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3-Year-Old Boy Killed After Falling Into Zoo Exhibit and Getting Mauled By Wild Dogs

Nov. 4, 2012 3:56pm
3 Year Old Boy Killed After Falling Into Zoo Exhibit and Getting Mauled By Wild Dogs

Image source: Pittsburgh Post-Gazette

Pittsburgh zoo officials say a 3-year-old boy was killed Sunday after falling into an exhibit and getting mauled by African painted dogs.

Tracy Gray of the Pittsburgh Zoo & PPG Aquarium told the Associated Press it was unclear whether the little boy died from the fall or from the attack, which happened around 11:45 a.m. Sunday.

The Pittsburgh Post-Gazette reported a Pittsburgh police officer shot and killed one of the 11 dogs in the exhibit.

Zoo president and CEO Barbara Baker told the newspaper the boy was visiting with his mother when he fell over a railing and off a mesh barrier into the exhibit.

Visitors told zoo staff members, who immediately responded along with police officers. Zookeepers were able to quickly draw seven of the dogs away but four remained, leaving staff unable to reach the boy.

“Unfortunately, the dogs were in pack mentality and not responding,” a news release said.

Three more dogs were eventually drawn away, but one “aggressive” dog would not leave and was shot and killed by an officer, the Post-Gazette reported.

“It’s clear that the dogs did attack the child, but whether he died of the attack or the fall has yet to be determined,” Baker told the Associated Press.

The zoo described the dogs as the size of medium-sized domestic dogs, 2 to 2 1/2 feet high and 37 to 80 pounds. They are considered endangered and are also known as cape hunting dogs, spotted dogs and painted wolves.

Police and the Allegheny County medical examiner’s office are investigating.

The facility has been shut down until further notice and Baker told the Post-Gazette no decision had been made about the exhibit’s future. It was the first visitor death the zoo had had.

In May, nine of the 11 dogs caused a brief zoo shutdown when they escaped part of their enclosure into an area that’s usually closed.

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Comments (63)

1 2
  • Thiscannotgetanyworse
    Posted on November 5, 2012 at 1:31pm

    As a mother of two young children I feel very bad for the mother. Who hasn’t done something careless in their lives? Please try and be less bloodthirsty about this! I highly doubt the mother was trying to hurt her child, but she made a poor decision and is now paying dearly. It’s not up to us to judge her for that when we all make careless decisions!

    That said, I will definitely hold my own kids close today! And will be a lot more careful next time we’re at the zoo.

    Report this comment

    Thiscannotgetanyworse  
  • SocialistSlayer
    Posted on November 5, 2012 at 9:00am

    Where were the parents? They are completely responsible for this child’s death and they should go to prison !

    Report this comment

    SocialistSlayer  
  • izukiddin
    Posted on November 5, 2012 at 7:13am

    The mother is the one responsible for this death not the dogs.

    Report this comment

    izukiddin  
  • grayling646
    Posted on November 5, 2012 at 1:32am

    What’s really gonna be tragic is if (I said if) we learn this was intentional. It’s happened before.

    Report this comment

    grayling646  
  • Virginia Rebel
    Posted on November 4, 2012 at 10:24pm

    This story is so shocking and heartbreaking to me in many ways. I was at that zoo standing in that very spot just this past July. The dogs are beautiful, and I took many photos of them. It is a very tragic story. I’m sure the pain felt by all in this situation will go on for many, many years. The mother, the zoo officials, the police, the innocent bystanders, and the dogs who lost a member of their pack will all be in my thoughts and prayers.

    Report this comment

    Virginia Rebel  
  • txannie
    Posted on November 4, 2012 at 8:30pm

    Just one question….why in the world would anyone even set the kid on the railing let alone “dangle” him micheal jackson style with his youngest over the edge of a balcony ( and we all know what happened to him) in the first place? Absolute criminal stupidity.

    Report this comment

    txannie  
    • Kenszen
      Posted on November 5, 2012 at 12:39am

      Exactly! The irresponsible mother put him on the railing. The report in the local newspaper said the child “lost its balance” and fell in. Lost its balance?!!!! That means that she put him on the rail and she didn’t hold this THREE-year-old?!!! She should go to jail.

      Report this comment

      Kenszen  
  • bobfrommosinee
    Posted on November 4, 2012 at 8:16pm

    It’s called concealed carry, It’s purpose is to protect Human life, Sorry to say, I would have dealt with that packs mentality with extreme prejudice, I don’t give a rip about how endangered they are, I Give a Major Rip that a Young Child, That He does not face the terror of being ripped apart alive by tooth and fang.

