Boy Falls into African Painted Dog Exhibit at Piitsburgh Zoo Dies

[Nova]

Since I used the phrase "a parent might be stupid enough to drop a child" in my post above, I think I should also ask who among us has NEVER done something stupid when a child was in our care? Even if we think we would never do what Maddox's mother did, we should admit that raising children to maturity involves at least a little luck.

And while I'm on the subject of language, isn't the phrase "mauled to death" inadequate in this case? It may be technically correct usage, but it sounds a lot more gentle than what I think took place.

 

[passionflower]

http://www.armstrongmywire.com/news/read.php?rip_id=<[email protected]>&ps=931

IT WAS NOT THE DOGS FAULT! IMO but now trying to stop calendars? and no exhibit for public?
I would like to know how many accidents or close calls have they had?
at the wild dogs.
To date IIRC only this one.
Actually some folks around here think she did it on purpose.
One friend said maybe mother thought Maddox would just die from the fall.
or get hurt.
Did she need attention?
and the dogs and public now also suffer.
We will never know..........

 

[Tuffy]

Since I used the phrase "a parent might be stupid enough to drop a child" in my post above, I think I should also ask who among us has NEVER done something stupid when a child was in our care? Even if we think we would never do what Maddox's mother did, we should admit that raising children to maturity involves at least a little luck.

And while I'm on the subject of language, isn't the phrase "mauled to death" inadequate in this case? It may be technically correct usage, but it sounds a lot more gentle than what I think took place.

BBM - As a parent of two, I know how hard it is to be a brilliant parent 24/7. I try to be understanding when parents have a lapse in judgement. As far as, the phrase "mauled to death" I don't think it sounds gentle at all though.

 

[Tuffy]

http://www.armstrongmywire.com/news/read.php?rip_id=<[email protected]>&ps=931

IT WAS NOT THE DOGS FAULT! IMO but now trying to stop calendars? and no exhibit for public?
I would like to know how many accidents or close calls have they had?
at the wild dogs.
To date IIRC only this one.
Actually some folks around here think she did it on purpose.
One friend said maybe mother thought Maddox would just die from the fall.
or get hurt.
Did she need attention?
and the dogs and public now also suffer.
We will never know..........

Yeah, I feel like this was not the fault of the animals or the zoo. I'm thinking this was a freak occurrence, not anything inherently wrong with the enclosure.

 

[passionflower]

since this tragedy I look for certain animal exhibits to be off limits for children under a certain age.

 

[nao]

i don't understand why the media wont let this rest. What has the zoo calendar to do with this?
Theres been a couple of stories this past week of children dying around horses, accidents happen, why don't people get upset about that? No more horse calendars.

African Wild Dogs are predators, no different to lions and such. I think we have to much safety, people don't feel they have to be responsible, which is when stupidity becomes acceptable. I went to zoo's in the 60's, you do not stick your hand thru the bars because logic (or my mom)tells ya, your hand will get chewed off. Now we need signs?

Nobody seems to think about how this affected the African Wild Dogs, the leader of the pack (i'll guess it was the alpha since it could'nt be scared off) the wild dogs have a very complicated social structure, that just got messed up big time.
Many zoo's are now more research and breeding facilities, so we don't lose these beautiful creatures. But they need the public $ of admittance to finance to this.

If you want to be safe, stay home and look at pictures or watch a video. JMO MOO

 

[Hopeful One]

BBM - As a parent of two, I know how hard it is to be a brilliant parent 24/7. I try to be understanding when parents have a lapse in judgement. As far as, the phrase "mauled to death" I don't think it sounds gentle at all though.

You mean you aren't perfect like me?? :angel:

 

[Nova]

BBM - As a parent of two, I know how hard it is to be a brilliant parent 24/7. I try to be understanding when parents have a lapse in judgement. As far as, the phrase "mauled to death" I don't think it sounds gentle at all though.

I am reluctant to criticize as well. When my niece and nephew or grandchildren were small, I didn't have to do anything but watch them when they were in my custody. I didn't do laundry, mow the lawn, make dinner, etc. (We shoveled ice off the driveway once in a pinch, but we all did that together.)

