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Pittsburgh Zoo official, witnesses discuss fatal mauling of child at African painted dogs exhibit
Pittsburgh Post-Gazette ^ | November 4, 2012 | Don Hopey and Karen Kane

Posted on 11/04/2012 2:29:46 PM PST by EinNYC

A little boy was mauled to death today after falling into the African painted dog exhibit at the Pittsburgh Zoo & Aquarium.

"The screams just kept coming and coming: 'Someone help. Someone has to do something,'" recounted Angela Cinti, 20, of Bethel Park, who was visiting the zoo today.

Zoo President and Chief Executive Officer Barbara Baker said the child, who was about 3 years old, was on an outing with his mother when he fell over a wooden railing and off of a mesh barrier where the painted dogs were on display. A zoo spokeswoman said the wooden railing is 4 feet in height and the lower mesh barrier is 14 feet above the open exhibit space.

A news release distributed by zoo officials said keepers cleared seven of the 11 dogs after the child fell into the exhibit. Though darts were shot into the exhibit in an effort to scare the dogs away from the child, the news release indicated that "unfortunately, the dogs were in pack mentality and not responding."

Pittsburgh police officers and keepers attempted to lure the dogs away but one "aggressive" dog was shot and killed by an officer.

The African painted dog exhibit debuted after the October 2009 birth of the pups. A surrogate mutt was drafted into service for the nine pups after their natural mother died of a ruptured uterus. In the spring of this year, nine of the 11 painted dogs escaped a section of their enclosure causing a brief shutdown of the zoo.

Ms. Baker said at that time on May 5 that the dogs got into a 1.5-acre "backup yard" not visible to the public, but the dogs were not out of their exhibit.

African painted dogs are an endangered species.

(Excerpt) Read more at post-gazette.com ...


TOPICS: Local News
KEYWORDS: childkilled; dogs; maul; pittsburgh; zoo
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To: EinNYC
The Zoo better be ready to pony up some major bucks after the mother sues.

It should be from prison where she should be for child neglect, child endangerment and involuntary manslaughter.

21 posted on 11/04/2012 5:10:12 PM PST by Alaska Wolf (Trained by English Setters)
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To: blueunicorn6

Yes, that is right. He lived for his wife I believe. He certainly did not want to live at all at the time. His life was curse.


22 posted on 11/04/2012 5:12:21 PM PST by yldstrk (My heroes have always been cowboys)
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To: frogjerk

Thank you


23 posted on 11/04/2012 5:13:58 PM PST by yldstrk (My heroes have always been cowboys)
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To: E. Pluribus Unum
Sounds like another idiotic "prop the kid up in a dangerous place for a photo op" moment gone bad.

Indeed, another article said the mother set him on top of the barrier "so he could see better".

24 posted on 11/04/2012 5:18:45 PM PST by BunnySlippers (I LOVE BULL MARKETS . . .)
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To: E. Pluribus Unum

You don’t want to know what parents used to do with their children when encountering bears at town dumps in the Adirondacks back in the 70’s...


25 posted on 11/04/2012 5:21:19 PM PST by who knows what evil? (G-d saved more animals than people on the ark...www.siameserescue.org.)
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To: yldstrk

And God, the Father who loves, where were You?


Maybe it would be truer to ask:

And human mother, whom your Father gave free will and entrusted with the care of this beloved child, where were you? :(


26 posted on 11/04/2012 5:30:40 PM PST by SaraJohnson
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To: yldstrk

And God, the Father who loves, where were You?


Maybe it would be truer to ask:

And human mother, whom your Father gave free will and entrusted with the care of this beloved child, where were you? :(


27 posted on 11/04/2012 5:33:27 PM PST by SaraJohnson
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To: haircutter

Not the first time someone has died at this zoo.

Many animals have died of unnatural causes as well.

At a minimum, they need a complete management overhaul.

I wouldn’t mind I’d they shut it down. Could be turned I to inner-city playground/amusement park.

Very sad.