    Report this comment

    bobfrommosinee  
    • Deadbang
      Posted on November 4, 2012 at 8:58pm

      I agree with the concealed carry, but there is no way you would be able to get a clean shot with the pack mauling the child for he would be in the middle of the dogs. Once the dogs attention was pulled away and one of the offecers shot one of them it would have been to late. I live in the area and the only way that child could have fallen in was if the mother was totally irresponsible. There is a railing and then a kind of mesh over top of the wall edge to keep the dogs from jumping out.

      Report this comment

      Deadbang  
  • LameLiberals
    Posted on November 4, 2012 at 7:51pm

    Two-year-old boy is mauled to death by African wild dogs AFTER MOTHER DANGLES HIM OVER THE RAILINGS AT PITTSBURGH ZOO

    http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-2227757/Pittsburgh-Zoo-Boy-3-kille-11-African-wild-dogs-zoo-falling-pen.html

    Report this comment

    LameLiberals  
    • OlderCowGirl
      Posted on November 4, 2012 at 8:36pm

      The stupid mother put her boy on the railing…to watch the dogs. Ooops…dropped him…
      Words cannot express how I feel about this mother.
      But now her child is dead from her stupidity…
      and she’ll always remember placing her child onto the rail.
      Matters not if the boy died from the impact of falling…or killed by the dogs.

      Report this comment

      OlderCowGirl  
  • XaviorOnassis
    Posted on November 4, 2012 at 7:39pm

    I have been to this zoo many times with my children. It is impossible to simply trip and fall into this exhibit. Either the child was climbing where he should not have been or the child was being held over the railing to “see better”–in any case, parental negligence–not the zoo’s fault on this one. Devastating for the parents and my heart breaks for them, but this was clearly not the zoo or the animals which were simply doing what pack dogs will do.

    Report this comment

    XaviorOnassis  
  • Ruckus_Tom
    Posted on November 4, 2012 at 7:37pm

    FTA:

    ”
    Visitors told zoo staff members, who immediately responded along with police officers. Zookeepers were able to quickly draw seven of the dogs away but four remained, leaving staff unable to reach the boy.

    “Unfortunately, the dogs were in pack mentality and not responding,” a news release said.

    Three more dogs were eventually drawn away, but one “aggressive” dog would not leave and was shot and killed by an officer, the Post-Gazette reported.
    ”

    I suppose, from this description, the police were already there ready and waiting for zoo staff to tap them on the shoulder to let them know they were needed – no need to dial 911.

    Question, why didn’t the staff have shotguns available for them to access quickly and why didn’t they enter the pen blazing away?

    Oh, the dogs are endangered? Never mind.

    Report this comment

    Ruckus_Tom  
    • RedDawn2012
      Posted on November 5, 2012 at 7:02am

      She stood her child atop a 4′ wall and let go of him. Easy to prevent. Some zoos use high, cyclone fencing to isolate the people from the animals, in addition to having the animals in a lower, walled area, and this is the answer for tragedies like this. I’ve never heard anyone complain about looking through such a fence or shooting a photo through one, and I see no good reason not to use them. They are very cheap insurance. Oh, they’re not aesthetic. Right.

      Report this comment

      RedDawn2012  
  • LameLiberals
    Posted on November 4, 2012 at 7:35pm

    Unless the kid was murdered by being thrown into the pit, this is Darwinism at work.

    Report this comment

    LameLiberals  
  • djmaine
    Posted on November 4, 2012 at 6:37pm

    Sounds like they need a management change too.

    Report this comment

    djmaine  
  • Gonzo
    Posted on November 4, 2012 at 6:07pm

    I guess we know why the poor kid was ‘visiting with’ his mother instead of living with her.

    Report this comment

    Gonzo  
    • The Gooch
      Posted on November 4, 2012 at 7:06pm

      Um… I think that statement from the zoo potentate meant the boy and mother were visiting the zoo, not each other, Gonzo. I doubt the zoo management is letting us know this was a rare (and disastrous) meeting of mother and child. But I could be wrong.
      Just sayin’…

      Report this comment

      The Gooch  
    • USAMama
      Posted on November 4, 2012 at 7:40pm

      I really get disgusted by people who feel the need to immediately blame the parents in a situation like this. It’s a tragedy, leave it be. I just pray he died from the fall and experienced little pain. I used to live in Pittsburgh and have seen this exhibit, it’s right next to the food court. Maybe it was one of those everyone thought someone else was watching him & he slipped away situations. Who knows. But rather then judge, pray.

