In the video, found here, Ashton—known on the app as @repulsivelyflamboyant—explained that his grandfather died of COVID-19. Soon after, he and his husband “found out he had a dog” that was “going to put down.”

The incident speaks to an often-overlooked aspect of the pandemic—the pets that are left behind when their owners become seriously ill or die. As noted by a New York Times article from the early months of the pandemic: “Pet owners who have died of the virus have left behind dogs, guinea pigs and cats, at least one of which starved to death before anyone had checked the owner’s apartment.”

Far from specific to New York, COVID-19 has forced pet owners around the nation to consider what might happen to their beloved animals, should they contract a severe case of the virus.

Upon learning of his grandfather’s dog—and the plans for him to be put down—the pair “drove across the state to go rescue him.”

According to The Dodo, Ashton and his grandfather had fallen out of touch over the past several years—but that didn’t stop him from making the three-hour trek to retrieve the dog.

“It wasn’t a question we would adopt him—my husband has wanted a dog for a while, and we had just started [to] foster and were about to start volunteering at PAWS to try and find a new friend,” explained Ashton to The Dodo. “I’ve worked mostly in animal activism for my adult career before buying my business, so there was no way I was letting him be put down.”

“He is an Australian Shepherd and extremely overweight,” said Ashton in the viral clip, “but beyond that we don’t know about his past.” Footage showed the pup walking on a leash and sitting in his new home. “Welcome home, sweet boy! Now it’s time for a diet [and] activity change ASAP.”

Viewers were touched by the story and soon became invested in the dog, who Ashton and his husband decided to name Oat Milk Latte. The couple has kept the TikTok community updated on Oat Milk’s progress in his new home, sharing footage of his first bath and haircut—as well as sadder moments, as he grieves the loss of his previous home and owner.

“While he is very, very sweet, he definitely is grieving,” added Ashton, speaking to The Dodo. “Every day we’ve had him now, he’s been getting a little better, but it’s a process. Losing someone is hard, especially for dogs. They depend on us for everything.”

Newsweek has reached out to Ashton for further comment.