SMC Resident's Pet Likely Scooped Up By Aggressive Mountain Lion

SAN MATEO COUNTY, CA — A Peninsula resident's small pet when missing over the weekend after letting out a "yelp" and officials believe it may have been taken by a mountain lion in the area. San Mateo County officials announced the possible kill happened on Saturday — four days after they had warned area residents of an aggressive mountain lion.

Now, they are warning area residents, again, to "use caution" with pets and livestock; especially in the early morning and late evening hours.

A Pescadero resident let the small pet — officials did not say what type — outside for a "short period of time" around 9 p.m. in the 5000 block of Pescadero Creek Road.

"The resident heard the small pet yelp a short time later, and the animal has not been seen since," county officials said.

"There is no confirmed proof the pet was taken by a mountain lion, but there are reports of an aggressive lion in the area recently that has killed small livestock animals," they said.

— Image via zaranda, shutterstock.com