I wasn't going to post this for a couple reasons, including that I think people will laugh at me but here it goes.

A few hours ago I had two of my three dogs out for a walk both on leashes. They are Jack Russells one 14 lb the other about 20. Two 90ish lb Pit Bulls with no collars or owner came bounding down the street. I scooped my two dogs up and tried to walk quickly without them noticing us. No luck. Jumped into the back of a parked Pick Up and they then started jumping up and trying to bite at me, get in. For some reason one got spooked when I yelled and the other followed allowing me to get out and away.

I didn't have my pistol on me that I normally carry and yes I have a LTC.

If I did shoot one or both of the dogs what would be the most likely legal outcome?

Interested as well. I know they would for sure be goners if I was in that situation and had my sidearm.

I don't know the law but by the sound of you would have been performing a public service by shooting them. Glad to hear you and your dogs are OK.

Would rather be tried by 12 than carried by 6.

Three S's is better than one.

rootube said:

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I don't know the law but by the sound of you would have been performing a public service by shooting them. Glad to hear you and your dogs are OK.

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This. Too bad you didn't have your weapon on you, because those dogs need to be shot.

Bang Bang

.....what dogs????

I think legally you'd probably be OK, but I think you'd be almost certainly be
1. explaining yourself to the cops
2. possibly facing harassment or BS suit or just general neighborhood bad will from the action.
3. possibly becoming a local or internet celebrity and getting harrassed by local neighbors or random moms online or peta freaks online.

Those arent even including the possibility of missing the dogs and injuring/killing someone like the officer in Arlington? a few weeks back.

I walk my smaller but yappy dog sometimes and an unleashed aggressive dog is a big concern, so I dont want to minimize your legit fear and anger. But I would take a golf club or pepper spray or probably try and avoid the area rather than risk encountering them again and having to shoot.
Good luck.

I don't think you would face any recourse for dispatching them; especially if you can prove you had to retreat to someone else's parked car for your own safety.

As an owner of JRT mix, I feel it's good to also remind you that your two dogs are actually 85lb *******s stuck in 14 & 20 pound bodies. I would likely put my money on the JRTs in that street fight.

Seriously, glad all the good kids got home. The pits should be shoved into a storm drain.

It depends: 1) Are you a cop? 2) Were the dogs armed? 3) How do you know they weren't just out looking for Skittles and Dr Pepper?

FIDO 96 said:

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I would likely put my money on the JRTs in that street fight.

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I'd take that bet.

Whenever I walk in the neighborhood I always slip a Kimber Pepper Blaster in my pocket. Will definitely stop a large dog without having to deal with the use of lethal force on someone's poorly trained animal...

Madman said:

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I scooped my two dogs up and tried to walk quickly without them noticing us. No luck. Jumped into the back of a parked Pick Up and they then started jumping up and trying to bite at me, get in. For some reason one got spooked when I yelled and the other followed allowing me to get out and away.

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Hard advice to follow with two big pit bulls coming at you, but moving quickly away from dogs is usually a really good way to get an aggressive dogs attention and kick in their prey instinct.

I live in a 10 year old "starter home" neighborhood, and a lot of our 10 year old fences are falling apart, so I unfortunately deal with loose dogs often while walking my own dogs. Thankfully, I'm walking a 90 lbs and 65 lbs dog so its probably less of an issue for me than it is for you and your Jack Russel.

But I've found standing still, or moving in the opposite direction slowly, yelling at them if they get close (as you found worked for you), and as a last resort I've thrown my water bottle or some loose pebbles from the street at loose dogs if they continue to get close works well.

I carry every time I walk my dogs, and haven't needed to do anything more than speak forcefully or throw a plastic bottle yet. Dogs respond to attitude. As long as you're not on "their" turf, you can usually back down a dog who gets too curious with angry words or throwing things, and that's a much better alternative to dealing with the possible issues connected to discharging a gun in town, killing someone elses dog, etc.

This explains all of the scratches on the exterior bed and tailgate of my new King Ranch F250.

Thanks a lot.

I was thinking first don't run because running would be the worst thing I could do. I also tried to keep my dogs from seeing the pits and because I knew they would start barking.

I was successful in keeping my dogs from seeing the pits and barking for a bit, but after my dogs started barking the pits went from curious to aggressive.

BenderRodriguez said:

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Madman said:

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I scooped my two dogs up and tried to walk quickly without them noticing us. No luck. Jumped into the back of a parked Pick Up and they then started jumping up and trying to bite at me, get in. For some reason one got spooked when I yelled and the other followed allowing me to get out and away.

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Hard advice to follow with two big pit bulls coming at you, but moving quickly away from dogs is usually a really good way to get an aggressive dogs attention and kick in their prey instinct.

I live in a 10 year old "starter home" neighborhood, and a lot of our 10 year old fences are falling apart, so I unfortunately deal with loose dogs often while walking my own dogs. Thankfully, I'm walking a 90 lbs and 65 lbs dog so its probably less of an issue for me than it is for you and your Jack Russel.

But I've found standing still, or moving in the opposite direction slowly, yelling at them if they get close (as you found worked for you), and as a last resort I've thrown my water bottle or some loose pebbles from the street at loose dogs if they continue to get close works well.

I carry every time I walk my dogs, and haven't needed to do anything more than speak forcefully or throw a plastic bottle yet. Dogs respond to attitude. As long as you're not on "their" turf, you can usually back down a dog who gets too curious with angry words or throwing things, and that's a much better alternative to dealing with the possible issues connected to discharging a gun in town, killing someone elses dog, etc.

