New legislation has been introduced in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, that will allow police officers to train zoo and aquarium employees to use a firearm when dealing with a dangerous animal incident.

Pittsburgh City Council enacted the legislation in response to the 2012 mauling of a toddler, who died after falling into Pittsburgh Zoo & PPG Aquarium’s African painted dogs enclosure.

The legislation authorises weapons training for the next three years. The police will train employees to use firearms in cases where an animal poses a danger, while zoo staff, in turn, will school police on animal behaviour and the zoo's layout to improve emergency response time.

The zoo has said it will pay for the firearms training and provide the police training for free.

“The zoo and the police department have had an informal agreement now for the past five years or so,” said Pittsburgh Police spokesperson, Sonya Toler. “This proposal is an attempt to formalise the arrangement. It's important to note this is cross training – police will learn about the zoo animals and their behaviours and become familiar with the grounds of the zoo, while zoo employees will learn what to do when and if there is a situation with a dangerous animal that has gotten loose.

“Police will offer training so zoo employees can better maintain and use firearms. It's important to public safety so that the zoo employees are skilled to be the first line of control. Our officers are there to serve as back up.”

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