Famous dog rehabilitator previews new book, revealing how saving animals saved his life

Niall Harbison has built a platform around saving and rehabilitating street dogs, garnering 1.4 million followers on Instagram and sharing his story in his new book “Tina: The Dog Who Changed The World.”

Harbison told “The Jason Rantz Show” on KTTH that his passion project was inspired by his own story and shows that everyone deserves a second chance at life.

“I used to work in the corporate world, actually in media, and I was always an alcoholic and a functioning alcoholic, and suffered from depression and anxiety my whole life,” Harbison said. “And I went to Thailand to try and fix myself, better lifestyle, better weather. But it went the other way. I actually ended up in a hospital and nearly drank myself to death.

“I was in ICU for four days. It was really serious, and I nearly died on that hospital bed. And when I was dying, the only things I could think of were, I wasn’t thinking about a new car or a promotion, the materialistic—all I could think about was my dog Snoop. And I said, ‘If I survive, I’m gonna go and do something meaningful in my life,'” he continued.

Harbison said as he reflected on how to best use his second chance, he fed his dog.  From that simple action came an idea.

“Just fed one dog, and then the next day it was four, and then it was eight, and then we now feed 1,200 dogs every day,” he said. “So, we have a little hospital we’ve built.”

However, Harbison noted the dogs have given as much to his life as he’s given to theirs.

“I think it’s not stretched to say that the dogs save me just as much as I save them,” he shared.

Famous dog rehabilitator wants his book to uplift others

Harbison said his goal with his Instagram videos and book is to inspire hope in others.

“There’s a lot of people who would follow me, who maybe have cancer battles or anxiety, depression, grief, whatever, a lot of things, so that the stories I try and tell are uplifting, and show that you can have a second chance in life, like myself and Tina,” he said.

Listen to the full conversation below.

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