Friends, I need some advice.
A couple days ago I pulled up to my new apartment and two loose pit bulls approached my vehicle. They did not get too close and backed off when I got out. They seemed interested in me but wanted to keep their distance. I couldn't figure out which house they belonged to and they ran off, so I figured I would keep an eye out.
Yesterday, one of them was loose again but alone, this time running around on my side of the street. She noticed me and was wagging her tail but barking and keeping her distance. I crouched down and talked to her a bit, but also kept my distance because I do not know this dog. She kept barking, so I decided to turn around and get some stuff out of my car. That's when I heard her running up behind me. I spun around and made eye contact and she stopped. At that point she was wagging her tail still, but growling with her ears back and her shoulders tense. She made one more run at me where I got low and big and shouted at her, and she stopped. One of my neighbors from up the street heard the commotion and distracted her and convinced her to move up the street. A quick convo with my newly introduced neighbor told me the owner is right across the street and the dogs being loose is becoming more and more frequent. I called my spouse to warn them as they were on their way home when a woman who clearly knew the dog was able to grab it by the collar and walk it home, warning the owner that the dog was going to get hit if he kept letting her run in the street.
I'm pretty proud of the fact that I know how to handle difficult animals in a vet setting, but I've never been scared of an animal in public until that moment. I genuinely thought I was going to have to defend myself against that dog. I'm worried she's going to get hit or hurt somebody, as there are a lot of kids in my neighborhood who ride bikes or scooters alone. I have no idea what this person's situation is or why the dogs are getting loose.
Other than call ACO, any advice?