My husband has told their parents that we will call the police next time. As for me, I told the kids that if I catch them doing it again I am going to open the gate and let the dogs out so they can defend themselves. That seemed to scare them most of all. We are now in the process of re-socializing my German Shepherd, we have to keep him muzzled or in a pen when we have company. I hate punishing the dog for what the kids did to him.
I know how you feel being a dog owner myself, but I wouldn't make such a statement for fear that if the dogs did manage to get out that it would be taken as an intentional act on my part.