      Report this comment

      USAMama  
  • h20sue
    Posted on November 4, 2012 at 5:59pm

    I would just like to know where “the boy’s parents were?”
    When we grew up we didn’t hang ourselves with venetian blind cords, cribs, etc.
    Our parents kept a keen eye on us. I think 90% of accidents are not accidents, or the fault of animals. The fault lies with unskilled, and lazy, parents. Keep an eye on your children, teach them RIGHT from WRONG, how to read, write (properly) spell, math, science, and give them common sense.

    If you can’t do this…you don’t need children or animals.

    Report this comment

    h20sue  
  • Call2Action
    Posted on November 4, 2012 at 5:52pm

    I haven’t been to this zoo, but I ‘ll take the word of those who have that they don’t think a three year old could do this. Some three year olds probably could have. My own son and one grandson probably could have. My son could climb to the top of a 1 1/2 gymnastic rope 24 feet high at the age of 4.

    Now, on the other hand, some parents are stupid and put their kids in danger. For instance, at Yellowstone, one year, a ranger told me that a man put his 2 year old on a wild bison for a cool picture. The kid got stomped.

    Report this comment

    Call2Action  
  • Valuable
    Posted on November 4, 2012 at 5:48pm

    I live in Pittsburgh and have been to this zoo many times. I agree that there was gross HUMAN error going on here. Either the child climbed up and over the fence and netting or he was lifted over to get a better view by an adult. So sad. Prayers for the family.

    From the Pittsburgh Post- Gazette:

    http://www.post-gazette.com/stories/local/neighborhoods-city/child-killed-in-pittsburgh-zoo-exhibit-660606/

    Report this comment

    Valuable  
  • TROLLMONGER
    Posted on November 4, 2012 at 5:47pm

    Stupid humans!

    Report this comment

    TROLLMONGER  
  • TRILO
    Posted on November 4, 2012 at 5:34pm

    I am sorry this child died in such a tragic way. Who in their right mind would have their child in a position that they could fall into a wild animal exhibit!? Now I am certain the wild animals will be at fault, rather than the person responsible for a catastrophic failure in judgement. People no longer have any common sense left.

    Report this comment

    TRILO  
    • Elena2010
      Posted on November 4, 2012 at 7:13pm

      In the Drudge report, the mother put the child atop the fence. Idiot mother!

      Report this comment

      Elena2010  
  • pizzaguypa
    Posted on November 4, 2012 at 4:36pm

    I have been to this a lot, My wife and I went for our first date, we been married 10 years .It seems to really be going down hill. We went 2 weeks ago, This wild dog display has an observation deck well above the dogs maybe 20 feet at the most, it has a average height railing. On the other side of the railing there is some horizontal netting about or below the same level as the floor your standing on. I saw people holding there children up with the kids standing on the rail. I think you can see the rhinos which just had a baby from that position. People stretch way over that railing to see. I cant imagine this will help the zoo. Prayers for the family.

    Report this comment

    pizzaguypa  
    • pizzaguypa
      Posted on November 4, 2012 at 4:42pm

      I have been to this ZOO a lot, My wife and I went there for our first date, we have been married 10 years. It seems to really be going down hill. (as well as my grammer) We went 2 weeks ago. This wild dog display has an observation deck, well above the dogs maybe 20 feet at the most. It has a average height railing. On the other side of the railing there is some horizontal netting about or below the same level as the floor your standing on. I saw people holding there children up with the kids standing on the rail. I think you can see the rhinos which just had a baby from that position. People stretch way over that railing to see. I cant imagine this will help the zoo. Prayers for the family

      Report this comment

      pizzaguypa  
    • Ruckus_Tom
      Posted on November 4, 2012 at 7:11pm

      I say this with humor in mind …

      I have been to this ZOO a lot, My wife and I went there for our first date, we have been married 10 years. It seems to really be going down hill.

      There’s always marriage counseling for that.

      Report this comment

      Ruckus_Tom  
    • pizzaguypa
      Posted on November 4, 2012 at 10:28pm

      after reading it I wondered if I should clarify, the zoo going down hill, not the marriage.

      Report this comment

      pizzaguypa  
  • STEEEEVE53
    Posted on November 4, 2012 at 4:28pm

    If the exhibit was not built to keep a three year old from falling into an area containing wild animals, the zoo has a liability issue, and the parents have a stupidity issue. If it was designed so that a three year old could not fall in without being raised up high enough by an adult, then the parents should be tried for child endangerment. Any place can be dangerous for a three year old, and they need to be watched after wherever they are. God Bless the Child.

    Report this comment

    STEEEEVE53  
    • RavenGlenn
      Posted on November 4, 2012 at 4:35pm

      As I said earlier, I’ve been to that zoo countless times. That particular exhibit is right next to the main food court and has been there for years. If it was built so that a 3-year old could fall in, this would have happened a LONG time ago. Someone either had to ignore their 3-year old for a ludicrous amount of time(and even then I don’t think it’d be physically possible for the 3-year old to accomplish) or they had to have been lifted up and over.