And I would have them in my care for a day or a few days and then return the children to their parents. (Even when my stepkids were young, we could arrange to always have at least one adult doing nothing but watching them when they stayed with us.)

Fortunately, most full-time parents have better skills than I; but I am reluctant to condemn a parent for every momentary distraction.

 

[Nova]

http://www.armstrongmywire.com/news/read.php?rip_id=<[email protected]>&ps=931

IT WAS NOT THE DOGS FAULT! IMO but now trying to stop calendars? and no exhibit for public?
I would like to know how many accidents or close calls have they had?
at the wild dogs.
To date IIRC only this one.
Actually some folks around here think she did it on purpose.
One friend said maybe mother thought Maddox would just die from the fall.
or get hurt.
Did she need attention?
and the dogs and public now also suffer.
We will never know..........

I feel confident the dog exhibit will return eventually. (I hope they continue to sell the calendars. Tossing them would cost the zoo a fortune, I imagine.)

I think the zoo may wait until the memory isn't so fresh, not wanting to create an exhibit of the macabre that attracts the ghoulish.

My opinions have nothing to do with thinking Maddox' death was intentional.

 

[Tuffy]

I am reluctant to criticize as well. When my niece and nephew or grandchildren were small, I didn't have to do anything but watch them when they were in my custody. I didn't do laundry, mow the lawn, make dinner, etc. (We shoveled ice off the driveway once in a pinch, but we all did that together.)

And I would have them in my care for a day or a few days and then return the children to their parents. (Even when my stepkids were young, we could arrange to always have at least one adult doing nothing but watching them when they stayed with us.)

Fortunately, most full-time parents have better skills than I; but I am reluctant to condemn a parent for every momentary distraction.

I know I probably sound wishy-washy on it, but my gut reaction to this is - why oh why would you put a child over the barrier between them and dangerous animals?! I get nervous when I see kids goofing around too close to a stairwell. I do think the mom made a dumb move in this case. But, like I said I won't judge too harshly.

 

[Nova]

I know I probably sound wishy-washy on it, but my gut reaction to this is - why oh why would you put a child over the barrier between them and dangerous animals?! I get nervous when I see kids goofing around too close to a stairwell. I do think the mom made a dumb move in this case. But, like I said I won't judge too harshly.

I completely agree. I used to have a running conflict with my brother-in-law, who, I thought, let the children take far too many chances. But I doubt that even he would have set a toddler on that railing.

I was in the balcony of a Broadway show years ago when two parents let their 7 to 9-year-old daughters sit on the floor, dangling their legs under the front railing, 50+ feet over the orchestra section below. (It was a rare balcony that had a metal railing rather than a concrete wall in front.)

It made me literally sick to my stomach and I gave the parents Holy Hell during intermission (out of earshot of the kids, of course). They made the girls sit in their assigned seats for Act II.

Do I think those were "bad" parents? No. Just parents who at least once made a very stupid choice.

 

[passionflower]

Mother will NOT be charged
http://www.wpxi.com/s/news/

 

[Sonya610]

I think the zoo may wait until the memory isn't so fresh, not wanting to create an exhibit of the macabre that attracts the ghoulish.

You have mentioned ghoulish visitors a few times. I personally couldn't care less if "the ghoulish" wanted to visit.

Much bigger concern would be weird/angry people that show up at the dog exhibit to harass or even harm the animals (like throw poisoned food into the exhibit).

I think they would probably be doing the dogs a big favor if they kept the public away from them forever.

 

[Nova]

You have mentioned ghoulish visitors a few times. I personally couldn't care less if "the ghoulish" wanted to visit.

Much bigger concern would be weird/angry people that show up at the dog exhibit to harass or even harm the animals (like throw poisoned food into the exhibit).

I think they would probably be doing the dogs a big favor if they kept the public away from them forever.

Good point. I didn't even think of anyone trying to harm the dogs.

