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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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OMG. I've seen wildlife documentaries showing a pack of these vicious critters ripping a living buffalo apart. I can't imagine what they left of a 3 year old kid. How on earth did he fall through the so-called protective fence? The Zoo better be ready to pony up some major bucks after the mother sues.
1 posted on 11/04/2012 2:29:47 PM PST by EinNYC
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To: EinNYC

It’s a foreshadowing of Weds Nov 7 2012.


2 posted on 11/04/2012 2:34:24 PM PST by ClearCase_guy (Global Warming is a religion, and I don't want to be taxed to pay for a faith that is not mine.)
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To: EinNYC

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


3 posted on 11/04/2012 2:38:38 PM PST by yldstrk (My heroes have always been cowboys)
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To: EinNYC
This past summer at the zoo, I saw some parents put their young child on top of the protective wall of one of the enclosures. They were not even holding the child. I thought that was pretty insane.

It is not always the zoo's fault. The visitors need to have some minimum common sense and responsibility. If they are going to lift up their child to get a better view, they better hold the child outside of the protective fence.

4 posted on 11/04/2012 2:42:55 PM PST by Moorings
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To: yldstrk

Waiting with open arms to welcome him home


5 posted on 11/04/2012 2:51:10 PM PST by longfellowsmuse (last of the living nomads)
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To: yldstrk

Sounds like you want to blame evil on God. Where was the child’s mother?


6 posted on 11/04/2012 2:58:10 PM PST by STYRO (Do not accept unconstitutional government as legitimate government.)
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To: EinNYC
how does a 2yr old fall over a 4' railing???
7 posted on 11/04/2012 3:01:21 PM PST by Chode (American Hedonist - *DTOM* -ww- NO Pity for the LAZY)
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To: fatima; Fresh Wind; st.eqed; xsmommy; House Atreides; Nowhere Man; South Hawthorne; PaulZe; ...

PA Ping!

If you want on/off the PA Ping List, please freepmail me.

If you see posts of interest to Pennsylvanians, please ping me.

Thanks!


8 posted on 11/04/2012 3:01:24 PM PST by randita
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To: EinNYC
one "aggressive" dog was shot and killed by an officer.

Every time someone calls 911 a "pit bull" gets its wings.

9 posted on 11/04/2012 3:09:10 PM PST by Reeses
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To: yldstrk

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


Our Sovereign God knows what is best. When we get to heaven we will learn why he allowed what he did. But for now, we know God is, “Waiting with open arms to welcome him home.”

The boy is in heaven, with Jesus and the Father... there is no better place.

Amen.


10 posted on 11/04/2012 3:11:41 PM PST by RCFlyer
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To: yldstrk

The same place He always is - everywhere.


11 posted on 11/04/2012 3:26:34 PM PST by DuncanWaring (The Lord uses the good ones; the bad ones use the Lord.)
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To: EinNYC
Sounds like another idiotic "prop the kid up in a dangerous place for a photo op" moment gone bad.
12 posted on 11/04/2012 3:40:56 PM PST by E. Pluribus Unum (Government is the religion of the psychopath.)
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To: EinNYC
I viewed this exhibit on my very first visit to the Pittsburgh Zoo this past summer and the exhibit made me physically ill to see and one thought entered my mind...that kids should not see the animals as they could end up frightened of dogs that are ones pets..

when I got home I did an internet search about the ‘African painted dogs’ and mentioned to my hubby, that I thought that exhibit should not be...

endless to say it was my First visit and will be my last...there was nothing there that impressed me at all, I was very disappointed..and of course I was comparing it to the Cleveland Zoo and there was NO comparison..

and the zoo's entrance fees are totally ridiculous

13 posted on 11/04/2012 3:43:04 PM PST by haircutter
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To: RCFlyer

Agreed. Amen!


14 posted on 11/04/2012 4:12:57 PM PST by Halls (Jesus is my Lord and Savior)
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To: yldstrk

Psalm 22


15 posted on 11/04/2012 4:21:08 PM PST by frogjerk (OBAMA NOV 2012 = HORSEMEAT)
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To: yldstrk

He’s always right there. Sounds like you had a loss that hurt you. I’ve had a couple of very bad things happen too.

Christ is never far away. Things don’t always work out the way we’d like them to in this life, but eternal life is the trade-off. God called this child home for some reason. It is not my place to question.


16 posted on 11/04/2012 4:42:59 PM PST by mplsconservative (Barack Hussein 0bama has American blood on HIS hands!)
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To: yldstrk
And God, the Father who loves, where were You?

The same place He was when His only-begotten Son was nailed to a cross at Golgotha c. 33 AD.

17 posted on 11/04/2012 4:43:53 PM PST by lightman (If the Patriarchate of the East held a state like the Vatican I would apply for political asylum.)
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To: yldstrk

He’s always right there. Sounds like you had a loss that hurt you. I’ve had a couple of very bad things happen too.

Christ is never far away. Things don’t always work out the way we’d like them to in this life, but eternal life is the trade-off. God called this child home for some reason. It is not my place to question.


18 posted on 11/04/2012 4:44:13 PM PST by mplsconservative (Barack Hussein 0bama has American blood on HIS hands!)
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To: yldstrk

He’s always right there. Sounds like you had a loss that hurt you. I’ve had a couple of very bad things happen too.

Christ is never far away. Things don’t always work out the way we’d like them to in this life, but eternal life is the trade-off. God called this child home for some reason. It is not my place to question.


19 posted on 11/04/2012 4:44:33 PM PST by mplsconservative (Barack Hussein 0bama has American blood on HIS hands!)
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To: yldstrk

Victor Frankl wrote a book entitled MANS SEARCH FOR MEANING. He was a Jewish Psychiatrist imprisoned in a Nazi death camp during World War Two. I don’t have his book here, but I believe he wrote of man’s three great fears.
1. Fear of being alone.
2. Fear of pain.
3. Fear of death.

I have been struck that he mentioned three fears. I am reminded of Paul when he writes of “Faith, Hope and Love (Charity)”. He lists three things. Do you see how Paul’s list matches up with and answers Frankl’s three fears? Read them both and think about them. You are not alone.


20 posted on 11/04/2012 4:47:25 PM PST by blueunicorn6 ("A crack shot and a good dancer")
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