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DealsChristmasSuccess storiesThe Feed
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This story is a beautiful reminder that even the smallest act of kindness can change someone’s world in ways we never imagined. For Niall Harbison, feeding stray dogs in Thailand began as a simple gesture of compassion. He had no expectations—his only goal was to ensure the dogs were fed and cared for. Providing them with food and love was reward enough. However, to his surprise, one extraordinary pup found a way to repay his kindness in a way he never expected, leaving a lasting impact on his heart.
It all began when Niall met a 4-month-old puppy named Snickers in his neighborhood. She originally belonged to a family with young children who adored her as a puppy. But as Snickers grew older, things changed. She started spending more time outdoors, and sadly, the attention she once received faded.
“The kids love the puppies for a couple of weeks, but then they are on their own to live with the dangers of traffic and everything else a dog faces in the jungle,” Niall shared with The Dodo. “It’s a tough life.”
Snickers became one of the many dogs Niall fed regularly—1,000 strays in total—but she stood out from the others. While most greeted him with wagging tails and wet kisses, Snickers found her own unique way to express gratitude: she began bringing him gifts.
“Her very first gift was actually a single flip flop,” Niall recalled. “It was a woman’s size, but it felt as if she was saying to me, ‘Here you go, you could do with a new set of shoes.’” From that day on, Snickers made it her mission to bring Harbison something new every day, no matter how small or random.
“All she had to give was whatever she could find on the streets and her entire heart,” Niall wrote on X. Over the course of a year, Snickers gifted him everything from children’s toys covered in mud to mismatched shoes. Though her presents were unconventional, they left Niall deeply touched.
“I genuinely think she is trying to show kindness and possibly play,” Niall explained. “I’ve seen this behavior in domesticated dogs, bringing toys to their owners when they come home. I think it’s her way of showing love.”
After a year of daily gifts, Niall decided it was time to give Snickers a gift of her own. As the founder of the Happy Doggo rescue, he officially welcomed Snickers into the shelter, giving her a chance to experience the carefree life she had missed on the streets.
While Snickers had mastered the art of collecting treasures, there was one thing she had yet to learn—how to play. Thankfully, another resident dog named Teddy took her under his wing.
“Snickers has never played fetch in her life,” Niall wrote on X. “As a street dog, she was too busy avoiding dangers like big trucks to ever relax. [But] it only took her about 10 minutes of Teddy teaching her to learn how to bring the ball back.”
Check out Snickers playing fetch:
Snickers has never played fetch in her life. As a street dog she was too busy avoiding dangers like big trucks to ever be able to relax.
It only took her about 10 minutes of Teddy teaching her to learn how to bring the ball back. A beautiful moment (5/8) pic.twitter.com/yyd0tOlhzG
— Niall Harbison (@NiallHarbison) October 17, 2024
The next milestone in Snickers’ journey came when Harbison surprised her with a box filled with brand-new toys just for her. “After giving me over 100 presents on the streets, it was time to give her an entire gift set of her own to welcome her in,” Niall shared.
With her new toys, a collar, and a cozy bandana, Snickers spent the afternoon playing before curling up in her bed at Happy Doggo’s headquarters, dreaming of a forever family. Though she’s still waiting to find her perfect home, Harbison is confident it won’t take long.
“Her gifts are always creative and from the heart,” Niall wrote in a video posted on X. “She deserves her own humans to share her kind heart with.”
Puppy mills are mass breeding operations that run solely to make a profit. Support a nationwide ban on selling puppy mill animals at pet stores.
Puppy mills are mass breeding operations that run solely to make a profit. Support a nationwide ban on selling puppy mill animals at pet stores.
With her loving nature and playful spirit, it’s only a matter of time before Snickers finds the family she’s been waiting for. Please play below to watch Snickers receive her surprise box of toys. Thank you, Niall, for taking such good care of these precious pups. You are changing the world through one small act at a time. You can follow Niall on Instagram by clicking here.
After giving me over 100 presents on the streets it was time to give her an entire gift set of her own to welcome her in.
Snickers had never asked for anything in her life. She’d only been a kind giving dog (6/8) pic.twitter.com/Zv5Hh7rBU9
— Niall Harbison (@NiallHarbison) October 15, 2024
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