I feel that contemporary laws regarding the use of an animal as a dangerous instrument or deadly weapon are intended to see the crime from the point of view of the owner. As previously discussed, culpability plays a large part in holding the owner responsible for the harm done by the animal. In contrast, if instances where harm was done by an animal, despite culpability by the owner, and the owner were to be punished, with the exception of negligence, I feel there would be injustice. In my opinion, I feel todays understanding of the related issues account for ill intent of animal owners, such as in the case of Henderson, and issues as they relate to animals that act out of their owners control. Additionally, in contemporary times, I feel that additional charges of animal cruelty may be brought against the animal owner who uses their animal as a dangerous instrument or deadly weapon. While I do not feel that the United States is influenced by the international community regarding this issue, I do feel that similar charges would be sought in other nations to protect animals from being harmed due to the criminal behavior of their owners.
