The very first time I met Dior, he was being eaten alive by fleas—the sight was so shocking that I asked my coworker if she would film the infestation. “This is crazy,” I told my fellow fieldworker behind the lens. Perhaps, we hoped, we could play the crazy clip for Dior’s owner and he’d be compelled to finally bring the chained bulldog indoors. But after Dior’s owner heartbreakingly denied him this simple act of kindness, PETA’s social media team took to the internet to raise awareness: “No dog should live like this,” the video was captioned.

Understandably, concerned viewers flooded the comments section with questions, including, “No after, or process video?” and “Is there an update on this poor dog” and “Will u post the update?” More than 33 million video views and two months of PETA’s persistence later, the update is this: Dior will indeed never have to live like this 👇 again.

When PETA publishes videos or photographs of dogs like Dior—ones who are forced to exist outdoors 24/7, neglected, and/or abused—online comments often include questions about why we don’t just “remove” dogs from these situations. Dior’s viral video, for example, garnered this response …

“The dog should be removed from wherever he or she is …”

… and this one …

“I hope that poor pup was removed from that neglectful situation.”

… and this one:

“Remove her from her current home please.”

But PETA fieldworkers are not law-enforcement officers. We cannot seize dogs. We work with owners to improve animals’ living conditions, and we keep our door wide open to taking custody of animals when folks can no longer care for their dogs, cats, or other animal companions. In Dior’s case, his owner initially refused PETA’s petitions to find the bulldog a safe, loving, flea-free home indoors. So in a jurisdiction where animal control authorities deem the existence portrayed in the video above perfectly legal, fieldworkers were left with only one choice: For more than a year, we visited Dior regularly …

He broke the internet. It was only a matter of time before PETA broke his chain

… we brought him an insulated, custom-built wooden doghouse to replace his chewed-up plastic one; we stuffed that doghouse with straw in the winter, to keep Dior a little less cold; we scrubbed clean his routinely algae-filled water bucket and filled it with fresh water more times than we could count; we brought him squeaky toys and long-lasting chew treats in the hope of alleviating his deprivation a little; we urged Dior’s owner to let us swap his heavy chain for a lightweight tie-out on every visit, despite being denied each time; and we treated Dior and his area for the severe flea infestation we stumbled upon in August. (And no, @mrbigperez619, I did not “spray Windex on the dog” … the blue bottle is a safe, effective flea and tick spray!)

“PLEASE IS HE OK NOW?” You tell us, @aranchadv50 … PETA’s Community Animal Project manager thought Dior was pretty pleased over his medicated mousse massage!

After that fated, scorching summer visit, with a little time and a lotta tenacity, fieldworkers persuaded the bulldog’s owner to finally at least allow fieldworkers to transport Dior to and from a free neuter surgery so that PETA’s veterinary care team could prescribe some much-needed (and also free) relief for the itchy dog’s skin. When PETA’s field team learned of Dior’s owner’s plan to put the bulldog right back on his chain in the backyard—mere hours after he’d awoken from surgery—one fieldworker launched into the heart-to-heart to end all heart-to-hearts, one that permitted PETA at long last to give the deserving dog a new leash on life.

Dior Don’t Like No Fleas and Chains, but You Can Tie Him Down …

… as a beloved permanent member of the family, that is—so long as you pass PETA’s adoption screening process with flying colors!

The squatty sweetheart has since been renamed Dio by his foster guardian, a PETA licensed veterinary technician who fell in love with the handsome hunk when he was a patient of hers during his neuter! We would say, “No offense to Dior,” but to the company that is not cruelty-free and still sells ostrich feathers and skins, we actually do intend some offense.

As reported by his foster guardian, Dio is “overall just a sweet, lovable guy.” The coffee table–shaped dude has been getting on beautifully with his current canine roommates and even with his foster feline friends! And at 50 lbs., the roughly 2-year-old boy is equally the perfect animal companion for couch cuddles as well as for awesome adventures. If you’re keen to help this neutered, vaccinated, microchipped bully boy keep fleas and chains in his rearview mirror, e-mail [email protected] now!