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Campus Alert Archive
Pepperdine

Mountain lion killed a dog at an on-campus residence, the seventh sighting in months

AI-generated · every claim is source-linked
CAotheradvisoryhigh confidence
Confirmed Threat

In the early hours of February 4, 2022, a mountain lion entered the backyard of an on-campus faculty/staff residence on Baxter Drive at Pepperdine University's Malibu campus and took and killed a resident's dog, the first confirmed predation on the campus. California Department of Fish and Wildlife officials confirmed the kill, and the university disclosed that at least seven separate mountain lion sightings had been recorded on campus since September 2021.

Alerts
2
Response
Killed
Injured
Institution
Pepperdine University
Private R2 · CA
All Pepperdine cases →
~7,600 studentsPepperdine Emergency Notifications
Official alert policy
Read when and how Pepperdine says it will use Everbridge Mass Notification: summarized, quoted, and analyzed.
Documented Timeline

Alert Sequence

2 messages in sequence · 2 verified verbatim

INITIAL ALERTWebsite
A resident of the University's on-campus faculty/staff condos at Baxter Drive reported their dog was attacked and taken from their backyard by an animal predator at an unknown time in the early hours of Friday, February 4, 2022. We have reason to believe the predator was a mountain lion. The University is taking this seriously and has reported the incident to the local sheriff's department, the National Park Service, and the California Department of Fish and Wildlife, advocating for the safety of our community. Pepperdine is sharing this incident to ensure the University community is informed, so community members may remain vigilant, especially with regard to pets and small children.
The attack occurred in a backyard of on-campus faculty/staff condominiums on Baxter Drive, the residential enclave on the Malibu campus, illustrating how mountain lions that frequent the Santa Monica Mountains can enter occupied residential areas at night.
This was the first confirmed kill of a domestic animal by a mountain lion on the Pepperdine campus, though the university revealed at least seven separate sightings since September 2021 had preceded it.
Three agencies were notified: the Los Angeles County Sheriff, the National Park Service (the campus borders the Santa Monica Mountains National Recreation Area), and California Department of Fish and Wildlife, reflecting the multi-jurisdictional wildlife management landscape at this campus.
UPDATEEmail
Last Friday, February 4, a resident of the University’s on-campus faculty/staff condos on Baxter Drive reported his family dog was attacked and taken from his backyard in the middle of the night by an animal predator believed to be a mountain lion. The University immediately notified the Los Angeles County Sheriff’s Department, the National Parks Service, and the California Department of Fish and Wildlife (CDFW). Later that day, CDFW arrived on campus to begin an investigation.  Pepperdine Public Safety officers located the remains of the dog yesterday afternoon, and this morning, CDFW officials returned to campus, confirming the dog was taken and killed by a mountain lion. The pet’s remains have been removed, and CDFW indicates the mountain lion has likely moved on. Mountain lion sightings have become common on the Malibu campus, and while mountain lion attacks on domestic pets occur in the surrounding area, they are exceedingly rare on campus.  The University communicated the incident to the Malibu campus community for awareness and to encourage vigilance, in particular with pets and small children. Public Safety has also instituted additional patrols in the area, which remain in effect. Despite increased mountain lion sightings in recent years, CDFW scientists continue to affirm they do not perceive the mountain lion behavior as a threat to human activity on campus. Nevertheless, the University continues to pursue action in furtherance of public safety, including multiple discussions, correspondence, and meetings with CDFW. Additionally, CDFW will host two educational sessions on mountain lions and will be available to answer questions from members of the community. They will conduct a session for students and employees and will hold another session for campus homeowners on February 23, 2022. Timing and details on these sessions are forthcoming. If you have any questions about mountain lion safety, contact the Department of Public Safety at 310.506.4700 or via email at dispatch@pepperdine.edu.  As always, please be mindful of the following guidelines for mountain lion safety: • Do not hike, bike, or jog alone, especially from dusk until dawn when mountain lions are most active. • Do not feed the local deer population, which are known prey for mountain lions and may invite their presence. • Public Safety security escorts are available on the Malibu campus 24/7 by calling Public Safety Dispatch at 310.506.4442. • If you see a mountain lion on or near the Malibu campus, please report the incident to Public Safety at 310.506.4441. • If safe to do so, please take a picture and/or video and send it to Public Safety via the LiveSafe app. As a reminder, if you encounter a mountain lion: • Respect the animal. • Maintain eye contact and move away slowly. • Do NOT run. Running will trigger the mountain lion’s instinct to chase you. • Appear as large, loud, and powerful as possible. • If there are small children or pets present, pick them up immediately. Additionally, do NOT leave them unattended outside. • Do not approach the mountain lion; leave space for the cat to escape. • In the unlikely event of an attack, fight back. Do not fall to the ground or roll into the fetal position.
The update's framing 'informed of, but not alarmed by' recurred in the university's subsequent mountain lion notifications, a formulation that emphasizes coexistence rather than threat.
The February 23 CDFW educational sessions were offered in Zoom format in two separate sessions, one for students and employees and one for campus homeowners, acknowledging the distinct risk profiles of residents versus non-residential campus users.
The phrase 'wildlife with whom we share the Santa Monica Mountains' positions the mountain lion as a neighbor rather than a danger, consistent with the campus's proximity to the NPS-managed Santa Monica Mountains National Recreation Area.
Message elements

