Snickers is the street dog who brought me a present every morning as I arrived to feed her.

Today we were able to give her the gift of a lifetime. We just waved her off to her forever home in America… (1/8) 🧵 Every single morning as I arrived with the food delivery she would hear the bike coming and prepare a gift.

This went on for a whole year. The gifts were always extremely well thought out (2/8)

This was me 4 years ago. I was in ICU in hospital as I’d just nearly drunk myself to death.

I’d been an alcoholic and suffered depression and anxiety for over 25 years.

I’m completely sober now and wanted to share some learnings that may help someone (1/8) 🧵 If you’ve tried quitting before and keep failing don’t give up.

I must have had 1000 attempts at quitting alcohol and Valium. It’s never too late.

I was 41 and miserable in life and didn’t want to go on. Keep trying no matter how hard it seems (2/8)

This is our newest arrival.

Got a call about her at 6am this morning about a big dog in trouble on the streets.

She’s in a bad way but I’m hopeful we can help her. There were some very surprising discoveries… (1/8) 🧵 This was the video I was greeted with at 6am. She is a local community dog who had just collapsed and stopped moving.

Locals were very worried (2/8)

We have a new rescue today. He is a little puppy in a very bad way.

Luckily his life has already started to turn around.

This is little Leonardo’s story… (1/8) 🧵 We got a message about him. He lives out near some shacks in the middle of the jungle.

I don’t think he is older than about 7 months (2/8)

She was abandoned pregnant on the streets of Thailand.

Today Bowie arrived to meet her new forever family in nice cold Germany 🇩🇪

I’m punching the air with happiness for this wonderful girl (1/8) 🧵
Despite being left on the streets and severely ill she was the most wonderful mum.

The weather is just too hot here for her breed (2/8)

I found Tina on a chain.

A thread of this remarkable dog getting better and better in each pic…

(1/20) 🧵 (2/20)

Last June we got a call about 2 huskies living rough in the heat of Thailand. Their owners just left.

They had been scavenging food and living in an abandoned villa.

Their story is remarkable and today it got its happy ending… (1/10) 🧵
We caught Bowie first but it took another 2 weeks to catch Prince.

They had because quite scared of humans living in the jungle and the house.

We were about to find out some big secrets about them… (2/10)

Exactly 3 years ago I was driving home from playing football when I stopped to feed some street dogs.

It was a moment that changed my life and also the lives of over half a million dogs (including Mr Fox 🦊 in this pic).

What a journey… (1/10) 🧵
I was a year sober when I fed those first dogs and trying to rebuild my life. I was broken and had no idea where my life was headed.

People often ask how it started and it was literally a 5lbs bag of kibble from 7-11. That was the whole plan then (2/10)

You keep yourself busy and distracted but then some days it just catches you.

Opened my phone to look back at some photos 💜 (1/5) 🧵 There wasn’t a bad bone in her body (2/5)

Sunset number 12 for Alba 💜

It’s been a mixed day for her with good and bad bits.

I wanted to create a little memory with her tonight… (1/6) 🧵 I carried her up a little bit to a lovely spot to look at the sunset.

Can dogs even see or enjoy sunsets? I don’t know. But she spends a lot of time recovering so the fresh air is nice.

I also wanted to get a nice picture of her (2/6)

What a difference 5 days can make.

In contrast to yesterday Alba had a very good day today 💜

Some lovely moments for this very special girl… (1/4) 🧵
She’s live on the chain her whole life. As well as being so sick and close to death she has a lot to process.

I often catch her smelling the flowers and I can see here thinking “this can’t be real can it?” (2/4)

Little Alba is having one of her toughest days today. It’s been very up and down and some little set backs.

Her body is just under extreme pressure.

It’s not all bad news and I’m still hopeful. She could do with your prayers / thoughts or whatever you do 🙏… (1/6) 🧵 She started the day well and to be honest I’m still amazed she is alive in some way.

He 4th sunrise since she arrived (2/6)

In July we rescued Rusty from a short chain under a shack in the jungle in Thailand.

We found him a home in England.

Today he saw snow for the first time in his life and it was just brilliant… (1/5)
He wasn’t sure at all at first. Rusty is one of the gentlest souls we’ve ever had. A big softie.

Maybe with his mum’s help? (2/5)

We rescued little Alba 36 hours ago.

Her life is still very much in the balance but I’ve had some little wins with her today.

We have hope now and that’s the most important… (1/8) 🧵
She’s on her third dose of medicines already. They’ve thrown her off her appetite for most of the day but are staying down.

The medicines could kill her is the worry but we have to try something urgently. (2/8)

It’s a big night ahead for little Alba.

There’s been a mixture of bad news and some very good signs this evening since rescuing her this morning from the chain.

She could do with all the🤞 out there and positive thoughts (1/7) 🧵 I decided to bring her home to my house. For 2 reasons.

1. It’s more peaceful and my dog Nurse Hank is a great support.

2. I’m afraid she could pass. So I’d rather her be here with love and support.

She slept happily all afternoon (2/7)

I get a lot of messages about sick dogs and I can barely get to 20% of them.

Sometimes though you get a message where you have to drop everything.

I woke up this morning to one. I don’t know how she is still alive but she has a chance now (1/8) 🧵
It actually took us a couple of hours to find her and also negotiate her release.

I won’t go into that. At this stage all I can do is focus on the dog and getting it safe. Thats the only priority.

I presumed she could be vicious as she was chained up (2/8)

I was an alcoholic and abused pills while suffering from depression and anxiety for 25 years.

It nearly killed me. I’ve been sober for exactly 4 years today.

Here are 10 personal observations about getting fully sober (1/12) 🧵
It was about the 500th attempt I’d made to get sober that finally worked after ending up in ICU.

If you’ve failed over and over and are in a cycle of hope and regret don’t stop trying. I was 41 years old when I finally cracked it.

Dont stop trying (2/12)

This is little Rodney.

He’s a puppy we found abandoned on the streets of Thailand.

This is the story of how he barely survived, then grew up and found a home on the other side of the world.

Its hard to believe what he looks like today (1/10) 🧵 Rodney had severe skin and blood issues when he came in. He’d been wandering the street alone looking for food.

He was about 6 weeks old (2/10)

Pedro was completely broken when I found him on the streets like this on the 22nd November.

Worst of all for a dog was his spirit was broken. He was in extreme pain.

His recovery is a thing of beauty.. (1/5) 🧵 It was only when we got him in we could see how bad it was.

Deep ear infections. Fungal infection all over. Cuts and sore spots.

Like so many dogs we see he got even worse when he came in as body relaxed once out of survival mode (2/5)

I save dogs here in Thailand and it’s very tough emotionally.

The biggest boost is seeing a dog in their new home. Especially at Christmas. Like little Rodney we saved and who is now in Wales 🏴󠁧󠁢󠁷󠁬󠁳󠁿

These rescues will fill your heart with joy (1/12) 🧵
Someone tried to kill King Whacker with a pick axe when I found him.

We built him back up and now he protects the presents in Scotland (2/12)

A little note to remind everybody that Christmas is very hard for some people.

As an alcoholic of 25 years (nearly 4 sober now) as well as severe anxiety / depression sufferer here are some little things that might help understand friends / family suffering (1/8) 🧵 🥂 It’s an open field day for alcoholics. Champagne with breakfast. Beers at 11am. Binge drinking acceptable for a week.

All normalized which is music to the ears of those looking for an excuse. For someone newly sober this is a complete NIGHTMARE. Be conscious of that (2/8)