Boy Falls into African Painted Dog Exhibit at Piitsburgh Zoo Dies

[Perodicticus potto]

I'm assuming here, but I think the problem with plexiglass is that it quickly gets smeared with fingerprints, making photography impossible, with or without a flash.

Yes, this is one of several disadvantages of using glass for zoo enclosures. A more worrying problem from an animal-welfare perspective is that when an enclosure is surrounded by glass, a depressing number of visitors (not all of them children) feel compelled to bang on the glass to "get the animals' attention. " This is very stressful for the animals. (I normally have a suggestion for what should happen to people who do it repeatedly, but it would be in poor taste in this thread.)

There is also the issue that, while glass offers a good view of animals, it tends to block out other sensory stimuli such as sounds and smells, giving visitors the impression that animals live in a hermetically sealed world. Since most zoos have education as one of their aims, this is a concern.

Glass walls also do not have much potential for providing additional environmental enrichment to the animals. This may not be as much of an issue with dogs as it is with some other species, but animals that naturally climb or perch tend to be happier with mesh barriers that give them extra opportunities to express those behaviours (however "prison-like" such barriers may seem to human visitors).

I took a course on zoo design and husbandry as part of my animal care diploma. Designing enclosures involves balancing many different considerations, but in my opinion the animals' best interests should always come first.

 

[Nova]

Thank you, potto, and welcome to WS!

 

[Tulessa]

Signs will not help. People don't listen to signs, that's why more safety features should be put into place. I am not saying this is the Zoo's fault, I am saying places need to take into consideration that people are stupid and do not listen to signs.

Another thing is that they should have shot all those dogs to try and get to him. I don't care that they are endangered animals, a child's life is more important then an animals life.

I hope you are not suggesting that the Mother did this on purpose? Allot of people were standing there watching what was happening, probably some were even recording it on their phones. If only a group of them jumped in to at least try and save him then maybe he would of had a chance. Not many people are willing to do that though, even for their own child.

SIGNS don't talk, but PEOPLE can read. I would NEVER disobey a sign at a zoo.

 

[Tulessa]

"Karma"? What worse could happen to the mother?

The law recognizes that negligence is not black and white, that responsibility can be shared. A lawsuit in this case may force other zoos to take another look at their exhibits, thus saving future lives.

I love you dearly Nova, but I think it's up to the parents to bear this responsibility.

 

[Darkman00]

"Zoo where boy killed by wild dogs had been warned over safety of enclosure but had not made changes, claims family lawyer"

Read more: http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/art...um-Zoo-blames-mom-fatality.html#ixzz2idyLj62r

Attorney says Pittsburgh Zoo was aware of danger at dog exhibit before fatal attack

October 24, 2013 1:21 AM

By Paula Reed Ward / Pittsburgh Post-Gazette

Officials at the Pittsburgh Zoo & PPG Aquarium were put on notice about the potential danger of the African painted dogs exhibit at least four separate times more than five years before a toddler was mauled to death there last year.

In a document filed this week in Allegheny County Common Pleas Court, attorney Robert J. Mongeluzzi said that the zoo's safety committee talked about issues at the exhibit four times in 2006 and 2007, and each of those discussions was recorded in minutes of those meetings.

Further, he wrote that committee concerns were regularly reported to "high-ranking" zoo officials, including Barbara Baker, the zoo president, and Amos Morris, the former curator of mammals.

In an interview with the Post-Gazette in December, Ms. Baker said she was unaware of any adults lifting children up to stand atop the guardrail at the exhibit or any concerns from zoo staff about such behavior since the exhibit opened.

Read more: http://www.post-gazette.com/local/b...hibit-before-fatal-attack/stories/20131023035

 

[danzn16]

Aren't the mere presence of wild animals a danger? So close all zoos? Or follow the signs and don't lift your child above the railing of carnivores? Seems simple enough


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[Darkman00]

According to the most recent court filing by Mr. Mongeluzzi, meeting minutes from the zoo safety committee, which met monthly, show the members held multiple discussions about the painted dog exhibit.