How the first alert is built

To check this alert, Claude (an AI) read it in full 25 separate times, independently. Each read decided whether the message answers each of the six questions and gave a short reason. A final reviewer then weighed all 25 and wrote the plain-English verdict you see when you open a row. The score (for example 22/25) is how many reads agreed; the 25 individual reads are tucked underneath if you want to check them.

A resident of the University's on-campus faculty/staff condos at Baxter Drive reported their dog was attacked and taken from their backyard by an animal predator at an unknown time in the early hours of Friday, February 4, 2022. We have reason to believe the predator was a mountain lion. The University is taking this seriously and has reported the incident to the local sheriff's department, the National Park Service, and the California Department of Fish and Wildlife, advocating for the safety of our community. Pepperdine is sharing this incident to ensure the University community is informed, so community members may remain vigilant, especially with regard to pets and small children.

  • Sourcepresent25/25

    Final assessment

    All reads agree the source is present; the message names the University and responding agencies such as the local sheriff and National Park Service.

    Who is sending the alert and who is responding. People act faster on a message from a clearly identifiable, credible sender, such as a named department, the police, or a branded alert system, than on an anonymous notice. A branded signature counts.

    See all 25 individual reads
    1. present: It refers to "The University" and reporting to "the local sheriff's department" and other agencies as the source.
    2. present: It names "the University", "the local sheriff's department", and "National Park Service" as authorities.
    3. present: It repeatedly names "the University" and "Pepperdine" as the sender.
    4. present: It names "The University" as the sender and references the sheriff's department and agencies.
    5. present: It references "the local sheriff's department" and "The University", identifying authorities.
    6. present: It names "The University" and "the local sheriff's department" as authorities.
    7. present: "The University" names itself as the issuing authority.
    8. present: It names "The University" and references reporting to the sheriff and agencies, identifying the sender.
    9. present: The message says "The University" reported and is acting, identifying the institution as sender.
    10. present: It names "the University" and references "the local sheriff's department", identifying the issuing authority.
    11. present: It names "The University" and "the local sheriff's department" as the issuing/responding authorities.
    12. present: "The University" names itself, and the message references the sheriff and other agencies it reported to.
    13. present: It names "The University" and references the sheriff and agencies, identifying the issuing authority.
    14. present: "The University" names itself and references "the local sheriff's department", identifying authorities.
    15. present: It names "The University", "the local sheriff's department", and other agencies, identifying the issuer.
    16. present: "The University" identifies itself as the sender and names the sheriff and other agencies.
    17. present: The text repeatedly names "The University" and "Pepperdine", identifying the sender.
    18. present: "the University" and "the local sheriff's department" identify the issuing authority and responders.
    19. present: It names "the University" and references "the local sheriff's department" as authorities involved.
    20. present: The text refers to "The University" and that it reported the incident, identifying the sender authority.
    21. present: It names "The University" and reports to the "local sheriff's department" and other agencies as issuer.
    22. present: It refers to "the University" and reports it contacted the sheriff and agencies, identifying the issuer.
    23. present: It names "the University", "the local sheriff's department", "the National Park Service", and others as authorities, and the University as sender.
    24. present: "The University" identifies itself as the sender.
    25. present: It names "The University" and references the "local sheriff's department", identifying the issuing authority.
  • Hazardpresent25/25

