If Only Pets Could Sue

Most people are familiar with the terms: medical malpractice, child abuse, negligence.  There are laws to protect people and lawyers who specialize in protecting the rights of victims of these abuses.  But what about the health and well-being of other innocent creatures, the ones we share our lives with, who are often just as helpless as their human counterparts?

Yesterday, a Manhattan woman was caught on video kicking and yanking her 9-pound pup - in the same housing project where surveillance video captured another dog beating earlier this month.  

Tiara Davis was busted Monday after repeatedly pounding Sparky, her 4-year-old Pomeranian, theASPCA said. Davis - who is 5-feet-5 and weighs 200 pounds - beat the pup into unconsciousness.

Most decent people are reviled by this kind of behavior.  I say we need tougher laws to protect animals from abuse and stiffer penalties for people like Ms. Davis.