I doubt the zoo can afford to support them without exhibiting them, but officials should probably wait awhile to make sure tempers have cooled.

P.S. I haven't mentioned anything "a few times". Exactly twice I have suggested the zoo might want to avoid making a spectacle of the "killer dogs" out of respect for a deceased child.

 

[nutkin]

I was at the Houston Zoo recently and there were SO many parents holding their children up on railings or just generally not watching them at all. There was a very small little girl (I am guessing she was about 2) wandering around in a bat cave all by herself with no adults in sight.

I cannot believe a mother would take such a blatantly stupid risk with her child's life.

 

[clarabelle]

So do I (and I have taken children to the zoo in question dozens of times over the years without incident). (ETA and FWIW, my niece and nephew both attended "Pittsburgh zoo camp" during various summers; camp included a sleepover on the zoo grounds. We never worried about them and, AFAIK, they were never in danger.)

But I don't think of children as merely the property of their caretakers. I think we all need to lend a hand in keeping the little ones safe. Here, I was just suggesting a simple solution that wouldn't really spoil anyone's view.

If the zoo put up a net to catch falling cameras, why didn't it occur to some official that a parent might be stupid enough to drop a child?

As I said, I think the parent bears the greatest responsibility. And I love the Pittsburgh Zoo and have never felt unsafe there; but I wouldn't set a toddler on the railing over a wild dog exhibit.

I didn't mean to downplay your suggestion for safety and I do think its a clever idea. But I am afraid that whatever safety measures are taken there will always be one person who ignores them, gets around them, gets injured and blames someone else for being irresponsible.

People seem to have lost the ability for rational thinking and common sense. I commented to a mother that her toddler was toddling around a store with a glass vase in her hand. Mom's reaction? "Oh she'll be fine". OoooKayyy....

(I am jealous of your niece and nephew for their zoo sleepover. They don't have ones for adults

 

[clarabelle]

I was at the Houston Zoo recently and there were SO many parents holding their children up on railings or just generally not watching them at all. There was a very small little girl (I am guessing she was about 2) wandering around in a bat cave all by herself with no adults in sight.

I cannot believe a mother would take such a blatantly stupid risk with her child's life.

I am starting to think it might be a good idea for small children to be tethered to their parents in public places
:giggle:

 

[passionflower]

If DA puts charges against the zoo, there will automatically be a lawsuit,
and very rich parents. I really do not feel that they should profit in any way.
This was the mother's bad decision.

 

[Tuffy]

I didn't mean to downplay your suggestion for safety and I do think its a clever idea. But I am afraid that whatever safety measures are taken there will always be one person who ignores them, gets around them, gets injured and blames someone else for being irresponsible.

People seem to have lost the ability for rational thinking and common sense. I commented to a mother that her toddler was toddling around a store with a glass vase in her hand. Mom's reaction? "Oh she'll be fine". OoooKayyy....

(I am jealous of your niece and nephew for their zoo sleepover. They don't have ones for adults

Can't agree with this more! The zoo should make an effort to ensure the safety of zoo visitors and animals alike. These should be reasonable measures. There is no way, they could possibly design an enclosure that is fool-proof.

While there are ways to ensure that animal escapes are not possible, people getting in is another story. There will always be creative fools, that find a way to somehow get around them.

 

[Nova]

I didn't mean to downplay your suggestion for safety and I do think its a clever idea. But I am afraid that whatever safety measures are taken there will always be one person who ignores them, gets around them, gets injured and blames someone else for being irresponsible.

People seem to have lost the ability for rational thinking and common sense. I commented to a mother that her toddler was toddling around a store with a glass vase in her hand. Mom's reaction? "Oh she'll be fine". OoooKayyy....

(I am jealous of your niece and nephew for their zoo sleepover. They don't have ones for adults

No problem, Clara. I didn't think you and I were quarreling. And I don't think parental absent-mindedness is a new phenomenon. If anything, a case like this one gets more media attention because children are basically safer (seat belts, non-flammable pajamas, etc.) than they used to be.