Neighbor’s pit bulls charged me

I came home from bowling with a couple fiends and when I pulled into the alley leading to my house, I saw a male and female pit bull rummaging through my neighbor’s trash. The female was missing a front leg. Irrelevant, but just an interesting detail.

I started gently, but firmly talking to them from my car like “what do you think you’re doing” and “go home” and at first they just barked at me and tried to get through the fence behind them(the neighbors built it themselves and it’s horizontally slatted, so more than likely the dogs climbed it, but they were too stupid and scared to figure out how to get back over). I figured that because the dogs were trying to get into this yard, they probably belonged to these neighbors.

I called the local animal control after-hours line and told them there were a couple pit bulls rifling through trash, but they said they only responded to emergencies after 5 PM. So I figured just give it a couple minutes and you’ll have one.

Anyway, I decided that instead of letting them roam to eat more trash or kill something or someone, I would let the neighbor know. I parked my car then went inside to drop off a few things before heading over (our houses are just on opposite ends of the alley, so I walked). At first, I went to leave my house without my key ring that carries my mace, but I had second thoughts and grabbed it.

Sure enough, when I was in sight of the dogs, both of them charged at me. The female was a little more hesitant, but she followed the male who kept coming for me. I stood my ground and yelled in a deep voice to get the fuck back and since I already had my mace ready, I deployed it when he was about 5 feet from me. The female left me alone after she got sprayed the first time, but the male only backed away for a moment before he came barking and charging at me again, so I sprayed again and didn’t stop until he was far enough away that I felt safe to move without him coming back.

When I approached my neighbor’s door, I could see a toddler inside (it was dark outside and their inside lights were on), so it’s just like…. great, you keep those vicious things around your kid??? The neighbor answered the door and I don’t know why, but I didn’t mention the dogs charging at me. I don’t know, but it slipped my mind at the moment it mattered and I’m upset at myself for that. She even said they were her dogs and I still didn’t say anything about it.

I had been expecting the dogs to charge, but I guess I still somehow ended up being shocked that it happened. Maybe I just didn’t want to deal with the confrontation? After all, it’s December in the Midwest and I don’t want to be outside any longer than I have to. (Shout out to all the unhoused folks out there. I hope you’re staying warm and fed.)

Anyway, I don’t know. I just know that despite my yelling, no one even seemed to hear me or if they did, they didn’t care. Myself or someone else could have been injured or killed by these dogs and no one would have even known.

I used to be the “it’s the owner, not the breed” type of person, but I’m glad that thought process has long been removed from my mind after reading all the horror stories or my dumbass might have been like “aww, puppies!” and probably got my ass mauled.

Stay strapped or get clapped.