If Provo is going to try to regulate "dangerous dogs," it needs to take special steps at the start to focus on the animals most likely to cause harm.

Other cities in Utah County also might want to look into similar measures before tragedy strikes.

The Provo Municipal Council is pondering an ordinance that would not ban breeds but would outline measures against specific dogs that exhibit dangerous behavior. Provo reported 54 animal-bite cases last year, and 24 so far this year. Dog bites are often under-reported, and although it's not clear how many dog bites are reported countywide, an incident in Orem reflects the dangers. A boy was honored earlier this year for fighting off a pit bull terrier that attacked the boy's mother and another dog. The pit bull continued its assault even as the humans punched and kicked it, and even slammed a door on it as they retreated into a house.

Prompted by a rash of incidents in the Provost neighborhood, Councilwoman Midge Johnson is leading the effort to tighten Provo's animal laws. She says that at first she thought of banning specific breeds but decided that wasn't workable. The law should put pressure on the owners of any kind of dog that has displayed threatening behavior, she says.

There is a widespread school of thought that agrees. It's true that the owners, not the dogs, cause most problems by failing to train and take care of dogs. Many dogs of breeds with bad reputations are safe animal companions, while a little dog that looks harmless can suddenly sink its fangs into someone passing by.

The proposed law therefore aims to identify the particular dogs most likely to become real menaces, regardless of breed. Dogs that show aggressive behavior would be identified as at-risk dogs, and owners would have to take special precautions. The suspect dog would be implanted with a microchip; the police department would keep a photo of the dog; and the owner would have to carry liability insurance.

Dogs showing more threatening behavior would be listed as "dangerous." Police would investigate incidents and could order a dog to be put down. Under some circumstances, the dog might be released with the at-risk restrictions plus a mandate that it be muzzled in public and locked in a carrier for transportation.

The law isn't all about punishment. Pets earning negative designations could be downgraded to a safer class after 18 months of good behavior and professional obedience training.

Our previous suggestion has been to ban the most dangerous breeds -- pit bulls, Rottweilers and related mixed breeds. Yes, other kinds of dogs bite people. But those breeds commit a disproportionate share of the worst attacks. Poodles and dachshunds can bite; but if a Rottweiler or pit bull takes a dislike to you, you could end up dead or disfigured.

Why not combine the approaches and focus both on breeds and behaviors? Targeting breeds can work, if done right. In Reading, Pa., for example, an ordinance mandated a special permit for any breed of dog which accounted for 40 percent or more of the dog attacks in the city during the previous year. The year after passage of the bill, the number of attacks was cut in half. That rule was overturned this year by the Pennsylvania Supreme Court, because it conflicted with state law, but Utah appears to have no such barrier.

Another idea sometimes put forward by humane societies: Seventy percent of dog bites are committed by un-neutered males, according to the American Veterinary Medical Association. So the city could boost the license fee for any male dog that hasn't been neutered. That might be enough to impel dog owners to get their dogs fixed, which they should do anyway.

One more suggestion: Post photos and addresses of dangerous dogs online, as, for example, the Sarasota County (Fla.) Sheriff's Office does. People should be able to find out easily if a dog in their neighborhood has been deemed at-risk or dangerous.

Of course, none of this would be necessary if people would just take care of their dogs. It's a shame some don't. And until they do, it's understandable if Provo experiments with approaches to bring the truly dangerous dogs to heel.