    Final assessment

    Unanimous that the hazard is present; the alert names a mountain lion that attacked a dog as the specific threat.

    What the threat actually is. A complete warning names the specific danger, such as a shooter, a fire, a tornado, or a gas leak, rather than a vague emergency, because people decide what to do based on what they are facing.

    See all 25 individual reads
    1. present: It names a "mountain lion" predator attack as the specific threat.
    2. present: It identifies the threat as a "mountain lion" predator that attacked a dog.
    3. present: It names a "mountain lion" predator attack, a specific threat.
    4. present: It names a "mountain lion" predator that attacked a dog, a specific threat.
    5. present: It names a "mountain lion" predator that attacked a dog, a specific threat.
    6. present: It names a "mountain lion" predator attack, a specific hazard.
    7. present: It identifies "an animal predator" believed to be "a mountain lion", a specific threat.
    8. present: It names a "mountain lion" predator attack, a specific animal hazard.
    9. present: It names a "mountain lion" predator attack, a specific threat.
    10. present: It names a "mountain lion" predator that attacked a dog, a specific animal threat.
    11. present: It names a "mountain lion" predator that attacked a dog, a specific threat.
    12. present: It names a "mountain lion" predator attack, a specific wildlife hazard.
    13. present: It names a "mountain lion" predator attack, a specific wildlife threat.
    14. present: It names a "mountain lion" predator that attacked a pet, a specific animal threat.
    15. present: It describes a "mountain lion" predator attack, a specific threat.
    16. present: It names "a mountain lion" predator attack, a specific hazard.
    17. present: It names a "mountain lion" predator that attacked a dog, a specific animal hazard.
    18. present: It names a "mountain lion" predator attack, a specific wildlife hazard.
    19. present: It names a "mountain lion" predator that attacked a dog, a specific threat.
    20. present: It names the threat: a dog "attacked and taken" by "a mountain lion".
    21. present: It names a "mountain lion" predator attack on a dog, a specific wildlife hazard.
    22. present: It names a "mountain lion" predator that attacked a dog, a specific hazard.
    23. present: It names a "mountain lion" predator attack, a specific hazard.
    24. present: It names "a mountain lion" predator attack, a specific wildlife hazard.
    25. present: It names a "mountain lion" predator that attacked a dog, a specific animal threat.
  • Locationpresent25/25

    Final assessment

    All reads agree a specific location is present: the University on-campus faculty and staff condos at Baxter Drive.

    Where the threat is. Saying whether danger is in a specific building, a part of campus, or area-wide lets people judge their own proximity and choose a safe direction. Without a where, a warning is hard to act on precisely.

