where i draw the line - and will stick to it.
1. Government, under election from the populace, should rightfully DEMAND that owners of ANY dog, even a 6" licks-its-own-balls-all-day nit:
* KNOW how to raise dogs - feeding, play, how-to care, etc
* be EQUIPPED to raise dogs - space, enclosure, harness & leash, etc
* UNDERSTAND consequences of irresponsible ownership - liability, etc
2. People should be READY to deal with dogs - ANY DOGS - that have been irresponsibly raised, or "gone berserk" - just as people should be READY to deal with people who have been equally irresponsibly raised, or "gone berserk". If that same 6" ball-licker tries to bite me, I will kick it so hard that they'll need a plunger to remove the dent. If it tries to bite my toddler, I will kick it likewise, just three or four times more. Replace ball-licker with pitt, rott, lab, retriever, shep, st.bernard, etc ... and boot with equally escalating disciplinary action.
3. Anyone who harasses a dog should be SUBJECT to prosecution the same way that anyone who vandalizes someone's vehicle would be prosecuted for damages. (You don't shoot someone who throws a rock at your dog. You kick arse, then sue their pants off.)
Did I leave anything out?
I own two dogs, a Jindo (large) and a Scot Terrier (tiny and very high-pitched). I would not hesitate to apply the above to myself and my dogs. As for people who say, "no gov intervention" - gov taking responsibility for punishing idiots and loose dog-cannons is much preferable to my having to do it myself.