      Report this comment

      RavenGlenn  
    • FROG_24_7
      Posted on November 4, 2012 at 4:50pm

      Been there many times w challenging toddler/pre-schooler, my first thought also – how possible? Never noticed any obvious danger zones. Second thought, you do have to keep two
      eyes or more on kids and often a hand or two as well. Generally I am concerned there about wriggly out of arms near the seal pool. That too me has been the only spot that seemed easier accidental access.

      Report this comment

      FROG_24_7  
    • bpodlesnik
      Posted on November 4, 2012 at 4:58pm

      Did you not read? This has been the first death in the zoo’s history, since about 1898. I’ve been there many of times, and can tell you that you really have to be not paying attention to your kid for that to happen. There is a wooden railing, about 4 foot tall that surrounds the whole deck. It is sad to hear though, prayers go out to family and friends.

      Report this comment

      bpodlesnik  
    • XaviorOnassis
      Posted on November 4, 2012 at 11:52pm

      The enclosure is VERY well built and frequently inspected. It is right next to the food court area. If it were possible to simply fall into the enclosure, there would be an incident a week because parents are not so good at minding their children these days. It so happens that this stellar parent was holding her toddler above the wild animal enclosure for a better look. The exhibit rail/fence is almost unclimbable–even an adult would have a difficult time of it.

      Sadly, no guardrail or fence is can substitute for common sense. This death was 100% avoidable and the parents responsible should be prosecuted.

      Report this comment

      XaviorOnassis  
  • The Gooch
    Posted on November 4, 2012 at 4:24pm

    Let’s try to keep a clear head on this: This is (per the story) likely squarely on the mother’s shoulders and not the zoo’s or dogs’ fault. I cannot imagine this horror for a parent. No need to go into banning/lawsuit mode. Sometimes bad thing happens for foolish reasons. This is ugly and there is no point in making a bad situation worse for everyone. Review the facts, but don’t “fix” what arguably wasn’t broken to begin with.

    Report this comment

    The Gooch  
    • Ruckus_Tom
      Posted on November 4, 2012 at 7:17pm

      Agreed. Unfortunately, in civil court, the mother is going to own herself a zoo here before too long.

      OJ was found not guilty … in a criminal court. However, he was found liable in a civil court.

      Report this comment

      Ruckus_Tom  
    • The Gooch
      Posted on November 4, 2012 at 7:51pm

      Lawyers… arguably more dangerous than wild dogs.

      Report this comment

      The Gooch  
    • Deadbang
      Posted on November 4, 2012 at 9:04pm

      That’s cause he was guilty Tom

      Report this comment

      Deadbang  
  • BHOHG2G
    Posted on November 4, 2012 at 4:14pm

    ……… And the cop will be charged with killing an endangered species.

    Report this comment

    BHOHG2G  
  • G.E.R
    Posted on November 4, 2012 at 4:09pm

    This must be apart of that divine plan I keep hearing religious wack jobs talk about

    Report this comment

    G.E.R  
  • meisterman41
    Posted on November 4, 2012 at 4:08pm

    Nice Job of watching your kid!

    Report this comment

    meisterman41  
  • RavenGlenn
    Posted on November 4, 2012 at 4:04pm

    As a Pittsburgh native that has been to that zoo countless times, there is NO way that a 3-year old could possible have fallen into that exhibit without someone lifting the child up and over the barrier and dropping them.

    I would wager that it would be difficult for a 10 year old to get into the exhibit.

    Report this comment

    RavenGlenn  
    • barber2
      Posted on November 4, 2012 at 4:13pm

      Hopefully, the entire terrible incident will be investigated.

      Report this comment

      barber2  
    • HotFixIt
      Posted on November 4, 2012 at 4:43pm

      A truly terrible and sad thing to happen to that child. It should never have happened and most likely happend because he wanted to ‘see better’ and mom gave in for an extra 3″ closer viewing instead of telling the child that he can see just as well as everyone else. The rules are for everyone. It’s a fence, there for a reason.

      They will try to blame it on the zoo.. improper warning signs.. bad fence…. no personnel around to warn mom.. something.. anything except where the blame truly lies. No matter how long the lawyers use mom blaming and suing the zoo.. she will always blame herself.. so sad.

      Report this comment

      HotFixIt  
    • Ruckus_Tom
      Posted on November 4, 2012 at 7:20pm

      A lawyer will argue that the zoo should have considered someone lifting 3 year old over the barrier and dropping them. And the mother will own the zoo.

      Report this comment

      Ruckus_Tom  
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