Could I get some advice about dealing with feral dogs?

This one is probably a bit out of the norm but I got a very damn serious problem with dogs in my town. Simply put it's a wasteland with no active government trying to manage anything so rednecks and ghetto people freely bring in any animal they please and leave them to their own devices with absolutely no supervision or responsibility taken.The result of this is literally roaming gangs of dogs that'll gladly fuck with people as they see fit. This or even unchained dogs that'll charged out of their completely open yard to attack passing people with little to nothing done on the owners part to stop it. We've had several attacks, many dead actual pets, both of which I've personally experienced, and even as bad as a case of an injured child.Assuming you aren't harassed or attacked by the local criminal populace, going for a ride on a bike is a game of hoping a random dog doesn't charge out from a random location and tackle your bike.I carry a kabar knife as a last resort but that thing isn't going to do much against a pack of dogs or an enraged pit bull that has more muscle mass than golden age arnold schwarzenegger.I am REALLY hoping I don't have to shoot an animal, so I'm coming here in hopes that someone can recommend me a useful tool that'll give me an option other than resorting to buying a carry gun. I like guns, but it's a financial investment and a half and there's going to be a whole lot of problems if I have to blow a dog away in the middle of town, god forbid in someone's front yard.Looked a bit into pepper spray and thought a gel spray sounded nice with the range of it. One of them shows the slightest hint of aggression and they get a face full from a safe distance. However I'm not sure of it's actual effectiveness against animals and if it'd be enough to stop 1 or multiple dogs that are really damn pissed off. I've heard horror stories of ones that even a high caliber pistol won't put down immediately.This sounds crazy but it really is a big problem. Within my small corner of town alone, roughly 5-6 blocks of residencies, there's at least 4 properties that shelter aggressive dogs that'll charge passing people. 1 of which houses 3 dogs alone, and 2 of which are 2 very damn muscular pit bulls that I've never wanted to test to see if they're all bark. On top of this there are the roaming packs which will drift throughout the week. They could be nesting one night in any lot they choose, and then the next they might've decided to hit the opposite end of town.One of my attacks was due to a pack like that. Was late at night and biking home from a friends house. I was going down the street leading into my neighborhood when I looked over and realized a pack of 6 of them were sleeping right there in an empty field next to the road. I froze up and didn't know if I would risk getting off the bike and turning around or thinking they wouldn't attack and riding passed. I chose the latter and that ended poorly. I kept my eyes locked on them but right as they're transitioning behind me I flick my head for a split moment to check the road in front of me and by the time I turned back 2 of them had already covered over half the distance between me and them and the rest of the pack was lagging just a bit behind. No barking or growling either. No "fuck you I don't like you" in dog language. Just dead silent sprinting trying to lead into my bike. Swung opposite from them and fell in a flooded ditch spraining my wrist and fracturing my leg. I think they ran cause they weren't interested in following in after me.First reaction might be "You need jesus and animal control not a self defense weapon". I know. Dealing with animal control and this town is an on going battle that's lasted for years and doesn't seem to be getting better. So in the mean time I would be absolutely thrilled if I could get some advice and buying suggestions for this. Dealing with the overpopulation of crack heads and armed robbers can come at a later date as far as I'm concerned.Relevant information would be that I live in louisiana. Just like my town, the laws here seem to be anything goes so I believe there's very little that'd be illegal here if it's legal anywhere else. via /r/CCW https://ift.tt/3FoSJSD