Not only are they loose and attacking by an elementary school, the school is also next to a huge system my husband and I like to explore frequently. It’s very popular and we always encounter other hikers, people with dogs and family, and people on horseback… I really hope everyone stays safe and hopefully these idiot dogs get caught soon!

This is more of a rant than a request for help. I used to have a very laid back attitude about people and their dogs. I don't have dogs, and I'm generally ambivalent about them. Never thought much about the pit bull debate until recently. I have lived in a rental community for a few years now. This community has a list of breeds that aren't allowed, and it includes pits. The rules also require all dogs to be leashed when outside, except in the fenced dog park area. My unit is a two-story townhouse with a glass sliding door that goes out to a small patio area in the back. I have two cats that enjoy hanging out by the glass door to sunbathe and watch the birds and squirrels.

About a month ago, a couple moved in a few doors down and brought their two dogs. One is purebred or mostly pit. The other one looks like a pit-lab mix. These people let the dogs run off leash around the communal greenspace behind my building several times a day. I have never seen the dogs being walked on a leash. I didn't much care for this, but the dogs didn't seem aggressive, just hyperactive, so I didn't say anything. But a few days ago, the mostly-pit dog spotted my cat sitting by the back door and charged, throwing itself full-force several times into the glass. The owner ambled over and dragged the dog away while it was scream-barking the whole time. My cat was paralyzed with fear and shaking. The other cat hid under my bed for the rest of the day. Okay, that was a one-off mistake, I thought. I didn't think the owners would let it happen again, so I didn't do anything. I was wrong.

It happened again the next day. Except it was the lab-pit that time. Again, the owner took his sweet time wandering over and getting his dog. Again, my cats were horrified. It was after-hours, so emailed the management office to explain the problem. So far, no reply. Then yesterday, it happened AGAIN. And it was both dogs. The owner dragged the mostly-pit away, but the lab-pit didn't budge. I had to throw a blanket over my cat and scoop him up like that so I could take him to another room. Poor guy just freezes when he's scared, but he'll shred you if you touch him. The other cat won't go near the back door anymore. I was hoping the lab-pit would leave when my cat was out of sight. But it stayed on the patio and barked until the owner finally came back and got it.

So I called the property management office and reported it. I told them the dogs are always off-leash, and that they are now terrorizing my cats. And that there was a real risk of these dogs breaking through my door. They guy I spoke to fucking laughed at me. He said of course the dogs aren't pit bulls, they're "mixed breed" dogs, according to the owners, so totally allowed. And he basically accused me of lying about the dogs being off-leash. Dude literally said, "so you're saying you want me send someone over to bother these people because you don't like their dogs?" No, asshole, I want you to tell them to keep their dogs on a leash. I pay my rent on time every month, and I follow all the rules. I keep my cats indoors, I keep them vaccinated and licensed. I have never caused any problems for my neighbors or complained about anyone's dogs before. The least they could do is tell these people they need to follow the rules like everyone else. We just signed a 12-month lease two months ago, so we're stuck here for at least another 10 months.

Anyway, this morning, they let the dogs out again. Of course, they both went straight to my back door to look for my cats. Luckily, both cats were upstairs with me, so the dogs just sniffed around for a minute and ran off. I'm now looking into setting up a camera to cover my back door so I can send a video of this nonsense to the management office when it inevitably happens again. My husband was ready to go knock on the owners' door and tell them off, but I told him that would just give them a way to paint us as the bad guys. And apparently we're not alone. The older guy who lives next door with his grandkids said the dogs have tried to go after their little yorkie more than once. He said he complained, too, and that was a couple weeks ago. Apparently, management isn't going to do a damn thing until these dogs actually kill someone's pet or attack a person.

UPDATE:

The dogs were out again about 20 minutes ago. I got a video with my phone when they came around my patio yet again. The video shows both dogs walking around my patio and sniffing, and the lab-pit mix peeing on one of my planters (lovely!) while the owner stands well back and makes several unsuccessful attempts to recall the dogs. My cats are still upstairs so the dogs didn't get aggressive at the door. The owner fully saw me filming her, and that's fine because I wanted her to. The dogs eventually ran off and the owner followed them. I will be sending this video to management.

I also called AC to make a formal report. They were very polite, but told me they can't do anything because the property is just outside city limits and the county doesn't have a leash law. I asked if they could do anything if I gave them a video of the dogs approaching my home (I didn't have the video from today yet), and they said that would be something for the property manager to deal with. Basically, they said they can't do anything unless the dogs actually attack a person or animal. But they did take my report, so there's a record of it in case this becomes a thing that ends up in court. They also told me not to call 911 or the police over the dogs being off-leash because the owners are not breaking any laws, and reiterated that I should contact the property manager.

NEW UPDATE: This has been resolved, or at least I'm pretty sure it has. I made a follow-up post here: https://www.reddit.com/r/BanPitBulls/comments/12zr8z4/update_pits_are_not_allowed_in_my_rental/

Saw this on another subreddit and I'm shocked. I knew pitbulls were unhinged, but this is ridiculous. It.bent.the.METAL.bars.

This is just me venting

TL;DR: Shitbull-owner was warned shitbull was about to attack. Shitbull-owner did not listen. Shitbull attacked.

