Courtesy of Metro Richmond Zoo.

Cheetahs and dogs seem like an unlikely match—or even a disaster waiting to happen—but a very sweet, brotherly friendship is on display at the Metro Richmond Zoo right now.

You can’t even see our new baby panda right now, and it can barely see you—so if you’re willing to drive a couple hours away to Chesterfield County, VA, you will be handsomely rewarded with the friendship of Kumbali and Kago. Or if you can’t make the drive, you can watch this tender buddy comedy:

Kago is a lab mix puppy that was rescued from a high-kill shelter in Alabama by Virginia rescue organization AWOL MUTTS. Kumbali was a cheetah baby whose mother wasn’t feeding him enough and was losing weight before the zoo staff stepped in. Now the two are like brothers from another mother.

Pairing puppies with cheetahs is actually a time-tested approach for cheetahs living in captivity, Metro Richmond Zoo explains. Cheetahs are nervous but social creatures. Puppies are social, friendly and they get along well with humans. Pairing the two helps keep cheetahs calm, and they develop a life-long friendship (meaning the cheetah will not rip his canine friend to shreds when he grows up!). The zoo explains:

This symbiotic relationship would never happen in the wild; however, we believe the positive outcomes outweigh any negative. As the two grow up together, they create a bond that becomes almost inseparable, sibling-like. They provide companionship for each other. The dog has a calming influence because the cheetah will take behavioral cues from the dog- learning not to fear his surroundings, but instead embracing them with confidence. The dog normally becomes the dominant figure in the relationship by becoming the protector and leader. The cheetah will not hurt or kill his friend.

The San Diego Zoo has a pioneer in cheetah-puppy relations for over 30 years. These pairings have brought us cute photo ops like this puppy chilling with a baby cheetah and its a baby cast.

If you want to see Kumbali and Kago, you can visit the Metro Richmond Zoo Monday through Thursday from noon to 1 p.m, Fridays and Saturdays from noon to 1 p.m. and again from 3 p.m. to 4 p.m.