Dog attacks this month in Waterville and Windham have raised familiar questions regarding “aggressive” breeds, and led some local officials to ask for more stringent laws governing dangerous dogs.

It is easy to see why the stories of the attacks gain such traction in the media, and why they cause so much outrage with the public. In Windham, the victim was an 18-month-old boy who suffered terrible injuries to his face, requiring dozens of stitches. In Waterville, it was a 2-year-old. The same dog had bitten a 6-year-old just two weeks earlier, and in the same house, no less.

It is also easy to see these two attacks giving ammunition to lawmakers who want to pursue tougher regulations. In fact, Waterville Police Chief Joe Massey, in response to the attack in his city, is considering putting forth an ordinance to keep pit bulls and other larger breeds out of homes with kids. In Biddeford, where a police officer was forced to shoot and kill a dog after being attacked, a councilor is reportedly drafting an ordinance regarding dangerous dogs, possibly with a stipulation to require muzzles on some dogs.

For many, the lesson from the recent attacks is simple. Ownership of pit bulls, a breed blamed most often for biting people, including in the incidents in Waterville and Windham, should be banned or at least more tightly regulated, along with that of other large, so-called “aggressive” breeds.

But this argument fails to take into account the one factor common to almost all dog bites, regardless of the dog’s breed and size, or the circumstances surrounding the attack: reckless or irresponsible owners.

Maine law now allows for a dog to be deemed dangerous following a complaint and investigation that shows it bit or acted in a threatening manner toward someone. The dog can then be ordered confined or euthanized, and its owner issued a fine between $250 and $1,000.

If the laws are changed at all, it should be to increase the fines that can be levied on owners, particularly following multiple offenses. Laws could also be enhanced to force dog owners to pay medical bills for those harmed by their dogs.

But we shouldn’t expect tougher laws to take care of the problem. Unfortunately, dogs would still find their way to immature and unfit owners, who are unprepared to raise their pets in the correct manner, so that the dogs are socialized, happy and less likely to lash out at a person. For the most part, shelters do a good job of weeding out risky owners and steering good ones toward the right breed for their particular situation.

And after the tragic events of the last month, that is a good lesson for anyone who breeds or sells dogs.

Ben Bragdon is the managing editor of Current Publishing. He can be reached at bbragdon@keepmecurrent.com or followed on Twitter.