Whale shark visits dog’s boat (Video)

Talk about finding friends in the strangest places. This Labrador retriever, appropriately named Sailor, offered a sweet kiss to a whale shark who came up to visit her boat. 28-year-old Jade Pursell was diving near Australia’s Ningaloo Reef with a friend when the 22-foot whale shark swam up to their boat. 

That’s when the spotted shark sticks their head out of the water in front of the very inquisitive Sailor. The shark hangs out at the boat’s rear for several moments, until the 8-year-old dog gives the fish a little kiss—even though Pursell told her not to. “Sailor had never met a whale shark before. I always hoped she would, but that was by far better than I had ever imagined,” said Pursell. “To see Sailor meet a whale shark, I honestly just felt overjoyed. Animals are incredible, and it couldn’t have gone any better. It was such an innocent interaction, I felt so lucky to see it.” 

It was such an innocent interaction

She went on to say that Sailor is probably the only dog in the world who’s ever laid a kiss on a whale shark—and it might not have been pure luck, either. She thinks the shark knew Sailor was on board and wanted to meet. It’s not only special, it’s one of those things that gives a dog some serious street cred. After all, the shark did spend plenty of time just hanging out by the boat. Cheers to new friends!