    See all 25 individual reads
    1. present: It names "the University's on-campus faculty/staff condos at Baxter Drive", a specific place.
    2. present: It cites "the University's on-campus faculty/staff condos at Baxter Drive", a specific place.
    3. present: It cites "the University's on-campus faculty/staff condos at Baxter Drive", a specific location.
    4. present: It specifies "on-campus faculty/staff condos at Baxter Drive".
    5. present: It names "on-campus faculty/staff condos at Baxter Drive", a specific place.
    6. present: It says "on-campus faculty/staff condos at Baxter Drive", a specific place.
    7. present: It locates the attack at "on-campus faculty/staff condos at Baxter Drive", a specific place.
    8. present: It names "the University's on-campus faculty/staff condos at Baxter Drive", a specific place.
    9. present: It cites "on-campus faculty/staff condos at Baxter Drive", a specific place.
    10. present: It says "on-campus faculty/staff condos at Baxter Drive", a specific location.
    11. present: It locates it at "on-campus faculty/staff condos at Baxter Drive", a specific place.
    12. present: It cites the "on-campus faculty/staff condos at Baxter Drive", a specific location.
    13. present: It cites "the University's on-campus faculty/staff condos at Baxter Drive", a specific location.
    14. present: It locates the event at "on-campus faculty/staff condos at Baxter Drive".
    15. present: It cites "on-campus faculty/staff condos at Baxter Drive", a specific location.
    16. present: It locates the event at "on-campus faculty/staff condos at Baxter Drive".
    17. present: It locates the event at "the University's on-campus faculty/staff condos at Baxter Drive".
    18. present: It locates the event at "on-campus faculty/staff condos at Baxter Drive."
    19. present: It locates the attack at "the University's on-campus faculty/staff condos at Baxter Drive".
    20. present: It locates the event at "the University's on-campus faculty/staff condos at Baxter Drive".
    21. present: It says "on-campus faculty/staff condos at Baxter Drive", a specific place.
    22. present: It locates events at "the University's on-campus faculty/staff condos at Baxter Drive."
    23. present: It names "the University's on-campus faculty/staff condos at Baxter Drive" as the location.
    24. present: It locates the event at "on-campus faculty/staff condos at Baxter Drive", a specific place.
    25. present: It locates it at "on-campus faculty/staff condos at Baxter Drive", a specific place.
  • Guidancepresent25/25

    Final assessment

    Unanimous that guidance is present; recipients are told to remain vigilant, especially regarding pets and small children.

    The protective action to take. A clear, specific instruction, such as shelter in place, evacuate, avoid the area, or run-hide-fight, drives faster and more correct protective behavior than describing the threat alone.

    See all 25 individual reads
    1. present: It advises community members to "remain vigilant, especially with regard to pets and small children", a protective instruction.
    2. present: It advises community members to "remain vigilant, especially with regard to pets and small children", a protective action.
    3. present: It advises members to "remain vigilant, especially with regard to pets and small children", a protective action.
    4. present: It advises community members to "remain vigilant, especially with regard to pets and small children".
    5. present: It advises "community members may remain vigilant, especially with regard to pets and small children", a protective action.
    6. present: It advises community members to "remain vigilant, especially with regard to pets and small children", a directed action.
    7. present: It advises community members to "remain vigilant, especially with regard to pets and small children", a protective action.
    8. present: It advises community members to "remain vigilant, especially with regard to pets and small children".
    9. present: It urges community members to "remain vigilant, especially with regard to pets and small children", a protective instruction.
    10. present: It advises community members to "remain vigilant, especially with regard to pets and small children", a protective instruction.
    11. present: It advises community members to "remain vigilant, especially with regard to pets and small children", a protective action.
    12. present: It advises community members "may remain vigilant, especially with regard to pets and small children", guidance to recipients.
    13. present: It tells community members to "remain vigilant, especially with regard to pets and small children", a protective action.
    14. present: It asks the community to "remain vigilant, especially with regard to pets and small children", a protective instruction.
    15. present: It advises community members to "remain vigilant, especially with regard to pets and small children", a protective action.
    16. present: It urges community members to "remain vigilant, especially with regard to pets and small children", a protective action.
    17. present: It advises community members to "remain vigilant, especially with regard to pets and small children", a protective action.
    18. present: It advises community members to "remain vigilant, especially with regard to pets and small children."
    19. present: It advises community members to "remain vigilant, especially with regard to pets and small children", a protective action.
    20. present: It advises "community members may remain vigilant, especially with regard to pets and small children".
    21. present: It advises community members to "remain vigilant, especially with regard to pets and small children", a protective action.
    22. present: It advises community members to "remain vigilant, especially with regard to pets and small children."
    23. present: It tells the community to "remain vigilant, especially with regard to pets and small children", a protective action.
    24. present: It advises members to "remain vigilant, especially with regard to pets and small children", a protective action.
    25. present: It advises community members to "remain vigilant, especially with regard to pets and small children", a protective action.
  • Timepresent25/25

