HOUSTON, Texas – Dozens of homeowners in Pleasantville say they are trapped in their homes because of dangerous dogs running loose in the neighborhood. 

Residents say the pack of pit bulls are terrorizing the neighborhood.

A number of elderly residents live on the street and some arm themselves with pipes and sticks before walking down the street. They are the brave ones; others have become prisoners in their own homes.

“I'm definitely afraid of being hurt.  But I can't let them keep me hostage like that -- being afraid to go out and being afraid to go to the store,” said Debbie Allen, a Pleasantville resident.

Allen says she’s afraid because her neighbors across the street have been letting their pit bulls roam freely. In fact, she says she's had to call animal control at least 20 times in just the last six months. But Allen said the phone calls haven't helped.

“They have picked up two of their dogs and all they did, they just went and got two more,” said Allen.

The woman who lives in the house Allen indicated has a different story.  She claims she never lets her dogs run loose.

“It's not my dogs,” said the woman. “My dogs are in the yard with us. They don't just run out in the street and stuff.”

But Allen has photos that seem to indicate otherwise. She also recalls witnessing one of her neighbors, James Moore, almost being attacked by another pit bull belonging to another neighbor.

“He was minding his own business, just cutting the yard, and I see this dog running up behind him,” said Allen.

James Moore remembers the day and confirmed Allen’s story.

“It came after me and I put the weed eater on him.  Fought him off with my weed eater,” said Moore.

Moore is convinced that if he didn’t have the weed eater, he would have been bitten.

Allen said she was threatened by her neighbor after telling the story to 11 News. She called the police, but says her neighbor fled before they arrived.

The neighbor is now accused of assault by threat. Allen just hopes his bark is worse than his bite.