Show Compassion

Enough! Horrible things happen to very nice people and we all could be next. Maddox Derkosh died by a horrible accident. Jason and Elizabeth, his parents, had a right to expect that a viewing stand constructed by the Pittsburgh zoo would have been built to accommodate children. (Considering the danger of these dogs, maybe the signs in that area should have warned that children shouldn’t be in that viewing area).

No fail-safe existed to protect anyone who accidentally fell in. The dogs never should have been able to come in contact with the child before he could have been rescued. The flimsy netting that the zoo had there was not for safety but may have been deceptive, letting people think there wasn’t a need to have something more sophisticated to ensure safety.

The anguish the parents are experiencing will not be assuaged by money from suing the

Pittsburgh zoo, but, by taking this action, they will know that they had a part in putting the zoo on record for not providing a safer viewing area for such carnivorous animals. Perhaps it will force the zoo to look into providing reasonable safety measures that the public has a right to expect.

So I think it is time to say “Enough” about this horrible accident and stop second-guessing the parents’ actions. The fact remains that the Pittsburgh zoo was not diligent about safety when they set up the viewing area. So, Jason and Elizabeth, we are behind you. Make the choices you need to and I pray in time the pain you have will ease up and you can take comfort in the memories you have of Maddox. Do what you need to do, and for the rest of us, Enough … let compassion guide you.

PATRICIA DAUBE
Castle Shannon

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