I routinely take my mutts to the nearest dog park for socializing them and to use the obstacles there. Since I am a regular here, I have picked up on which owners have the best control of their dogs and those who have much to work on. For the most part, it is a decent park with decent dogs.

Lately, a woman has been bringing her shitbull to the park and she has absolutely zero control over her animal. It is a female that the owner puts in a cute pink T-shirt and will laugh it off when her pitbull snarls and lunges at other dogs when they take their toys to their owner; the shitbull will steal the toys from other dogs or even leap on the other owners to take the toys.

Now, this owner is a morbidly obese woman who, if it even came to it, would be unable to restrain a Yorkie.

Welp, today there were 2 well-trained Aussie Shepherds (regulars) playing fetch and the shitbull stole the toy from them and was making the whale eyes, licking lips, tail in defensive position. I called out from across the park, "Hey! You might want to watch your dog. She is showing even more signs of aggression today."

Of course. This prompts the other shitbull owner to say, "They are just playing! No need to be a jackass about it!" Both shitbull owners literally looked at me and each other as if I was being a racist or some shit.
Then, it happens again. The Aussies are playing and the woman's shitbull grabs the disc from the Aussie and when the Aussie was WALKING AWAY the shitbull starts growling, licking lips, ears back, tail down. I had enough and scream, "YOUR DOG IS ABOUT TO BITE. GET A HOLD OF YOUR FUCKING DOG."

And like a fucking cliche, she says, "They are just playi---"

and her fucking dog lunges at the Aussie and clamps down on the back leg and immediately the owner starts screaming, "LET GO. OH MY GOD." and then proceeds to literally fall over, tumble on the dog jumping obstacle thing... so now she is effectively useless. Me and the Aussie owner grab the shitbull as firmly as we can without causing more damage to Cookie's leg and I threw the dog into the nearest tree. By this time, there were 5 other people there holding the shitbull down looking for a leash when the other shitbull owner is just screaming and struggling to keep her shitbull from getting into the fray.

All this time, the obese lady is still laying in the dust struggling to get up. She gets helped up and me and the Aussie owner are literally telling her politely, "Get your fucking dog out of this park. Now."

and this bitch had the nerve to say, "but we just got here!"

After that, all the regulars and I just recalled our dogs and collectively in the parking lot said we might have to make the drive to a different park because of the absolute morons showing up with their pits. Absolutely bonkers.

Cookie was not badly damaged; open puncture to rear right leg. Not deep. Aussie owner tried to get info from the shitbull owner but she apparently told him, "I ain't paying for your dog instigatin' mine".

We recently move into our first home. We love it. It is surrounded by pretty high vinyl fences (which I am very grateful for). The house immediately behind us has three massive and seemingly very aggressive pit bulls. Every time I walk over to the fence (to go into my shed) they start barking and snapping furiously.

Thankfully they are in cages, but the thought of them getting out and jumping into our yard scares the hell out of me. Understand, I freaking love dogs so much, but I just don't trust pit bulls, especially THESE pit bulls. I have two small kids, and I am scared of what would happen if these pit bulls got out.

Any advice legally to protect ourselves? Can just the look of aggression be enough to have the dogs removed or do they have to actually be violent toward you? I am not trying to be a Karen neighbor, Im just scared and wish these monsters weren't so close to my home, my wife and my kids.

I’m moving, so I’ve been house hunting. I found a near perfect rental unit. Checked all my necessary boxes & even had some other bonus features.

The problem? Both yards on either side had pits.

When I got to looking at the backyard of the unit I noticed the left neighbor’s side of the fence was super patchy with an assortment of pallets & random plastic things strewn together as some kind of “reinforcement” (like literally one hole in the fence was covered with a plastic rake stood up against it). I immediately thought, “looks like a dog has tried to escape, looks like pit owner repair job”. At one point I was on the side patio & could see two American Bully type pits perched in the window of that house. Sigh. I think to myself that’s gotta be a deal breaker, it’s just gonna drive me nuts worrying about them being there & I won’t feel safe using the backyard.

As I’m leaving, I see at the house to to the right was a larger, menacing looking, regular type pit bull in the front yard, behind a chain link fence about 6ft high. It was a dirty yard with a dirty dog house & a large water bowl next to a hose. Dog was dirty & I must not have noticed him on the way in since he blended in with the dirt. But now he just stared me down the entire time I walked to my car. He didn’t move until I was putting my baby from her stroller into her car seat & then he stood up & walked closer & just kept watching. I hurried the fuck outta there.

I’m so sad, I kept thinking “is it really a deal breaker though? The house is so nice, the rest of the neighborhood is so normal & pretty!” But later that night I decided to not even submit an application, I can’t worry my baby will be mauled walking in or out of our door on any given day. It also reminds me of like spiders or other pests, I don’t even want to know they’re near by or else I will keep checking to make sure they’re not coming any closer lol. I would feel the same heeby-jeebies knowing I’m surrounded by pits. But it was otherwise such a nice house, I was totally set on it before I noticed them.

Am I overreacting? Or did I make the right call?

Not sure if this has been posted or not yet. Classic unleashed pitbull nannies something on sight. I hope it got put down and the owner got charged. Still no idea why people bother getting pitbulls. The mom's poor baby was so distressed and the stroller almost fell, that part saddened me the most.