Bonedigger was a male lion at the Garold Wayne Exotic Animal Park in Wynnewood, Oklahoma.
He was diagnosed with a metabolic bone disease as a cub, a condition that affected his bone development and left him mildly disabled.
When Bonedigger was just four weeks old, zookeepers introduced him to a litter of miniature Dachshund puppies, hoping to give the young lion some companionship.
Among them was an 11-pound dog named Milo, who eventually became his closest companion.
The two grew up together and developed an unusually close bond. They cuddled, played, shared meals of raw meat and spent much of their time together.
Milo even began imitating Bonedigger's distinctive lion vocalizations.
One of their most unusual habits was Milo licking the lion's teeth after meals. Bonedigger would return the affection by gently licking the much smaller dog.
