al

When I first set eyes on her. She really was the saddest-looking dog I have ever seen. Tina Turner was a natural name for her because of her sticky-up blondy hair but I have to say that first week was really touch and go if she was ever even going to survive. I've never seen a better glow-up on a dog and she really was looking and acting absolutely fantastic until we got the gutting news that she only had a few more months to live. I still remember the phone call getting those test results and being absolutely distraught. My world was shattered. The adventures in our last few months are the best times of my life. I'll never forget the rides on the moped, the trips to the beach, or the endless tennis ball games as our health started to fail. Most of all, though, I'll remember her last hour on Earth when I made those promises to her. I didn't know exactly what they would be at the time but I promised I would change the world for street dogs in her name. We've done quite a bit already but there's an awful lot more to go. It's just so exciting to see our hospital closing in on the final stages and getting ready to open in April. None of the stuff we do is easy, from fundraising to logistics to just hiring and actually building a hospital in the Thai jungle. I think there's genuinely a very good chance I would have given up were it not for Tina's memory and the promise I made her. I think of her every hour of every single day. She was a beautiful creature who might never have known that glorious end to her life were it not for a tourist looking out the window and spotting her. There are a lot of dogs around the world that should be very thankful to Tina because she continues to inspire me, the team, and a whole community of dog lovers around the world.

If working with sick dogs has taught me anything in life it is that we should all try and live in the moment and do more of what we enjoy. When I was in ICU battling for my life after depression and addiction I told myself if I got another chance I wouldn’t ever be afraid of failure ever again and I’d forget about possessions and the traditional things the world tells us we need to have or do in order to be happy. All I could think of was either teaching sport to kids or spending time with dogs. I had no idea that change in outlook would lead me to being with dogs in the way I am now and having such a mission. Its really hard being caught up in the rat race of life with bills, traffic, health issues, social expectations, stress, anxiety, addiction, missed opportunities, lack of options and every other thing that life throws at us all. I feel so blessed to be able to do what I do. The only small bit of advice I can give is to try and do more of what you love as soon as you can. It could be learning photography, traveling to a new country, getting a dog, opening a cafe or playing sports you loved when younger. Just try and be kind to yourself and do more of what you love. Big love ❤️