It appears that a Golden Retriever from Australia, Sailor, might be the first dog to have ever kissed a whale shark. Or, at least, that’s what her human, Jade Pursell, is tickled to think.
Jade Pursell is a dive instructor. On one of her standard trips off the coast of Australia, near the Ningaloo Reef, she brought along her Golden Retriever, Sailor — and boy, what a day it would be!
According to a report from FOX10, a 22-foot-long whale shark surfaced next to Pursell’s boat. Right next to where Sailor was currently sitting. Pursell was overjoyed!
“I was so happy,” Jade explained. “To see Sailor meet a whale shark, I honestly just felt overjoyed. Animals are incredible and it couldn’t have gone any better. I wondered if she knew or could smell that this was the animal I swim with every day.
“My initial worry was that she might take a leap of faith onto the shark or that she would touch it. Once the shark was so close to her I knew I had nothing to worry about.”
This Gives Sailor Some Cool Dog Cred
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Naturally, Pursell captured a video of the occasion, just as Sailor kissed the whale shark!
“Sailor had never met a whale shark before,” Pursell said. “I was telling her not to touch it, but neither of them listened to me. Sailor sniffed and kissed the shark.”
They say that making new friends is difficult, but certainly not for Sailor. We’re wondering, same as Pursell, if Sailor is the first dog to have ever kissed a whale shark. Hard to say, but it sure is fun to think about!
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“It was such an innocent interaction, I felt so lucky to see it,” said Pursell. “To think Sailor is probably the only dog in the world to have kissed a whale shark is pretty special.”
It’s not only special, it’s one of those things that gives a dog some serious street cred.
Before you head out on the seas with your dog to meet whale sharks like Sailor, make sure you stay safe! DogTime has a full guide to boating safely with your dog here!
What would your reaction be if your dog kissed a whale shark? Has your dog made any unusual animal friends? Let us know in the comments below.
