Giraffe Helps Man Propose to His Veterinarian Girlfriend

Love reached new heights when a man had a tall friend help him propose.

When couple Lila Batiari, 31, and Zachary Gladnick, who turns 34 next week, changed their travel plans to visit Northern California, Gladnick saw the perfect chance to ask an important question. On Tuesday, Aug. 19, the two went to B. Bryan Preserve in Point Arena, where Gladnick planned a surprise proposal — with the help of a giraffe.

“He knows I love animals because I am a veterinarian, so he wanted to make it special,” Batiari told PEOPLE.

The couple booked a “giraffe painting tour,” which the preserve describes as a 45-minute chance to help a giraffe “paint” a canvas. Visitors hold a canvas while the giraffe paints it, feed the animal treats, and leave with an 8×10 artwork. Tickets cost $100 per guest, with all proceeds going toward the care of the giraffes at B. Bryan Preserve.

“We got Mazi (the giraffe) to do some ‘painting’ for each of us!” Batiari wrote in the caption of an Instagram Reel of the proposal. “Here I thought we were just taking a picture with his masterpieces. Zach planted multiple things for the days leading up to it, to throw me off 😂 He pulled off a good one 🍾🎊.”

In the video, Batiari and Gladnick posed with their painted canvases in front of Mazi. While Batiari thought they were only taking photos, Gladnick switched his canvas for one that read, “Will You Marry Me?” with a red heart.

When Batiari turned around and saw the new canvas, she gasped and covered her mouth in shock. Gladnick got down on one knee as Mazi leaned its long neck over the fence, almost as if it was admiring the engagement ring.

“My heart was racing so much, I either almost cried or blacked out,” Batiari said. “I was so overwhelmed with emotion from such a life-changing moment.”

Batiari explained she didn’t expect the proposal because Gladnick had distracted her with “decoy hints.”

“It was truly a surprise proposal! The days leading up to it, I initially thought it was going to happen. However, I broke my pinky nail the day before and was trying to get it fixed. He said I didn’t need to fix it for months. He even joked that Paris would be more romantic, and by then my nail would have grown back.”

She added, “While I was getting dressed, I asked for opinions on my outfit, and he kept saying, ‘A giraffe does not care what you are wearing.’ I even asked about wearing a dress, and he told me to pick a color giraffes like. Turns out that color is green, since it looks like their food! With all those hints, I thought the proposal would happen months later. The broken nail threw me off the most.”

Batiari and Gladnick first met in San Diego. She agreed to go out with him partly because he lived near her dog’s favorite place, Fiesta Island Dog Park. They officially began dating in January 2022.