Animals have been known to form the most unlikely friendships, and it’s so sweet to see the animals interact, especially if they’re not animals that you normally see together. At the Richmond Zoo in Moseley, Virginia, a cheetah named Kumbali has a best friend named Kago, who happens to be a Labrador Retriever.<\/p>\n
TikToker @MythsandMakers visited the zoo recently and got to see the two besties together, and shared the video in mid-September. It shows Kago loving grooming the cheetah, and the look on Kumbali’s face proves that the two are bonded and love and care for each other!<\/p>\n
Myths and Makers’<\/a> video totally made our day! Viewers left hundreds of comments about the cheetah<\/a> and Lab besties. In fact, the two of them have been friends for more than 10 years, and people remember them as little ones. Like @Avap4ws, who shared, \u201cOMG, the dog\u2019s old white face! I remember when they were babies, I was obsessed with them.\u201d<\/p>\n Related: Wildlife Rescuers Share Surprising Sound a Cheetah Makes and People Are Flabbergasted<\/a><\/p>\n More About Kumbali and Kago at the Richmond Zoo<\/p>\n The Richmond Zoo shared the story of how, as a cub<\/a>, Kumbali needed a friend shortly after he was born, and Kago was introduced to him. They explained, “Dogs have been used as companion animals to cheetahs for over thirty years. The San Diego Zoo pioneered this idea and has had many successful cheetah-dog companionships. Other zoos have also initiated this practice.”<\/p>\n “We wanted to find a rescue animal\u2013 an animal that could be given a new meaning\u2013 a new home, a new friend, and a new life. But it had to be the\u00a0right\u00a0puppy. It needed to have a calming, yet fun-loving personality. Labs are well-known for these qualities<\/a>, so we\u00a0searched tirelessly trying to find the right\u00a0lab mix puppy at the appropriate age.” They found a 10-week-old Kago at The Art of Paws, a high-kill shelter in Alabama.<\/p>\n The zoo slowly introduced the two, and their bond was instant. Ten years later, they\u2019re still inseparable best friends<\/a>. The Zoo shared, “They don\u2019t even seem to recognize their differences in species, size, or color. There is only acceptance. Maybe we, as humans, have some things to learn from these two.” We couldn’t agree more!<\/p>\n This story was originally reported by PetHelpful<\/a> on Sep 29, 2025, where it first appeared in the Pet News<\/a> section. Add PetHelpful as a Preferred Source by clicking here.<\/a><\/p>\n