I'm inclined to agree with the original poster, pets are first and foremost animals.
They are not your 'baby' and you are not their mumsie or daddy, you are their owner. By all means shower them with affection, regard them as companions or as something that brings you solace at the end of a shitty day......but dont think anything other than that they are responding to the care provider.
There has been mention that it is all down to instinct, so the animal shouldn't be blamed....in fact there is a post saying human children do the same. So you dont chastise a child for violence? If a partner is unfaithful thats ok...its only instinct to breed? I'm a meat eater, if I cant afford shopping does my instinct condone killing and eating your beloved terrier?
See my point? As humans we have the thought process, as animals they dont.....if instinct takes over they will kill, as all predatory creatures do.
All the original poster said was that they saw a side to their animals that brought home the true 'nature' of the creatures. And as a responsible adult/owner of an animal that has an inherent dangerous streak, her views have changed. There is no mention of punishment, lack of care or a bullet to the head for the animals action, just an honest statement that these are animals and she will now be treating them as such.