• 
  At a committee meeting Aug. 16, 2006, the minutes noted that one side of the exhibit was open and "a visitor was seen dangling a child over the exhibit through the opening."

• At a committee meeting Feb. 2, 2007, according to the minutes, "a docent saw a person holding a child through the open side of the wild dog exhibit deck, trying to bring dogs over. A pane of Plexiglass may have to be installed."

• At another meeting May 31, 2007, the minutes said, "Guests are dangling children over the railing at the wild dog exhibit."

• And at another meeting less than a month later, on June 21, 2007, the meeting minutes refer to PMA Companies, an insurance carrier. The minutes state, "Wild Dogs Exhibit -- Children hanging over ledge. The exhibit has always been open -- suggestion by Lynn -- maybe PMA can make a recommendation on what to do with the open exhibit ..."

• 
  From the meeting minutes of July 20, 2007, the committee learned that "wild dog exhibit will be reviewed by ... Gene Mattis from PMA during walk-through in September. Gene will make recommendation."

Tom Kline, a well-known Philadelphia plaintiff's attorney, said the discovery of the safety committee minutes is damaging to the zoo's position in the lawsuit.

...

Mr. Kline said the zoo should evaluate its position, and the likelihood a jury would exonerate it "for putting a mother and the rest of the public into a dangerous situation.

"This whole tragedy could have been avoided by having the kind of screen or fencing that would prevent the mother from holding her son up for a better view like the zoo knew other parents had done before."

Read more: http://www.post-gazette.com/local/b...hibit-before-fatal-attack/stories/20131023035

 

[Nova]

I love you dearly Nova, but I think it's up to the parents to bear this responsibility.

Love you, too. But let's remember the zoo felt it had an obligation to install netting to save people's cameras.

But not their children? Hmmm…

I certainly agree the parents share responsibility, but I assume they are not wild animal experts. The zoo on the other hand…

(Let's keep in mind that the victim here was not the private property of the parents but a citizen in his own right. Why didn't he deserve the same protection as you or I? Even if that protection was from his own, foolish mother?)

(A special thanks to Darkman: your post is exactly the point.)

 

[Nova]

Aren't the mere presence of wild animals a danger? So close all zoos? Or follow the signs and don't lift your child above the railing of carnivores? Seems simple enough


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Not as simple as 6" netting, which would allow for photos, but keep children from falling into the enclosure.

Again, those who say the parents are 100% at fault are missing the point. The parents weren't killed by the dogs and their child wasn't personal property.

Kids can't read, they can't keep their parents from picking them up to see and they certainly can't defend themselves against a pack of wild dogs.

The zoo has an obligation to protect children regardless of the stupidity of their parents.

 

[Linda7NJ]

Love you, too. But let's remember the zoo felt it had an obligation to install netting to save people's cameras.

But not their children? Hmmm…

I certainly agree the parents share responsibility, but I assume they are not wild animal experts. The zoo on the other hand…

(Let's keep in mind that the victim here was not the private property of the parents but a citizen in his own right. Why didn't he deserve the same protection as you or I? Even if that protection was from his own, foolish mother?)

(A special thanks to Darkman: your post is exactly the point.)

I would expect parents to dangle a camera to take photos, I expect them to be smart enough to not dangle their child.


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[Sigh Sister]

http://www.wpxi.com/news/news/local/family-boy-mauled-death-pittsburgh-zoo-reach-settl/ngB34/


"According to a statement issued by Tracy Gray, zoo public and media relations manager, “The Derkosh family and the Pittsburgh Zoo have reached a settlement in the lawsuit involving the death of Maddox Derkosh. Details of the settlement will remain confidential. The Derkosh family and the Zoo request that the privacy of all parties involved be respected.”