CINCINNATI — Whoever said dogs and cats can’t be friends must have never met Savanna and Max.
In a video of the two, Savanna, a one-and-a-half-year-old cheetah, and Max, a black Labrador who is just a few weeks younger, seem to really enjoy chasing each other around in the snow at the Cincinnati Zoo & Botanical Garden in Ohio.
The unlikely duo, who first met when Savanna was just 10-weeks-old, began their friendship just over a year ago as part of a companionship program for cheetahs born into captivity. Max, one of the companion dogs, was introduced to Savanna to give her more confidence as she grew older.
Although this dog and cat friendship may seem bizarre to some people, according to the Daily Mail, the pairing of big cats with dogs is something that was started by the San Diego Zoo about 30 years ago.
In the past, safari parks and zoos who struggled with breeding programs for the endangered cats, found that cheetahs raised in captivity sometimes have a hard time relating to other breeds of large cats. As a solution they tried introducing the spotted cats to dogs, creating very strong and unique bonds.
The two have become almost inseparable ever since they were introduced, however they do feed separately. Max also occasionally finds time to play with humans and other dogs.