An abandoned dog reduced to ‘skin and bones’ has made a remarkable recovery in just four days thanks to the dedicated efforts of his rescuer.
Niall Harbison, originally from Dublin but now based in Thailand, has become a beacon of hope for the country’s abandoned and abused canines.
Her personal mission is to rescue 10,000 puppies every month in Thailand, a country known for its countless stray dogs spread across more than 1,400 islands.
Their efforts have led to the creation of the charity Happy Doggo, dedicated to fostering and improving the lives of abandoned dogs.
Dog lovers around the world have praised Harbison, calling him “one of the best humans on the planet,” after he recently shared the heartwarming journey of a dog, now named Lando, on his social media accounts.
Abandoned dog Lando, who was found reduced to “skin and bones”, has made a remarkable recovery in just four days (pictured) thanks to the dedicated efforts of his “hero” rescuer.
The young dog, who is half pitbull, was discovered on an unspecified Thai island, tied up with a short metal chain and left “starving” after his owners moved away.
Lando’s story has captured hearts after Harbison shared it in a mail with her million followers on her Instagram account @niall.harbison.
The young dog, who is half pitbull, was discovered on an unspecified Thai island, tied up with a short metal chain and left “starving” after his owners moved away.
Locals contacted Harbison’s team to report an “aggressive” dog that looked sick.
When Harbison arrived, it quickly became clear that Lando was not aggressive, but rather frightened and weakened by hunger, as well as being “protective” of his area.
Describing Lando’s condition when he was found, Harbison wrote: “He is skin and bones, and we cannot imagine the hunger he has suffered in his past life.”
After cautiously feeding the dog a piece of meat, Harbison transported the canine to a veterinarian, where the chain was removed and the expert confirmed that the dog was not suffering from any illness.
From there, Lando, who weighed just 14kg when he was found, was taken to Harbison Sanctuary, where he was named after Formula One driver Lando Norris, who was racing on the day of the rescue.
The next four days marked a rapid but carefully monitored recovery for Lando, with Harbison and his team feeding him four to five small meals per day, while providing him with plenty of walks, attention and affection.
The chain found wrapped around Lando’s neck and attached to a metal post buried in the ground.
Lando weighed just 14kg when he was found by Harbison
Lando, understandably “obsessed with food” after his ordeal, had to be closely monitored to prevent him from eating too quickly, a situation Harbison described as “dangerous” given his condition.
The rescuer said the team had “never seen a dog try to eat as much and as fast as he did,” which is believed to be because the dog fears that each meal may be his last.
Despite the initial fear and trauma, Lando responded well to care and slept 12 to 14 hours at a time to regain his strength. After a few days, Harbison said Lando was “putting on a little weight and feeling a lot better.”
A particularly touching moment in Lando’s recovery came when the dog ate a plate of fresh roast chicken and devoured the meal within seconds, much to the delight of Harbison’s Instagram followers.
In response to the story, many have hailed Harbison as a hero, with one person writing on Instagram: “Sir you are an amazing human being thank you for all you do for these precious little angels.”
A particularly touching moment in Lando’s recovery came when the dog was treated to a plate of fresh roast chicken and devoured the meal in a matter of seconds.
In response to Lando’s story, many have hailed Niall Harbison as a hero.
Another wrote: “Thank God you were warned Niall. I can’t express my anger at humans doing this but your work and overall human kindness is amazing.”
A third said: “I can’t wait for this good boy to realise he is safe and loved now. I would love to see the previous owners banned from owning dogs.”
Meanwhile, on X, another dog lover wrote: “You are literally one of the best humans on this planet! Day after day, atrocity after atrocity, you maintain this commitment with kindness and no bitterness.”
