His best friend, Raina the Rhodesian Ridgeback puppy, waited by his side in the surgical treatment room at the San Diego Zoo Safari Park till everything was finished.
When Ruuxa got up, Raina was right there to welcome him.
” Raina showed up extremely worried about Ruuxa when she saw he was sleeping and she could not wake him,” said Susie Ekard, animal training supervisor, Safari Park. “She licked him and nuzzled him, and when he awoke, she lay with him and also seemed very content to know her cheetah was alright.