A Texas family got quite a scare at the Fossil Rim Wildlife Center on Saturday when a giraffe picked up a toddler.
The Toten family says they were feeding a giraffe from the bed of their pickup truck when the animal accidentally grabbed 2-year-old Paisley’s shirt.
Paisley’s mother sat in the truck bed with her as she fed the giraffe from a brown paper bag. While trying to get more food, the animal accidentally grabbed Paisley’s shirt and lifted her into the air.
In a video shot by the mother, Paisley’s mother can be heard screaming before the camera swings back and forth wildly as she leans in to catch Paisley. The giraffe quickly dropped Paisley back into her mother’s arms.
Paisley’s father, Jason Toten, saw what happened from the driver’s seat while looking out the back window. He says the grab was clearly accidental and that the family broke no rules.
“Paisley was holding the bag and the giraffe went to get the bag, not her, but ended up grabbing her shirt and picking her up,” the father told KWTX.
No one was injured, but Jason Toten describes the brief moment of panic during the incident.
“My heart stopped, my stomach dropped… it scared me.”
Little Paisley ended up getting a toy giraffe from the gift shop because she “deserved it,” the father said.
Despite the incident, the Toten family says they enjoyed the visit to Fossil Rim and plan to return one day.
The Toten family followed the rules of the nature center
Fossil Rim Wildlife Center is a non-profit conservation center located near Glen Rose, Texas. It features a drive-through safari, with various animals roaming freely along the path.
According to the center’s website, families are encouraged to drive their own cars for a self-guided ride through 7 miles of Texas hill country. Visitors are also allowed to feed the giraffes as they walk through the area.
The website also allows visitors to sit in the back of trucks, as long as there is at least one adult in the bed.
This article originally appeared on Austin American-Statesman: Video: Giraffe picks up toddler from truck at Texas nature center
