Boy critical after dog mauling

Stories like this one make me so upset. Why do people feel the need to have such vicious pets? I can only think of two reasons - for protection, or because they are somewhat vicious persons themselves and take delight in teaching a dog to be cruel. I don't think killer dogs are necessary for protection. Most burgulars, upon hearing a dog bark on the premises, will steer clear, even if the dog is just a collie or retriever. As far as vicious people go, well, there's no making them be nice, so let's have some significant punishment for owner negligence.