San Diego Zoo Reveals Their Cheetah’s Bestie Is a Golden Retriever Named Elvis
Leave it to Golden Retrievers, they really know how to make friends with everyone they meet. These dogs are super friendly. So much so that not even a cheetah at the San Diego Zoo can resist their charms. That's right, we said a cheetah.
Who would have thought that a dog and big cat could be besties? But it's true. The zoo recently shared an unlikely friendship between one of their cheetahs and a pooch named Elvis.
Shared by a self-professed "zoo guy" (aka, lover of all things zoos), Ryan Slasher, the footage shows the California zoo introducing Elvis to a crowd at the zoo.
"This is Elvis. He is a dog. He is not the world's fastest animal," a zoo employee joked to the crowd.
Related: Video of Cheetah Cub Meeting Emotional Support Puppy Is Impossible to Resist
But then they introduced their South African Cheetah, which definitely is the world's fastest animal.
The zoo paired the two so the cheetah could learn social cues after being abandoned by her mother. The duo have been together their entire lives, the announcer explained. They even live together 24/7. Who says cats and dogs can't get along?
Commenters were gushing over these besties. "He’s a professional best friend," wrote one person, speaking of Elvis. "Elvis is an icon for finding a job that suits you even if your first plan doesn’t work out," another commenter joked. "'He is NOT the world's fastest land mammal' is also how I will be introducing my dog to people," teased another commenter. "Cheetahs needing emotional support dogs is the sweetest thing to think about when I’m sad," someone else added.
Why Zoos Pair Goldens With Cheetahs
The idea of pairing a Golden Retriever with a cheetah sounds crazy, doesn't it? But it's actually become a somewhat common practice. Goldens are routinely used as comfort companions to cheetahs.
As the Cincinnati Enquirer reports, cheetahs are solitary creatures. However before the age of 2 they grow up with siblings, and it's from these siblings that they can learn important skills, like playing and giving chase. Enter Golden Retrievers, who can fill that void if a cheetah doesn't have family.
In places like Namibia, dogs can even prevent cheetahs from getting poached. Dogs can stop cheetahs from going after livestock, which in turn means that farmers won't kill them to keep them away from their animals.
So you see, cheetahs and Golden Retrievers are actually a pretty good pairing. We can see why these two are the best of friends.
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