Authorities say a mountain lion killed a family’s pit bull in Los Angeles, California.
The mountain lion was first spotted around 5 a.m. Saturday near the Oakridge mobile home park at the corner of Foothill Boulevard and Glenoaks Boulevard in the Sylmar neighborhood, Fox 11 reported.
According to the outlet, authorities issued a “wildlife alert” for the San Fernando Valley following the incident.
One of the residents, Rey Constante, was on his way home when he noticed the mountain lion on a gray pit bull that was still attached to a leash.
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A mountain lion has killed a family’s pit bull in Los Angeles, California. (US National Park Service via AP)
“A huge mountain lion just killed our neighbor’s dog. I’m worried for the owners as the dog was still on a leash. The beautiful pit bull is now dead,” Constante wrote on Facebook. “Oakridge residents, do not walk your pets at night. This animal is still roaming around unmarked waiting for the next victim.”
“He looked up and growled at me … and I said ‘Wow’ … I was scared,” he told Fox 11.
A person in another vehicle honked and scared the mountain lion away, the source said.
The dog, 5-year-old Gigi, was recently adopted by the Southern California Pit Bull Rescue, which is preserving the dog’s remains to be turned over to California Fish and Wildlife for testing, Fox 11 reports.
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Following the incident, authorities issued a wildlife alert for the San Fernando Valley. (iStock)
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“Neighbors of Sylmar – as we all know, we live in this wonderful community with an abundance of wildlife. Coyotes, raccoons, opossums, the occasional bear, and recently a rather large mountain lion. (Maybe even a few of them)” the Sylmar Neighborhood Council wrote on its website.
According to National Park Service guidelines, authorities are urging residents to take precautions to protect themselves, such as not jogging or hiking alone and keeping children close.
If a mountain lion is spotted, residents are instructed not to approach the animal, not to run away from it, and not to stoop or duck. Residents should try to appear larger by raising their arms and fight back if attacked, the guidance says.