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Not to start an argument, but don't spread misinformation. You're correct in backing away slowly, but don't yell or stare at aggressive dogs in the eye. I know it's hard not to yell and act aggressive when adrenaline kicks in but all that does is provoke the situation. You're supposed to talk calmly. Some people even suggesting saying "sit" as that is a word most dogs know. Oh and what do I do? I act aggressive and yell.

Or shoot them in the face!

Edit: Most people recommend not picking dogs up in this situation either because you'll most likely end up getting bit or worse. Again, I know this isn't the first instinct, and if I had a small dog I'd probably pick it up too.

I would have shot them, hell with that....I ain't goin out that way.

You know what else they know, Blam blam.

I know you are just sharing information and advice but my first thought is that the OP did a pretty good job managing the situation. A lot of people including myself may not have even thought to jump in a truck. Also thank god there weren't kids in this situation or it could have turned out much worse.

And just like that from the news today a 9 year old girl who was killed by three pit bulls.

I'd kill them and request jury trial if charged

Shoot them. Call the cops. "Feared for your life"

Another reason not to live in a neighborhood.

Witnesses.

I know of someone who used to roam the streets at night hunting the packs of ferals at night with a suppressed .22. He lived in a really bad neighborhood that had a lot of issues with aggressive dogs. Ya know, trash people = trash dogs.

May not be the best answer but it IS an answer.

rootube said:

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And just like that from the news today a 9 year old girl who was killed by three pit bulls.

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Damn, seeing stuff like this both infuriates me and tears at me. We all know that dog maulings are often not quick and they sure as **** ain't painless. A little girl with her whole life ahead of her died in agony and terror instead to a pack of pits.

they say dogs are color blind, but one time with a hotshot fixes that. you pick up a yellow stick and the dog knows you mean business.

Aggressive and unleashed dogs are fair game in my opinion when they are threatening.

Years ago we lived right on a park where a decent neighborhood met the barrio. I would walk my 3 dogs, a weiner, a peekapoo, and a pit mix in the park. I had a couple of situations where aggressive dogs, not only some Vato's pit, came towards us acting aggressive. I was able to get out of them and avoid issue, but was not comfortable at all. My elderly peekapoo caused lots of issues as well.

I started carrying a small .380 I have and took the time to walk the area and let the owners know that if their dogs came after me and or mine I would shoot the dogs pronto. That got several of these guys attention, these were not pleasant convo's for the most part, but it was what it was.

I have always found that standing up to an aggressive dog, and or maybe a pair of them, works well to give them pause. Now a pack of them might be a different issue.

Bottom line, I would shoot first and explain later.

Eliminatus said:

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I know of someone who used to roam the streets at night hunting the packs of ferals at night with a suppressed .22. He lived in a really bad neighborhood that had a lot of issues with aggressive dogs. Ya know, trash people = trash dogs.

May not be the best answer but it IS an answer.

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The fact that you know this means he already failed at the 3rd S.

1) buy hotdogs
2) buy anti freeze
3) combine the two
4) go to where the dogs are
5) feed hotdogs to dogs
6) ?????
7) PROFIT

Just think it's worth noting that you'd be fine in that situation, however, the way you handled it is 100x better. No worries about missing target, no waiting on cops, no harassment, none of it. You get to vent on Texags. Hopefully after at least calling animal control.

FWIW, when my younger brother was 13/14 he was walking my parents bouchon (small fluffy dog). A pit bull that some neighbors a few streets down we're feeding regularly attacked our dog and my brother had to stomp on its head several times to get it to let go. Dog spent over a week at the vet, barely recovered. When the cops came they said they'll never question a dead pit bull when called out, seen too many similar cases. That being said, it was 12+ years ago so the climate has changed a little.

A lot of rambling but to sum up:
Being attacked or dogs being attacked by pit < shooting pit < getting away from the situation as you did.

Pit bulls are like any other dogs. They are going to react and cue off of your own behavior and actions. I used to live in a trailer park way out in the sticks near Elgin while property hunting after a relocation and would regularly encounter loose dogs, including pit bull types, and often in groups, when riding my bike. Something very effective was to see them first, get eyes on them, and start talking to them calmly and directly so they knew I saw them and was acknowledging their presence, but to not react with any sort of intimidation, especially if they approached for s closer look. I'd dismount my bike, stand my ground, and talk to them. If they moved a bit aggressively I would move steadily in their direction at a slow walk. Once they could see I was absolutely not intimidated (and ready to clobber them with the bike if they did get aggressive), they would stop at a distance and watch me and maybe bark, and they would follow me but keeping a reasonable distance. The key was calm self control. You have to master your fear, keep a controlled demeanor, and match any aggressive move with a determined, but not overly aggressive counteracting move of your own. It totally changes the dynamic of the situation.

Now, I say that as a grown adult male who is physically intimidating to even a large dog. This strategy may not work for someone small.

1. Shoot
2. Dig Hole
3. Profit

Sheriff told my landlord, if the dog is in the street you can shoot it.

There are vanishingly few cops in this country who would even begin to question your motives for shooting one pit, much less two together.

The way you got out of the situation is certainly best for you, and I pray that those two dogs don't kill any innocent people.

My opinion, they should be dispatched quickly and efficiently.

I may have misunderstood your comment and I am not trying to start a flame war but I disagree with this statement. "Pit bulls are like any other dogs". Dogs have been highly selectively breed over millennia to cultivate specific traits. Pit bulls have been breed specifically for fighting and to be aggressive. That is not to say that there are not gentle pit bulls but to ignore the fact that they have specific genetic traits is kidding yourself. I own a herding dog and he has been raised like any typical non-working dog but he exhibits herding behaviors that were not trained or cultivated by me in any way. Pit bulls are no different except instead of nipping your heels they have a tendency toward aggression.