Giraffe High-Rise Housing Project

A joint initiative between DEFRA and the Ministry of Housing to address the chronic shortage of suitable multi-storey accommodation for giraffes in urban areas.

The programme was established after it was discovered that giraffes do not cope well with studio flats.

The Project aims to identify, retrofit, and where necessary construct, accommodation that meets the specific spatial needs of giraffes living in British towns and cities. This includes minimum ceiling heights, appropriate window placement, skylight access, and what the Department refers to as ‘general vertical considerations.’

Before you apply

Before registering interest in giraffe housing, you should ensure that:

• you have a giraffe, or reasonable expectation of acquiring a giraffe
• your current accommodation has been assessed as unsuitable by a qualified giraffe housing officer
• you are not attempting to house a giraffe in a property with ceilings below 4.5 metres, as this constitutes a welfare concern and the giraffe will hold you personally responsible
• you have read the accommodation standards in full
• you are prepared for the emotional demands of giraffe cohabitation, including but not limited to sustained eye contact from an unusual height

What you need to know

The Giraffe High-Rise Housing Project has produced guidance on the following topics:

• Accommodation standards for giraffes — minimum requirements for ceiling height, windows, doors, and other considerations
• The Dewsbury Experiment — findings from the pilot placement of a giraffe in a converted multi-storey car park
• Current status of the Project — suspension details, alternative approaches under investigation, and next steps
• Frequently asked questions — common enquiries about giraffe housing, Clive, and the Project generally