Cheetahs are undoubtedly some of the coolest animals on the planet. But in actual fact, cheetahs are surprisingly pretty shy! A cheetah’s social anxiety stops them from being able to socialize with others of their kind. Their nerves can get so bad that they’re not able to procreate – and now experts are fearing that they may go extinct. Luckily, zoos like St. Louis Zoo have some tricks up their sleeve. Emotional support dogs are used in humans to provide psychological support, connection, and motivation to people who need it. Similarly, zookeepers found that emotional support dogs could provide the same benefits in cheetahs that they can in humans. Since a dog helps the cheetah cub with their social skills, when the time comes for them to procreate, they are much more likely to have the confidence to put themselves out there!
