Violent Dog Owners Could Face Up To 20 Years In Prison

[matcom]

:popcorn:

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AUSTIN - The owners of dogs that violently attack people could face up to 20 years in prison under a bill approved Thursday by the Texas Senate.

The bill sponsored by Rep. Dan Gattis, R-Georgetown, would charge a dog owner with a third-degree felony - punishable by two to 10 years in prison and a possible $10,000 fine - if the dog makes an unprovoked attack and seriously injures the victim.

If the victim dies, the crime would be a second-degree felony, punishable by up to 20 years in prison.

If the Texas House of Representatives approves the changes made by the Senate, the measure could end up on the governor's desk by early next week. Otherwise members of both chambers will meet to work out the differences.

Current law calls for punishments ranging from a $500 fine to one year in jail. And for a dog owner to be charged, the dog must have been classified as dangerous from a previous incident - a provision critics call "one free bite." The measure approved Thursday would charge the owner after the first attack.

Republican Sen. Craig Estes unsuccessfully tried to amend the bill to charge dog owners with a class A misdemeanor - punishable by a year in jail and a $4,000 fine - instead of a felony.

Sen. Eliot Shapleigh said that punishment wouldn't send a strong enough message to the owners of dangerous dogs.

http://www.reporternews.com/news/2007/may/17/senate-approves-stiffer-penalties-owners-violent-d/