Pittsburgh Zoo & PPG Aquarium African Wild Dog Exhibit

This horrible event that happened with the wild dogs is just a product of our current society. The intelligence of this planet has taken a very sad downturn. A huge majority of the population have difficulties with reality and fantasy. Thanks to technology movies, video games, internet people have become less intelligent, they make poor decisions on a daily basis. Other people back them up and say things like " oh he or she made a mistake, you should forgive them" these types of replies only let these people not take responsiblity for there actions. Well some poor decisions you have to live with the rest of your life. Promote a more responsible world!!! In the mean time Zoos are going to have to "idiot proof" every exhibit. If you think of a way that someone is going to get close to a dangerous animal, block that way!!!! The animals end up suffering also for humans stupid mistakes. Education for children is what most wildlife zoos emphasize on, we need to change this to education for adults also. Educate people about dangerous animals.
 
Actually, the product of our modern society is the belief that accidents have never and will never happen. It is only in the day of 24/7 media that we have become away of the minute short comings of the human race. People are no worse than they ever have been, and in most regards, they are better than they were.
 
Actually I am surprised that the viewing area was designed allowing visitors to dangle over the dogs. Usually a set back is required. Here, it seems, one can get right out over the animals. From this photo it appears not so clear that a visitor would know not to do such a thing. Perhaps ZooChatters who have seen this viewing area can comment on the safety of the design and level of alerts to visitors about the nice doggies
http://www.zoochat.com/597/bottom-part-african-wild-dog-exhibit-273933/
 
This is a terrible tragedy and I wish people would stop calling it an accident, because it wasn't. While the mom didn't intend for this to happen to her child, it was HER actions and HER choice that led to it happening. The articles have said he "flipped" over two different fences. I really don't understand how that could happen, especially when a 'catch basin' is between two of the fences. Granted, I've never been to this zoo nor have I ever seen a full-on photo of the exhibit. I know that the mother will have to live with this for the rest of her life, but she's far from blameless and we shouldn't just let her off the hook because of what happened. I just hope nothing happens to the remaining dogs and nothing should.
 
azcheetah2 said:
... but she's far from blameless and we shouldn't just let her off the hook because of what happened.
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We need not judge her at all. And we certainly are in no position to let her off of or hang her from any hook. I think this is not a useful or human way to respond to this event.

And I cannot think of the last time a North American zoo punished or euthanized an animal in such a situation.
 
Zoo Officials Offer New Details After Child’s Tragic Death CBS Pittsburgh
5 November 2012

Pittsburgh Zoo & PPG Aquarium officials gave an update Monday afternoon following a tragic incident on Sunday that resulted in a little boy losing his life.

Dr. Barbara Baker appeared to fight back tears throughout the press conference as she detailed how a 2-year-old boy fell into the African painted dog exhibit on Sunday.

Baker said staff responded immediately to the scene, but by the time they arrived it was too late and too dangerous for them to go into the exhibit.

The child was initially caught by safety netting at the exhibit. However, witnesses said that the child was too small and bounced off of it twice before falling into the exhibit.

Baker believes curiosity initially led the 11 dogs in the exhibit to the boy. The dogs are territorial by nature and quickly began to maul the child.

The zoo’s policy is to fire dummy darts in an attempt to spook the animals. The reason Baker gave for not firing live darts into the exhibit initially was that should one have struck the child, it could have caused more harm.

Baker said the zoo has spoken with the Medical Examiner’s Office, who said the child did not die as a result of the initial fall.

Crews boarded up the entrance to the lookout area of the exhibit Monday afternoon and it will remain closed off through the winter.

The zoo has not made a decision as to whether or not they will keep them yet.

The dogs have been placed in quarantine and will remain there for 30 days. All are up to date on their medical care and will not be euthanized.

Baker said the zoo runs drills twice a year for various incidents ranging from trip and falls to what happened on Sunday.

Police are continuing their investigation, while an internal investigation will also be conducted by the zoo.

The zoo will be open on Tuesday and people have already begun leaving stuffed animals and other items at the front gate of the facility.

This is the first incident where a visitor’s life was lost at the zoo since it opened in 1898.

The exhibit area originally housed cheetahs when it opened in 1992, but it was changed to African painted dogs in 2006.
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azcheetah2 said:
This is a terrible tragedy and I wish people would stop calling it an accident, because it wasn't. While the mom didn't intend for this to happen to her child, it was HER actions and HER choice that led to it happening.
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of course it was an accident. You said so yourself right there: "the mom didn't intend for this to happen to her child". It may have been a stupid action to put the child where she did, but the fall was still an accident. Stupidity does not negate accidentality. Show some sorrow for the mother who just lost her young son through a most horrible of deaths, and even worse for her given that it happened through her own actions!!
 
Here is the observation deck that overlooks the exhibit. It is screened on the sides, but open in front.

Pitt_Zoo1.jpg
 
mikek21 said:
Here is the observation deck that overlooks the exhibit. It is screened on the sides, but open in front.

Pitt_Zoo1.jpg
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It's hard to make out in this image, but there does appear to be a net or mesh projection below the open viewing area, probably intended to catch objects dropped by visitors. From the latest report it sounds as though the child was initially slowed or stopped by this structure, but then it either failed or he bounced/rolled off of it into the exhibit.

Absolutely tragic
 
yes, the net or mesh below the open portion of the observation deck is intended to catch dropped items like cameras, sunglasses, etc. Witnesses said the child hit this area, bounced off of it, and then down to the ground. Being such a small child, it seems like it might have been able to hold his weight if he had fallen directly onto it, instead of bouncing off. Such a tragedy
 
I blame the parents and as nobody saw the child fall and the parents did not jump in themselves to save the child it may have been intentional. How could they just sit there and not try and save their child :mad:.

