Should Vicious Pet Owners Face Tougher Penalties?

Warning - The video below contains graphic content that some viewers may find disturbing.

Warning - The video above contains graphic content that some viewers may find disturbing.

Following the pit bull attack in New York, we got to talking about what we can do to help prevent these kinds of things happening again. Should owners of vicious dogs be held to greater penalties if their dog(s) attempt to kill someone?  To be direct: If your dog tries to kill someone, should you be charged with attempted murder?

I'm getting to the point where I think the discussion of laws and regulations regarding specific breeds is going nowhere. What I'd like to see is some accountability. There is no question that if Good Samaritans hadn't stepped in to help, he'd be dead now. Those dogs tried to kill him, right in front of the owner and she was either unwilling or unable to do anything about it. She should be held accountable for the actions of her animals? If there were a stiffer penalty attached to her lack of action, like say attempted murder, maybe people would think twice before owning an animal that they clearly cannot control.

Does that sound too harsh?

I know many of you who own aggressive breeds and it's honestly not my intention to offend. I understand that a bond between a family and a dog runs deep and I've heard so many of you defend those dogs that you consider gentle giants.

Your defense statements usually sound something like this:

"MY dog would never do this." - You might be right. I wonder how many of the people who have owned dogs that wound up killers said this?

"I've had my dog since it was a pup and I let it around my kids all the time." - I think having an aggressive breed around children is deplorable but that's your choice to make. I sincerely hope nothing bad ever happens.

"It's not the dog, it's the owner." - I agree... Which is why I suggest the owners be held to a higher degree of accountability. If you really think this, I wonder why so many of you don't think the owner should be held responsible for the crime of the animal?

"I've had run-ins with little dogs that are even more aggressive than that."  - I'm sorry. If you say this, you're just trying to deflect. The reason toy breeds never make national headlines when they attack is because they are less likely to do any real harm. Yes, they can bite and if yours bites someone, you should be accountable... but a toy breed doesn't cause me to fear for my life.

Here's what some of you had to say when you called the show this morning.

What are your thoughts? As of right now, the owner of these dogs has been arrested and faces eight counts of assault and two counts of reckless endangerment. Is that enough?