Alarming moment giraffe plucks toddler from family's truck at Texas drive-thru safari as helpless mom tries to cling to her child

A Texas family got more than they bargained for when their drive-thru safari experience took a turn.

Jason Toten, 24, his fiancé Sierra Robert, 23, and their children took a trip to the Fossil Rim Wildlife Center in Glen Rose to take their wildlife tour on Saturday, Jason 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. 

Jason and Sierra encouraged little Paisley to feed the giraffe from her hand, but within an instant, the two-year-old girl was 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 Jason and his family also took a video, where you can see the giraffe accidentally use its teeth to grab the toddler's shirt, lifting her into the air.

Sierra reacted immediately, grabbing Paisley as she was pulled into the air by the giraffe.

'I looked out the back window and I saw the giraffe … and then up she went,' Jason 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 Sierra.

The animal soon realised its mistake and dropped the tot, uninjured, back into the car - and Paisley was the least concerned of everyone. 

'I guess it startled the giraffe,' Jason said. 'She wasn't even scared,' he added. 'As soon as her mom caught her, she went 'oh.'

Jason added: 'It scared me but after it was all over, we realised everyone was safe and unharmed, and we laughed about it.'

The father 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. 

Jason 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. 

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,' Jason said. 'We ended up getting her both, we figured she deserved it.'

Despite being the world's tallest mammals, giraffes are usually not aggressive. However, females can be hostile sometimes when protecting their calves. 

Jason said their family isn't deterred from coming back to Fossil Rim and they will still ride in the back of the truck 'because that's an experience in itself' - however, this comment was made before the rule was reportedly changed. 

On Wednesday, Fossil Rim announced a new policy that guests will no longer be allowed to ride in the bed of pick-up trucks, reports NDC DFW.

Since the video of Paisley being plucked from the back of the truck went viral online, mother Sierra has faced a lot of backlash from worried viewers.

Some trolls branded the 23-year-old a 'bad mom' for letting the youngester ride in the back of the vehicle.

Despite being the world's tallest mammals, giraffes are usually not aggressive (stock image)

She has since hit back at those criticising her and defended herself by posting a lengthy statement on her Facebook profile.

Taking to social media, she wrote: 'Let me make something very clear. Anything can happen anytime and anywhere. 

'Had we gone to the park that day instead (aka outside) she could have been bitten by a snake. 

'Snakes are everywhere this time of year and yet noone would have called me a bad mom for taking my child to the park to play where there would potentially be snakes.

'Had I taken my daughter to the another fun child establishment, on the way there we could have gotten in a wreck. No one would have called me a bad mom or ridiculed me for putting her in the car because we could have potentially wrecked.

'There are always dangers in the world, no matter where you go, or what you do. I refuse to teach my child to be afraid of her own shadow because she could possibly be hurt by something out of her control. 

'I had personally never visited a safari so when I saw that you could ride in the bed of your truck, I assumed that it would be perfectly safe since the park allowed it.'

The mother added that she 'does not blame the park or the giraffe for what happened' and insists she will 'not shelter' her child from 'experiencing the world'.

She explained that growing up, she would always ride in the back of her family truck and insists that 'so many others have done the same'.