Hypothetical question about giraffes

[Curlygirl06]

Dh and I were having a debate about giraffes (wild evening here!).
If you had a pet giraffe and you took it out for a walk, would you put a collar and lead up the top by its head, or down the bottom of its neck by its body?
One of us thinks it should go up by its head, so that you could gently pull its head down if you were going under a low bridge, for example, or pull it to the side if you were going round a corner so it could see where its going.
One of us thinks it should be by the body as otherwise you'd have a bloody long lead (duh, it's a giraffe so obvs!) and you could guide it just as well from the bottom as up the top.
YANBU of course it should be at the top by the head.
YABU of course it should be at the bottom of its neck near the body.

Fair enough. I think I’d go for the harness option. Although last night I dropped a giraffe and it doinked its head off the floor, so I probably wouldn’t be allowed to walk one. I may have been dreaming

But what if you couldn't go round and HAD to go under?
You lot are raising points that even we hadn't considered, well done!

Love this! Toddler reins is my answer.

You're my kind of person!

Can’t go under it, can’t go over it, can’t go through it, got to go around it!

(the bridge that is).

i wouldn’t fancy walking a giraffe, they’re big buggers. Saw some on safari and they’re actually quite scary looking.

@MNHQ, Classics please!

Giraffes are far too noble to submit to any sort of collar or harness.

This is a more pertinent question.

So just asked dp short story of it is he said around the nose so he's got good control and I say a harness. Long story involved 100 more questions about can you control it like a good dog and is it allowed of lead in this hypothetical world. We are now on the debate of this if we ever get to a conclusion I will let you know

Harness on body

This thread has reminded me of a lovely book I read called ‘West with Giraffes’, about some people transporting giraffes across America, based on a true story.

www.amazon.co.uk/West-Giraffes-Novel-Lynda-Rutledge-ebook/dp/B088FF4S7Q

But are zebras worried about looking fat ? They stand out like a sore thumb
I mean lions have got that bit sorted , them dudes can hide !

See, now that's a logical answer to why it shouldn't be at the base. You're walking along with your giraffe on its lead (round the bottom of its neck) suddenly it stops for a drink, or to nibble some grass, head down, whoosh! Collar comes flying off over its head, next thing your giraffe is galloping off into the distance. Calamity!

I'm glad you're joining in, this debate will run and run.

I think you’d be ok - giraffe mums drop their newborn babies 6 ft o to the floor as soon as they give birth.

Well, that's the thing, they DON'T stand out like a sore thumb when they're naked in the long grass, cos of their vertical stripes. So horizontal stripes are a double no-no, because they spoil their camouflage as well as making them look fat 🙂

Clearly it must be around the head like a horse's bridle. Given a girafe is much stronger than a human, a collar at the base of the neck or a harness around the body will lead to the girafe dragging you rather than the other way around. It won't fall if it's properly fastened around the head.

And what ever the answer is, does the same go for tigers ?

Have you not seen giraffes fighting with their necks! I would not worry about damaging their necks.

If horizontal stripes make them look fat, they'd be more likely to get eaten by a lion surely? After all, if a lion is going to use energy to chase after a zebra, surely you're better off chasing what looks like a fat one? More meat, possibly slower runners- zebras have the stripe issue sorted! Vertical stripes- thin zebras, less appealing to a hungry lion.

This!

Oooh now that’s an interesting question!

If a tiger and a zebra happened to be staying in the same hotel one night and the fire alarm went off, would either or both of them be mortified to be caught out wearing the same pjamas, regardless of whether they were horizontal or vertical stripes?

Defo the left hand one, the right hand one is just ridiculous.

I think they can get stuck when they do the splits, so I wouldn't risk it.
My giraffe would be so devoted to me that he would walk to heel nicely and not need a lead🦒 ❤️

How very dare you!

Good point! 😅🤣