28 posted on 11/04/2012 6:15:58 PM PST by GEC (We're not drilling in ANWR because....)
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To: SaraJohnson

It’s the responsibility of the zoo to make its walkways and viewing areas safe. To protect the public from things that might lead to tragedy. Some idiot designer constructed a dangerous viewing area probably because they didn’t want to separate the animals from the human watchers and impede the feeling that we are all one in the world, some crap like that. So they made the barrier too short.


29 posted on 11/04/2012 6:26:46 PM PST by Ciexyz
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To: yldstrk

I think you are wrong. Frankl wrote of the people who committed suicide. He could have committed suicide, but he didn’t. He found purpose in helping his fellow camp mates. In the midst of horror and despair, he found a reason to keep going. To help others.....love......charity. Read Frankl again and read Paul’s writings. I think that it is there that you will find your answer. Read The Sermon on the Mount.


30 posted on 11/04/2012 6:28:45 PM PST by blueunicorn6 ("A crack shot and a good dancer")
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To: SaraJohnson

It’s the responsibility of the zoo to make its walkways and viewing areas safe. To protect the public from things that might lead to tragedy. Some idiot designer constructed a dangerous viewing area probably because they didn’t want to separate the animals from the human watchers and impede the feeling that we are all one in the world, some crap like that. So they made the barrier too short.


31 posted on 11/04/2012 6:28:49 PM PST by Ciexyz
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To: SaraJohnson

It’s the responsibility of the zoo to make its walkways and viewing areas safe. To protect the public from things that might lead to tragedy. Some idiot designer constructed a dangerous viewing area probably because they didn’t want to separate the animals from the human watchers and impede the feeling that we are all one in the world, some crap like that. So they made the barrier too short.


32 posted on 11/04/2012 6:29:25 PM PST by Ciexyz
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To: yldstrk

I think you are wrong. Frankl wrote of the people who committed suicide. He could have committed suicide, but he didn’t. He found purpose in helping his fellow camp mates. In the midst of horror and despair, he found a reason to keep going. To help others.....love......charity. Read Frankl again and read Paul’s writings. I think that it is there that you will find your answer. Read The Sermon on the Mount.


33 posted on 11/04/2012 6:30:11 PM PST by blueunicorn6 ("A crack shot and a good dancer")
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To: yldstrk

I think you are wrong. Frankl wrote of the people who committed suicide. He could have committed suicide, but he didn’t. He found purpose in helping his fellow camp mates. In the midst of horror and despair, he found a reason to keep going. To help others.....love......charity. Read Frankl again and read Paul’s writings. I think that it is there that you will find your answer. Read The Sermon on the Mount.


34 posted on 11/04/2012 6:30:52 PM PST by blueunicorn6 ("A crack shot and a good dancer")
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To: Ciexyz
It’s the responsibility of the zoo to make its walkways and viewing areas safe.

They did, but it is nearly impossible to make things idiot proof.

35 posted on 11/04/2012 6:38:08 PM PST by Alaska Wolf (Trained by English Setters)
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To: yldstrk

Sometimes kids just fall into dog pits. Everything is not God’s plan.


36 posted on 11/04/2012 6:45:26 PM PST by Vermont Lt (The dude abides.)
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To: yldstrk

The best book about trying to understand what people endured in the holocaust.

I try to retread it every couple of years.


37 posted on 11/04/2012 6:48:00 PM PST by Vermont Lt (The dude abides.)
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To: Vermont Lt

read the book by Rudi Vrba (that is the correct spelling) if you want a real eye-opener.


38 posted on 11/04/2012 9:08:49 PM PST by kabumpo (Kabumpo)
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To: Vermont Lt

read the book by Rudi Vrba (that is the correct spelling) if you want a real eye-opener.


39 posted on 11/04/2012 9:09:03 PM PST by kabumpo (Kabumpo)
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To: Vermont Lt

read the book by Rudi Vrba (that is the correct spelling) if you want a real eye-opener.


40 posted on 11/04/2012 9:09:11 PM PST by kabumpo (Kabumpo)
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