Here are 25 times that the bond between animals renewed our faith in love and friendship.

1. Anjana, the chimpanzee adopted two white tiger cubs separated from their mother after a hurricane. She and her caretaker look after them like their own and the cubs could not ask for more.

2. Here’s the world’s most lovable BLT – Bear, lion, tiger – trio of Baloo, Leo and Shere Khan. ‘Cause three’s company too, and in this case, it has been for 15 years.

3. Bella, the black lab and Bubbles, the playful African elephant do make quite the twosome. Bubbles, rescued from ivory poachers, was brought to a safari reserve where these two met and hit it off famously.

4. Wild lioness Chobe was adopted as an orphan cub by the family that calls Prince their pet dog. It wasn’t long before she found a forever friend in Prince and you’ll find them chilling with each other all too often.

5. Torque, the mutt adopted Shrek, and owl chick when he was only 6 months old himself. Shrek was removed from his mother’s care due to a threat to his life, but little did he know he’d meet his BFF once he left home. The two are now inseparable.

6. This curious cat-fox duo, spotted by fishermen at the banks of Lake Van in Turkey, share a playful bond and are clearly cute beyond words.

7. Manni the wild boar piglet was rescued from starvation in a field in Germany and brought home to Candy the dog and his human family. And thus began an epic friendship between the two furry beasts.

8. This Great Dane, Kate and Pippin, the baby deer struck a friendship that remains intact even though Pippin grew up and moved to the forest to raise her deer family. Yep, she still comes to visit her ol’ buddy.

9. Kasi, the cheetah cub and Mtani, the lab were raised together in the U.S. and even though years have come and gone, their bond has remained strong.

10. After Bonedigger, the 500-pound lion was brought to a shelter due to a disabling metabolic bone disease, he found love and friendship with Milo, the tiny Dachshund on the estate. These beasts, big and small, are now the best of buds.

11. Together at the Busch Gardens in the U.S., Bea the giraffe and Wilma the ostrich somehow became friends. They’re in a 65-acre enclosure at the facility and aren’t forced to spend time together – but they do it anyway.

12. After his mother was mauled by a fox, Dennis the duckling was fighting against the odds. But Fred the lovable lab and his owner nursed him back to health and the fact that Dennis found a big cuddly friend in Fred probably also helped the healing.

And then there were several other cuddle buddies whose adorable stories we don’t know. But as far as friendship goals go, they’re pretty much it.

May all your friendships have the love and purity of these adorable, innocent animals. ‘Cause the world really is a poorer place without it.

Feature source: Africa Geographic, Masthead source: Funny Animals