Homicide investigators have interviewed several witnesses and zoo personnel, and the investigation is ongoing, police said. When Pittsburgh Zone 5 police officers arrived in the zoo and entered the pit, the dog continued to exhibit extremely aggressive ( idiots, the dog is protecting its territory, remember you locked it and its family in there !) behavior toward the child and the officers, police said.īoth officers fired multiple gunshots and killed the animal, according to the police statement. It was an alpha female, since African wild dogs are strictly matriachal group of predetors. Zoo personnel were able to secure 10 of the dogs, but not the final dog due to aggressive and violent behavior, according to the police statement. What remained of him was little, one officer said. The child was immediately attacked by 11 dogs inside the pen, and was later pronounced dead at the scene as a result of the attack. The 2 year old unfortunate child was with his 34-year-old mother, of Pleasant Hills, at the African painted dogs exhibit when he fell from the top of a platform railing to the ground inside the pit area. The child’s parents are being treated for trauma, according to police. The Pittsburgh Zoo & PPG Aquarium will remain closed until further notice.” “The accident is under investigation by both the Zoo and the Pittsburgh Police Department.

Death at Pittsburgh zoo : Horrible and tragic accident is under investigation : Pittsburgh Police The zoo’s website says the dogs - described as hunters whose prey include antelope, zebras and gazelles - are the size of medium domestic dogs. It estimates that currently only 3,000 remain and it was their lucky day. The Pittsburgh Zoo death incident is under investigation by both the zoo and police.Īccording to the Wildlife Conservation Network, the painted dog, also known as the African wild dog, has drastically dwindled in numbers due to human encroachment.

It quoted zoo president Barbara Baker as saying he was on an outing with his mother when he fell over a railing - and off a mesh barrier - into the exhibit. The Pittsburgh Post-Gazette reported the child was a boy of about three.

Dog shooting is what the US police is good at. Pittsburgh Police stated the 2-year-old fell into the painted dogs exhibit and was mauled.Ī police officer shot and killed one “aggressive” dog. Keepers - who entered the enclosure to lure away the African wild dogs - failed to reach the mauled child. “Unfortunately the dogs were in pack mentality and not responding,” the statement from the Pittsburgh Zoo said. Horrible Zoo Accident : Child Mauled In African Wild (Painted) Dog Exhibit at Pittsburgh Zoo The little kid was gone, shred to pieces already !Ī 2-year-old child was killed at the Pittsburgh Zoo & PPG Aquarium Sunday morning after being mauled when he fell into the African painted dogs exhibit. ”Ī Zoo – keeper succeeded in getting seven of the eleven wild dogs off the exhibit while a representative from the veterinarian department attempted to keep the wil dogs away from the child by shooting darts into the space, the statement added, apparently to no avail. when a young child fell into the African (wild ) painted dog exhibit and was killed. Pittsburgh, US / NationalTurk – The Pittsburgh Zoo and PPG Aquarium said in a statement at the zoo’s Facebook page ‘ It is with heavy hearts we report that a tragic accident occurred Sunday at 11:45 a.m. One dog was killed in the accident as well. Wild dogs devoured the child like he was a gazelle, after ripping it apart piece by piece. Horrible Zoo Accident : Child Mauled In African Wild (Painted) Dog Exhibit at Pittsburgh Zoo Nature striked back at Pittsburgh zoo accident ! African wild dogs mauled a small child to death at Pittsburgh zoo US on Sunday, after the unfortunate child fell into their pit.

Pittsburgh zoo wild dogs