Small Terrier Beaten to Death with a Bat.

This story sickens me. I understand that a parents first reaction to whatever caused their child pain is to retaliate. I GET THAT. But this poor, defenceless dog was beaten with a bat, while chained up and probably no bigger than that mans head.
I have a similar sized terrier...

He's a good dog who loves to play with children. But as with ANY size/breed of dog, sometimes his patience can run out when constantly provoked. He may let out a nip or a growl or a full out bark. And just as children of a toddler age don't know how else to communicate with a dog, neither do dogs to children. How else will a dog tell a 2 year old that he no longer wishes to have his tail or ears pulled for the 20th time that morning, unless he communicates that by walking away or growling/nipping/barking.
I would hardly call what happened in this story an "attack".
The father should've been watching his child of 18 months.
The dog was chained up, why not just remove your daughter from the yard?
I'm pretty sure he didn't just so happen to have a bat in his hand when it happened.
He purposefully went to retrieve a bat, and didn't have the good sense to fight that parental rage inside of him that wanted to harm the animal that harmed his daughter. (she didn't even require stitches by the way).
In a world filled with hypocrisy, it makes me ponder the idea.... What would he do or feel, as a parent whose child had seen this unspeakable act of vengeance on a small pet in public?
If it had been HIS small terrier that had nipped at little Teddy's 12 yr old owner and that boys father came out and beat the dog to death in front of his young daughter with no regard as to the effect his actions have on everyone involved?
Stolen innocence. Thats what that is.
When I was 12, I truly believed the world was still a fun and beautiful place. Where people were generally good natured and kind hearted and the bad guys only existed in the movies and campfire stories.
I know that sounds like a very naive and ignorant view of the world, but @ that age, ignorance IS bliss.

My heart goes out to the little boy that had to cradle his dead dog's crumpled body at the hands of his neighbours rage. And the people and families that had to witness it.
I understand the urge to protect your daughter from harm.... but why make a poor, defenceless dog pay for your parenting mistake?
WATCH YOUR CHILDREN.
And if an accident happens because YOU werent more vigilant in preventing it, then you have no one to blame but yourself and should take accountability for your actions (or lack thereof).

I know this may receive a lot of hate from the parents out there that say they would do the same to protect their children, but I find that to be ridiculous. My sisters and I, and even the kids I went to school with, caused greater injury to each other during our childhoods than this dog did to that child.
None of our parents went all "vigilante" and killed those kids that hurt theirs.

Absolutely ridiculous.

Click here for the story and petition pertaining to little Teddy's ultimate demise.