    Final assessment

    All reads agree timing is present; the alert dates the event to the early hours of Friday, February 4, 2022.

    When the message applies. A timestamp, the word now or immediately, or a phrase like until further notice tells the reader whether the danger is current and how quickly to act.

    See all 25 individual reads
    1. present: It dates the event to "the early hours of Friday, February 4, 2022", a date/time cue.
    2. present: It states "early hours of Friday, February 4, 2022", a date and time.
    3. present: It dates the event "in the early hours of Friday, February 4, 2022", a time reference.
    4. present: It dates the event "in the early hours of Friday, February 4, 2022".
    5. present: It dates the attack to "the early hours of Friday, February 4, 2022", conveying when.
    6. present: It cites "the early hours of Friday, February 4, 2022", a date and time.
    7. present: It cites "the early hours of Friday, February 4, 2022", a specific time and date.
    8. present: It cites "the early hours of Friday, February 4, 2022", a specific date and time.
    9. present: It gives "the early hours of Friday, February 4, 2022", a date and time.
    10. present: It says "early hours of Friday, February 4, 2022", a specific date and time.
    11. present: It dates the event "in the early hours of Friday, February 4, 2022".
    12. present: It dates the event to "the early hours of Friday, February 4, 2022", a timing cue.
    13. present: It says the attack occurred "in the early hours of Friday, February 4, 2022", a date and time.
    14. present: It dates the incident "in the early hours of Friday, February 4, 2022", a recency cue.
    15. present: It cites "early hours of Friday, February 4, 2022", a specific date and time.
    16. present: It dates the event "in the early hours of Friday, February 4, 2022".
    17. present: It says the attack occurred "in the early hours of Friday, February 4, 2022", a date and time.
    18. present: It cites "the early hours of Friday, February 4, 2022," a date and time.
    19. present: It states timing as "the early hours of Friday, February 4, 2022", a date and time reference.
    20. present: It gives timing: "in the early hours of Friday, February 4, 2022".
    21. present: It says the attack was "in the early hours of Friday, February 4, 2022", a specific date and time.
    22. present: It dates the attack to "the early hours of Friday, February 4, 2022."
    23. present: It says the attack occurred "in the early hours of Friday, February 4, 2022", a specific date and time.
    24. present: It states "the early hours of Friday, February 4, 2022", a specific date and time cue.
    25. present: It says "the early hours of Friday, February 4, 2022", a specific date and time.
  • Impactpresent25/25

    Final assessment

    Present, unanimous. The alert states a dog was attacked and taken by a mountain lion and warns of risk to pets and small children, conveying a clear potential consequence.

    What the hazard could do to the people in its path. Beyond naming the threat, a complete warning conveys its potential consequences or severity, such as that a tornado can level buildings or that a leak could be explosive, so recipients grasp how much danger they are in. Research on warning message content finds that a concrete impact statement helps people personalize their risk and act sooner.

