This has to be a first.

Notice anything different about Dodge's ad? Not only did the company agree to "never [use] great apes in [its] advertisements again" after PETA alerted the carmaker to the beatings and other abuses that performing chimpanzees are subjected to behind the scenes, it also digitally altered the ad that started it all to make the chimpanzee disappear.

Dodge also issued a statement explaining why the chimpanzee had to go: "They [PETA and Chimpanzee Sanctuary Northwest] told us how these animals are usually separated from their mothers at a young age and are usually discarded at seedy roadside attractions after they get too old to act."

The news of Dodge and PETA's détente quickly went viral. A Taiwanese media company even got into the act with a hilarious animated "reenactment" of the disappearing-ape saga, complete with pyrotechnics.

Is it just me, or does Taiwan's idea of a PETA boss look eerily like Jason Statham?

Written by Alisa Mullins

As they say in showbiz, "It's a wrap." I'm referring to the efforts of PETA and Chimpanzee Sanctuary Northwest to convince Dodge officials to show that they care about animal "actors" like Suzie, a young chimpanzee who appears in the company's recent ad.

As soon as we learned about the ad, we contacted Dodge's president and CEO, Ralph Gilles, with details about troubling training methods that can include abuse delivered via fists, sticks, and clubs. We also shared information from chimpanzee expert Sarah Baeckler's undercover investigation of a Hollywood training facility. Dodge officials were quick to decide to edit Suzie out of the commercial. And just like that, Dodge joins Travelers Insurance, AT&T, and Europcar, companies that have pulled or altered ads with great apes in just the last month after being contacted by PETA.

There's still reason to be concerned about Suzie's safety: An anonymous whistleblower from the set of Lifetime's Drop Dead Diva contacted PETA after witnessing a trainer allegedly pulling on Suzie's hair and ears and yelling so loudly and threateningly that little Suzie cowered and tried to hide. The episode featuring Suzie aired on July 25.

Now we'd like to direct you to "Action!"—for animals, that is. First, please head over to Dodge's Facebook page to thank the company for being responsive and behaving responsibly in editing Suzie out of its campaign. Then urge Lifetime Television to promise not to exploit chimpanzees for any future television shows.

Written by Karin Bennett