West Orange, New Jersey - At first, he and his friends were unsure what they were looking at, but when Reddit user Davidowicza got closer, he and those around him laughed out loud. The visitors to the Turtle Back Zoo in New Jersey had expected a cheetah in the cheetah enclosure. Instead, there was just a Labrador chilling there.

The amused zoo guest took a photo that he posted to Reddit in the middle of the week, to which he joked: "I was at the zoo today and I'm 99% sure that's not a cheetah..."

However, the "know-it-all" had done the math without the zoo's input, because Labrador Bowie, who was the one lounging in the cheetah den, isn't playing the role of "cheetah substitute" there, but rather as a moral supporter.

In 2019, the Turtle Back Zoo welcomed the dog to its animal family via Instagram. In fact, the four-legged friend actually shares a cage with a cheetah named Nandi.

Animals Researchers create "zombie" bird drones – can you tell the difference?

The reason: since cheetahs are animals that experience a lot of stress and fear, many zoos pair them with companion dogs – as is the case here.

Nandi and Bowie, who grew up together from a young age, are now inseparable, and the two especially enjoy playing together in their free time, Newsweek reports.

However, this didn't change the fact that the post by reddit user Davidowicza went viral with 111,000 users clicking on it within two days.

While some likely laughed as heartily as the zoo visitor, others chimed into the comments section with expertise.

Dogs Dog is heartbroken when owners pack for vacation, but then comes the best surprise!

As for the Turtle Back Zoo, it certainly doesn't need a fake cheetah. 200 species of animals are cared for at the park, which is located in West Orange.

Nandi, however, is one of the animals that are rarely seen. But with a bit of luck, you might just catch a glimpse of Labrador Bowie instead!