Watch Ziggy Go From Chained and Ignored to the ‘Best Boy in the World’

If you’re looking to have your day made, you’ve come to the right place. Ziggy was a neglected, chained dog, tied to a cinderblock in a rural North Carolina backyard and all but forgotten—except by PETA’s fieldworkers. For more than a year, they checked on the sweet Maltipoo, cleaning out his dirty bowls and providing him with food, clean water, medical care, dry straw, toys, and the affection that he craved. With every visit, they urged his owners to let them find Ziggy the caring indoor home that every dog deserves. The owners always said no.

But finally, the fieldworkers’ persistence paid off: Ziggy’s owners relented and he was freed from the chain at last. PETA staff took him to meet our friends at the Norfolk SPCA, and it wasn’t long before the perfect family fell for him.

Now he has a beautiful new life—complete with an indoor home, a big yard all his own, a family that swears that he’s “the best boy in the world,” and even a canine best bud.

Ziggy’s new guardian got it exactly right:

“You don’t have to go out and buy a dog. You can rescue and adopt a dog, and all of these dogs are in your shelter. You can always find full-breed, mixed-breed. Pound puppies are some of the best dogs in the world.”

Check out PETA’s resources for ways to help a chained dog near you. And help end the homeless-animal crisis by signing our pledge to adopt instead of buying. You’re guaranteed to find your own best-in-the-world companion at your local animal shelter.