The same lure system that gets dogs zooming in backyards is now helping one of the world’s fastest animals stay active and engaged. Serious fun, taken to the next level.
From Backyard Play to Cheetah Sprints: How SwiftPaws Is Bringing “Serious Fun” to Zoos
What do your dog and a cheetah have in common?
They both love to chase things.
Meet Meghan Wolfgram, founder and CEO of SwiftPaws, a company that makes enrichment products for pets with a twist: their technology is now enriching the lives of cheetahs in zoos across the country.
SwiftPaws is best known for its lure coursing kits. Imagine a high-speed “fake squirrel” zipping through your backyard while your pet gets the ultimate zoomies workout. But the company’s mission goes far beyond just pets. Meghan calls it “serious fun”—mental and physical wellness through play.
And that’s exactly what brought her from the backyard to the big leagues working with cheetahs.
SwiftPaws recently partnered with the Saint Louis Zoo to install their system for cheetah enrichment. It’s part of a growing niche of SwiftPaws' work with zoological organizations (this was zoo #10!). The goal? Help animals in human care express their natural behaviors — like the lightning-fast chase of a predator in the wild.
“For cheetahs, chasing is instinctual. So giving them an outlet to sprint, chase, and hunt — safely and playfully — is a form of enrichment that’s just as important as food or medical care,” Meghan explains.
SwiftPaws' journey with zoos actually started over 10 years ago, right at home with the Brevard Zoo, Groundswell’s neighbor, and the first zoo to ever use SwiftPaws’ system. Since then, the tech has helped keep not just pets but wild animals happy, healthy, and engaged.
“It’s a small part of our business,” Meghan says, “but a really meaningful one. It reminds us why we do what we do.”
From couch-loving cats to sprinting cheetahs, SwiftPaws proves that play isn’t just fun—it’s essential.
🐾 Curious about SwiftPaws and their products (for house pets or cheetahs)?
Check out their site at swiftpaws.com and see what “serious fun” really looks like.
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