While people love watching chimps, they love cute, cuddly puppies even more. Put the two together, and you'll have one of the sweetest moments to hit the internet. The Myrtle Beach Safari preserve provides wild animals a safe place to live out their days with trained professionals caring for them. Visitors can see the animals via facility tours, but if visiting isn't an option, their social media accounts consistently document the animals daily lives. They also give an insight into what visitors can expect. But the cutest interaction on their social media may be when one of the chimps snuggles a puppy.
Primates are known for having human-like qualities. This chimp at Mrytle Beach Safari is no exception. Of course, you usually see chimps with baby chimps playing and cuddling, but this cute animal takes the aww factor up a few notches in a recent video posted to their TikTok account. The video shows the chimpanzee, Vali, meeting a pit bull puppy for the first time.
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The touching clip looks like something out of a Disney movie! Vali sits on the ground with his trainer as a baby monkey runs around on one side, and a pile of puppies sits on the other. While these might not be newborn puppies, they certainly are adorable and are the right size to be handled by the chimp.
The pooch sits quietly as the chimp reaches over and picks it up. Vali gently hugs the pup like a toddler would hug a plush toy or baby doll—nice and gentle. The trainer asks Vali if this is the dog he wants to name and what he wants to name it. While the trainer talks, Vali looks over the puppy, cuddling it like a baby and kissing its tummy. You can tell that these two are going to be best friends. I think the preserve may need to add some dog toys to the exhibit!
While the interaction is adorable, subscribers to Myrtle Beach Safari's TikTok have mixed reactions to the meet-and-greet. One person commented, "Monkey + puppy= good friendship." However, not everyone agreed. "This makes me nervous," another user wrote. Those who agreed were concerned the chimp would use the pup as an interactive toy and eventually hurt it. That said, rescue dogs and zoo animals have a long history of positive relationships. And, of course, the employees at the safari are professionals.
What do you think of the chimp snuggling a puppy? Tell us on our Pets by Wide Open Media Instagram!
This article was originally published on November 19, 2021.
