As an agent tasked with enforcing animal protection laws in Brazil, Matheus Laiola is no stranger to the quiet suffering of neglected dogs — pets who all too often spend most of their lives leashed up, in conflict to local ordinances.

Laiola’s work, however, is far from thankless.

Recently, Laiola shared footage from the liberation of one such leashed-up pup, whom he’d evidently been monitoring for evidence of ongoing mistreatment.

“She lived in chains, in the cold, heat, rain and sun,” Laiola wrote of the dog, whose sad circumstance was about to change. “We arrived at the place and there was no one there, [so] we broke the lock and rescued the dog.”

The dog couldn’t have been happier to see him — showering her hero with kisses:

The dog’s owner has been identified, Laiola wrote, and will be investigated for animal mistreatment. The pup at the center of this case, meanwhile, has already found her happy ending.

After being freed, the dog was placed in the care of rescue organization Casa do Produtor. But she wasn’t there for long.

“She’s already been adopted,” a representative for the group told The Dodo. “She’s doing well.