A Texas family got more than they bargained for when their drive-thru safari experience took a turn.
Jason Toten, his fiancé Sierra Robert, and their children took a trip to the Fossil Rim Wildlife Center in Glen Rose to take their wildlife tour on Saturday, Toten told McClatchy News.
‘We were having a little family day, just getting out of the house,’ he said.
Similar to a petting zoo, Fossil Rim allows visitors to feed some animals with food they provide.
The couple and their daughter, Paisley, were admiring the animals passing and getting a close-up look at the hungry wildlife when a giraffe walks up to the truck, taking a particular liking to the toddler.
Within an instant, the little girl is lifted into the air.
Jason Toten, his fiancé Sierra Robert (pictured), and their children took a trip to the Fossil Rim Wildlife Center in Glen Rose to take their wildlife tour on Saturday, Toten told McClatchy News
A Texas family got more than they bargained for when their drive-thru safari experience took a turn
The car behind the truck with Toten and his family also took a video, where you can see the giraffe accidentally grab the toddler’s shirt, lifting her into the air.
Robert reacted immediately, grabbing Paisley as she was lifted into the air by the giraffe.
‘I looked out the back window and I saw the giraffe … and then up she went,’ Toten said. ‘My heart stopped, it scared the hell out of me.’
But the fear subsided quickly as all it took for the giraffe to let go of the toddler’s shirt was a stern ‘hey’ from Robert.
And Paisley was the least concerned of everyone.
‘I guess it startled the giraffe,’ Toten said. ‘She wasn’t even scared,’ he added. ‘As soon as her mom caught her, she went ‘oh.’
Toten said he understands the situation was a complete accident and that the giraffe intended to grab the food bag out of Paisley’s hands, which she refused to let go of.
‘It ended up getting her shirt and lifting her out of the truck,’ he said.
Toten said he understands the situation was a complete accident and that the giraffe intended to grab the food bag out of Paisley’s hands, which she refused to let go of
After the incident, the family took Paisley to the gift shop, where all she wanted was a plush of her new favorite animal.
“We go in there and all she wanted was a giraffe toy and a giraffe T-shirt,” Toten said. “We ended up getting her both, we figured she deserved it.”
Toten said their family isn’t deterred from coming back to Fossil Rim and that they’ll still ride in the back of the truck ‘because that’s an experience in itself.’