Our work

Our mission is to solve the street dog problem worldwide. While sterilization is the best way to do that, we also help the street dogs on Koh Samui and around South East Asia in many other ways.

Niall Harbison at Happy Doggo land

CNVR
(capture, neuter, vaccinate, release)

The World Health Organization estimates that there are 200 million street dogs worldwide and many of them suffer from hunger, abuse, and illness. CNVR is the single most important thing we can do to stop this suffering, allowing the dogs to live healthy lives without constant breeding. Our goal is to see the global street dog population halved in our lifetime.  

302
Sterilizations
2022
2,009
Sterilizations
2023
15,197
Year to date
2024

Dog sterilization zones

We started off sterilizing on Koh Samui but over the last year, that has spread across Thailand and South East Asia. By funding incredible organisations in Thailand and beyond, we plan to sterilize approximately 50,000 dogs this year.

dog sterilizations

Our CNVR partners

Since the very beginning, we’ve relied on a network of partner charities and animal welfare organizations to deliver life-saving sterilizations. These are the incredible organizations we’re currently working with to deliver 20,000 sterilizations through CNVR in 2024.

Soi Dog Foundation
Thailand
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Founded in 2003, Soi Dog Foundation was created to provide humane and sustainable solutions to managing the stray dog population on Phuket and to address their medical needs.

Now, Soi Dog Foundation spays and neuters thousands of dogs a year, alongside vaccination, medical treatment, sheltering, and adoption of dogs that can’t be returned to their territory.

Visit Soi Dog Foundation
WECare
Sri Lanka
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WECare was set up by UK vet Dr Janey Lowes in 2014 when she saw the plight of the street dogs in Sri Lanka.

Since then, WECare has grown from a one-man-band to a dedicated team of 30 individuals, working together to help, treat and educate.

Visit WECare
VetVan
Thailand
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VetVan’s animal welfare project started in early 2018 and has quickly taken to the streets, already helping hundreds of animals in need.

VetVan already placed more than 500 dogs and cats into forever, loving homes and sterilized tens of thousands, freeing them from a life of breeding.

Visit VetVan
Rob's Dogs Foundation
Thailand
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Founded in 2018 by Rebecca Cain in memory of her husband, Rob, RDF’s vision is for a compassionate world in which no animals are mistreated, abused or neglected.

Rob’s Dogs mission is to fund the sterilization of dogs and cats living on the streets and in low-income homes in South-East Asian countries.

Visit Rob's Dogs
Bali Paws
Indonesia
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Founded by sisters Desiree and Santi Morgenstern, Bali Paws grew out of a need to house the countless sick and injured puppies in Bali.

Starting in late 2023, Bali Paws embarked on a larger sterilization project to tackle the problem directly.

Visit Bali Paws
PACS
Thailand
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Phangan Animal Care are a non-profit animal hospital that provides life-saving medical treatments, vaccinations, and sterilizations to stray and wild animals on Koh Phangan.

Founded in 2001, PACS helps make veterinary care and sterilization more affordable for pet owners and helps control the street dog population without government-sanctioned culling.

Visit PACS

Dog sterilization in action

Feeding

Every day, our team feeds over 800 street dogs across the island of Koh Samui. It’s how Happy Doggo got started – with Niall Harbison feeding the street dogs on his bike and realizing there was much more he could do – and it’s something we're committed to continuing.

160,000
Meals served
2022
292,000
Meals served
2023
96,000
Year to date
2024

What the dogs eat

The best way to keep the dogs healthy is to feed them a healthy diet. We've worked with specialists to provide the dogs a homemade meal that gives them the nutrients they need to deal with life on the streets:

The recipe for making the Happy Doggo food

How we feed the dogs

How we feed 800 street dogs a day in Thailand

Happy Doggo Land

There are thousands of dogs on Koh Samui alone, many with medical conditions ranging from skin conditions to broken bones. Our sanctuary is where we bring the sickest dogs, giving them specialized care according to their needs and caring for them until they are healthy enough to go home.

12
Dogs treated
2022
47
Dogs treated
2023
19
Year to date
2024

Community care

Many of the sick dogs we come across have owners or local caretakers, who simply can't afford the specialized treatment their dogs need. In these cases, we take dogs to the vets, get them the treatment they need, and bring them back to their home to recover in the comfort of familiar surroundings.

Adoption

Adoption is not a long-term solution to the street dog problem. There are simply too many dogs and the costs are too high to rehome all of them. However, when we come across a dog that has been badly abused, is suffering on the streets, or is simply too young or weak to survive on their own, we work to find them a forever home in Thailand or abroad.

4
Dogs adopted
2022
16
Dogs adopted
2023
19
Year to date
2024

Happy Doggos rehomed

There are now Happy Doggos living across the world, from South East Asia to Europe and the US. Each dog has had their new family handpicked for them and are all loving life in their new homes.  

adopted dogs

Interested in adopting one of our Happy Doggos? Browse our adoptions page to see all the dogs looking for their new home.

Adopt a Happy Doggo

Dogs at our sanctuary

While most street dogs who need medical attention can be back with their packs within the day, some need more serious medical attention.

These are the dogs who come to stay at our sanctuary at Happy Doggo Land. Dogs who have been hit by cars, who have been badly abused, or even need to lose some weight, come to us for care and rehabilitation. Often, they’re able to go back and live their lives normally but sometimes they’re rehomed. In this case, they stay with us until they’re ready to travel.

Our adoptable dogs

Stay up to date with Happy Doggo

Contact

Niall holding three puppies in his arms

We love hearing from all people, and we do our best to get back to everyone.

For all general enquiries, please use the address below.

Niall Harbison

If you have questions about donations, fundraising, or donating a physical gift, please use the email address below.

If you're interested in fostering or adopting any of our amazing dogs, please complete an adoption application or email us at the address below.