I totally agree with those of you who think the parents should be taking the heat not the zoo.
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Legislation or safety features can not save people from their own stupidity, I just inconviences the normal people. I hope these people do not have other children as we don't want them passing on their stupidity genes. This sort if incident is not an accident.
 
I visited the zoo in May and photographed this exhibit, although I have not posted any pictures of the zoo in the gallery yet! It is a nice roomy exhibit situated on some slopes, contained with fencing. There are two viewing areas: One is a small shelter with a large window into one end of the exhibit, while the other is a small shelter perched above the middle of one long side of the exhibit. The latter is where the accident occured.

The entrance to the viewing shelter where the accident occured:



The interior of the viewing shelter where the accident occured:
5 of the 5 sides of the shelter that extend into the exhibit are enclosed with windows up to railing height. Above that, 4 of the 5 sides are enclosed by windows or metal mesh. However, the far side is not enclosed above the railing.



Closeup of the viewing shelter's railing and open side:
This is where the accident occured. Clearly, the educational graphic panel attached to the railing could encourage some to place their small children on top of it for a better view, despite it being set at a steep angle. The metal bars and mesh netting that did not catch the child can be clearly seen through the window below the railing. A few of the titles in the graphic panels are difficult to stomach in this context: one says 'No Feeding Frenzy' and describes how the pack takes turns eating; another says 'Bite Worse Than Bark' and describes their powerful jaws next to a picture of a dog yawning that shows its teeth.



The entrance to the other viewing shelter:
The shelter has a viewing window on one side, graphic panels on the other, and is open at the end with a nice overlook of the black rhinoceros exhibit down the hill in the distance (not visible from this view).



Closeup of the viewing window:



View of the exhibit from the viewing window:
The viewing shelter where the accident occured can be seen on the right.

 
While I firmly believe the mother is totally to blame in this incident, odds are when the boy fell and the dogs attacked her friends, family or other visitors held her back for her own safety. Most parents would die to save their childs life so I assume she was prevented from trying to save her son. And considering how brutal the attack sounds that was probably the right thing for the others to do. Whats the point of her dying too when it sounds like things were futile from the moment he landed.

Just a shame the dogs werent further away in the exhibit when it happened as it might have given the little guy a slim chance. They might not have noticed him, someone could have tried to get him, the keepers would have had a chance to distract them before any blood was shed and they got into a frenzy. I must say though the keepers and vets do deserve to be commended, especially the one the article, BeardselyZooFan posted, said jumped right in armed with only a rake to try to distract the dogs. He or she was a real hero in a tragic situation. They risked their life for a stranger. Unfortunately because of the outcome I dont know if they will get the credit due.

I am glad someone mentioned that its unlikely they will have to be put down for the killing. That would have just added to the tragedy. One boy and one dog is enough of a tragedy.
 
This whole incident is just unbelievable.

I can't possibly imagine what the parents are feeling right now, especially the mother, knowing that it was her actions that eventually led to her baby's death . . . .

And just the way that it happened. It's awful.

What's more sickening is that whenever one goes to the zoo, the last thing on their mind is something like this. To head off to the zoo one day, saying "oh, we're going to have so much fun today!" and have this happen . . . is just too, too tragic. I don't know if they'll ever visit a zoo again.

I'm not even going to give my opinion on whether the mother is to blame or not. I can't possibly pick "a side" when, either way, the child ended up brutally mauled. It's just something I still can't grasp entirely. Unbelievable.
 
A quote on why no one tried to save the child:
"Although there were zoo officials within feet of the exhibit, and others rushed to the scene, it was too late – it was clear the child was dead, Baker said. 'There was no reason to send our staff into harm's way' at that point."
 
I blame the parents and as nobody saw the child fall and the parents did not jump in themselves to save the child it may have been intentional.
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I agree that the parent was to blame for the horrible accident by placing the child in harm's way, but to suggest that it was intentional is remarkably insensitive and slander. Most parents will at some point make a mistake, stupid in hindsight. Whether it involved failing to look after your child for a second while it is outside and suddenly runs towards a street, briefly forgetting that your child is in a bathtub when you have to answer the phone, being a bit too close to a predator exhibit in a zoo or something else. Fortunately, in most cases, nothing happens except for a scare for the parents and a lesson learned. Based on the reports, the attack was rapid -- no indication that anyone could have saved the child once it had fallen.
 
It is very sad situation all round, and I do feel for the mother as she will blame herself for the rest of her life. All parents do silly things. There is a photo of me as a baby being perched by a penguin pool, It wouldnt have taken much for my father to drop me and then SPLASH! The zoo is not at fault, and I hope they arent charged.

I know we will never find out but I would be interested to know if the Wild dog that didnt back off was one of the handraised ones. I say this as when I did some work experience at a safari park in the UK, they had a couple of dogs which were the first to be successfully handraised. These dogs were very dangerous as had lost that fear of humans and would come right up to the bars and bite/snap at you. The rest of the pack were slightly fearful/wary and you could get out of the car in there exhibit as long as they were a reasonable distance away without any trouble. They would also remain further back in there cage. I was told when I was there that they would never handraise any pups again as they were far to dangerous and couldnt intergrate in with the others.
 
Thank you for the photographs of the exhibit. I could only find the lower observation area in pictures.

I think a very simple modification to this exhibit and it could be reopened, just another mesh or glass panel to the front. I have a feeling though these dogs will be moved on to another collection. Unfortunately no publicity is bad publicity and I think the PR people at the zoo will not want to be seen to profit from the tragedy. You would be surprised how many people with a morbid curiosity will want to come and see the man eating painted dogs!

A very sad situation and whether the mother was wrong or right she has lost her baby and will have to live with the guilt forever. My thoughts and prayers are with the family!
 
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