. I didn't even realise I'd tried to blot them out from all that time ago, but I was suddenly transported back to the moment when I woke up
in my family home to find that my mum had left us.
The day before she was there when I got back from school, and the next day she was no longer there. It's still one of the most isolating feelings I have ever experienced, that hurt and confusion, and trying to understand what causes this bewilderment has made me question so many things throughout my life. I think we all just want to belong somewhere and have someone to care for and be loved by.
That may sound silly comparing my own life to dogs, but that's what I do all the time, to be honest. Another observation I've had many times over since I started all this is how dogs are so much purer and kinder souls than us humans. Whereas I distrusted people for years and pushed women away as an adult – for fear of ever being rejected and hurt again, I suppose – animals seemed more forgiving and trusting than I used to be.
Tina had every right to be wary of any human, but instead she immediately opened her heart to me and gave me her total trust. She clung to me those nights in that first week or two, trying to get as close as possible, even curling up right on my head some nights as if seeking comfort and safety. The pair of us misfits bonded so deeply, and I quickly became incredibly protective of her.
I had a gut instinct about this dog, it was like meeting an old friend or, without meaning to sound too 'woo woo', some soul from a past life. I loved every bone in that skinny little body.
TINA THE FOSTER MUM
Tina followed me everywhere, always within about two feet of wherever I was.
Every day I do what I call the 'sick rounds', just to check in with the patients (in this case the poorly mutts) and where they are with their recovery (or not, sadly). Tina would be there, right beside me. She would be gently cleaning little puppies, or just keeping a watchful eye and bringing her own unique calming presence to general proceedings. She might have been parted from all the puppies she had been forced to breed in her former, miserable life. But that natural motherly instinct was always in her. She loved to give. You know those so-called 'vampire' types of people in our lives whose presence can suck the life out of you? Tina was the very opposite of that: she radiated life in every direction and lifted us all up in every imaginable way.
Like the day we found a tiny puppy dumped in the jungle. The poor little mite, covered in ticks and fleas, wouldn't have lasted more than 24 hours all alone without a mum. So, of course we took her straight in and started to look after her, feeding her goat's milk for nourishment. But the abandoned pup needed a mum really, and we didn't need to think long about who might best nurture her with some maternal TLC.
Tina had already swung into action to take little Solo (as we named the puppy for obvious reasons) under her wing.
The pair of them soon became inseparable and Solo worshipped the ground that Tina walked on. Like a real daughter, Solo even started to pick up Tina's little mannerisms and her gentle, kind ways. Tina was always fussing over Solo and sharing her toys, making sure the pup felt cared for. It was beautiful to watch.
Under the influence of her foster mummy, Solo became the gentlest, sweetest little angel, and I'm thrilled to say that there was a happy ending for Solo – my own little brother fell in love with her after my family had visited. She is now living her best life in Belgium.
Tina would be so proud.
THE NEWS NOBODY WANTED
In the late spring we received the bad news we simply didn't want to hear. More test results came back from the vet, who diagnosed that Tina was suffering with stage 2 to 3 kidney failure.
We were left reeling. We asked multiple vets in Thailand for advice, and some overseas vets who'd heard about Tina's story online also offered their opinions and shared their expertise. But whoever we asked, the unanimous verdict was that Tina Turner – the brave little warrior she was – would have just three to six months to live.
Although the news was terrible I was determined to make whatever time Tina had left in this world as joyful as she deserved.
While all the humans who loved her were devastated, Tina was largely oblivious to the fact her time on this earth was limited. Or perhaps she knew but like a wise old person decided just to not care and to make the most of every day.
Seeing her and knowing we wouldn't have her for much longer made me very philosophical. I started all sorts of deep pondering on mortality and life – after all, everyone's time on this earth is limited. But most of us don't really confront the fact we will die at some point.
Once again, it reminded me of the fact that it was only when I was made to face my own mortality that I realised I wanted to live. I tried very hard in those days to reframe Tina's bad diagnosis as something that would bring positive change.
I just didn't know what at that stage.
TROLL WITH IT: ROCKER LIAM STEPS UP
Some time after Tina died, we started looking after an abandoned pup we called Buttons – a real charmer. Eventually we went through our usual process and put her up on the website for adoption. People took to her online immediately. I think it was because everyone loved her story. The idea that she was trying to create a better life for herself, and had been
trekking around the jungle to find it, really appealed to people.
Looking through the adoption requests is all part of the weekly admin – it's wonderful seeing that people are interested in offering a Thai street dog their forever home.
We had about 30 or 40 applications for Buttons – not bad – and as I scanned the names on the spreadsheet, I immediately noticed one name in particular: Liam Gallagher.
'Look, somebody's got the same name as Liam Gallagher,' said one of the other guys.
I pulled a face at him because obviously it's a very famous name … but it's also not a particularly uncommon one. I shrugged and carried on reading.
But then, in the next column on the form, where potential adopters fill in what they do for a living, they had written 'singer'. Ha! As if.
Come on, I thought, this is ridiculous. This was obviously my mates having a joke, or some troll with too much time on their hands.
I read the rest of the information in the form to see what other gags this person had come up with. There was a legitimate-looking business address, which out of curiosity I Googled and found that it was connected to a Debbie Gwyther: the name of the partner of THE Liam Gallagher.
And so it was, that after more research – and following the usual stringent steps of our adoption process (no exceptions for celebrities) – we found ourselves on a video call with the British Oasis star himself.
'I hope you're OK after Tina, we loved that dog,' were the first words from Liam and it stopped me in my tracks.
Here was a famous singer asking me about Tina.
That's the sort of effect she had on people.
Liam Gallagher ended up successfully adopting Buttons, with Niall taking her from Thailand to the animal-loving rocker's house in the UK – an adventure he details in the book.
'I CAN'T HELP SMILING'
As you read this, building has started on Tina's Hospital for Dogs Who Aren't Doing So Good. It is due to open in late 2025. I wish things could move faster but it isn't for a lack of hard work, funding or will on our part.
I find myself stopping by Tina's grave nearly every day. I wait until nobody else is around, then I just sit there and talk to her. I tell her about the fancy New York architects, the people climbing mountains in her name and the T-shirts with her face, being worn all over the world now.
Tina would have been too modest to ever think it was because of her. She'd have been more worried about how everyone else was feeling, eager to give out some more love and attention.
But this dream of Tina's Hospital was all down to her, and now it is starting to become a reality. I know she would be grinning about all of this in whatever canine heaven she is in. I imagine her up there somewhere, wearing her favourite bandana, with a tennis ball at her feet, and my lovely Snoop next to her for company.
And I can't help smiling.