    See all 25 individual reads
    1. present: States a dog was attacked and taken by a mountain lion and warns to remain vigilant regarding pets and small children, an explicit harm.
    2. present: It states a dog was attacked and taken by a mountain lion and warns to remain vigilant for pets and small children, a clear stated danger to life.
    3. present: It reports a dog was attacked and taken by a likely mountain lion and warns to remain vigilant regarding pets and small children, conveying a clear predatory danger.
    4. present: It states a dog was attacked and taken by a likely mountain lion and warns to remain vigilant especially regarding pets and small children, conveying a clear danger of harm.
    5. present: States a dog was attacked and taken by a mountain lion and warns to be vigilant regarding pets and small children, implying danger of harm.
    6. present: States a dog was attacked and taken by a mountain lion and warns community to remain vigilant especially regarding pets and small children, implying danger of harm.
    7. present: Describes a dog attacked and taken by a likely mountain lion and warns of risk to pets and small children, conveying clear harm.
    8. present: It states a dog was attacked and taken by a mountain lion and urges vigilance especially for pets and small children, conveying a clear danger.
    9. present: Reports a dog was attacked and taken by a mountain lion and urges vigilance for pets and small children, implying danger of harm.
    10. present: It describes a dog being attacked and taken by a mountain lion and warns of risk to pets and small children, conveying a clear potential harm.
    11. present: States a dog was attacked and taken by a mountain lion and warns to be vigilant especially with pets and small children, conveying harm.
    12. present: A dog was attacked and taken by a suspected mountain lion and the warning explicitly raises danger to pets and small children, a clear stated harm.
    13. present: States a dog was attacked and taken by a mountain lion and warns to be vigilant especially regarding pets and small children, a clear stated harm.
    14. present: It reports a dog was attacked and taken by a mountain lion and warns of risk to pets and small children, a stated harm.
    15. present: The text reports a dog was attacked and taken by a mountain lion and warns vigilance especially for pets and small children, implying danger to life.
    16. present: States a dog was attacked and taken by a mountain lion and warns to be vigilant for pets and small children, conveying real harm and danger.
    17. present: It reports a dog was attacked and taken by a mountain lion and warns to remain vigilant especially regarding pets and small children, a stated harm.
    18. present: States a dog was attacked and taken by a mountain lion and warns of risk especially to pets and small children, conveying clear harm.
    19. present: States a dog was attacked and taken by a predator and warns of risk to pets and small children, conveying potential harm.
    20. present: States a dog was attacked and taken by a predator and warns to remain vigilant especially for pets and small children, conveying a danger to life.
    21. present: States a dog was attacked and taken by a likely mountain lion and warns to remain vigilant especially for pets and small children, conveying clear danger.
    22. present: States a dog was attacked and taken by a predator and warns community to remain vigilant especially with pets and small children, conveying a clear danger.
    23. present: It states a dog was attacked and taken by a mountain lion and warns community members to remain vigilant especially regarding pets and small children, implying danger.
    24. present: States a dog was attacked and taken by a mountain lion and warns to be vigilant for pets and small children, a clearly stated harm.
    25. present: It states a dog was attacked and taken by a mountain lion and warns of risk to pets and small children, a clear stated harm.

Systematic AI judgments with visible reasoning, not human-validated codings.

About this analysis
Context

Background

Pepperdine University's Malibu campus occupies 830 acres in the hills above the Pacific Coast Highway, bordered by the Santa Monica Mountains National Recreation Area. This location provides exceptional wildlife habitat, and mountain lions from the range regularly traverse the campus. The February 4, 2022 dog attack was the seventh confirmed mountain lion sighting since September 2021, and the first time a domestic animal was killed on campus. The California Department of Fish and Wildlife confirmed mountain lion predation at the Baxter Drive faculty/staff condominiums. Pepperdine's response included inviting CDFW to conduct two community safety sessions on February 23, 2022, delivered on Zoom for both the general campus community and specifically for campus homeowners. The incident precipitated a new public communications posture: subsequent advisories consistently use the phrase 'informed of, but not alarmed by, the wildlife with whom we share the Santa Monica Mountains.' The university continued to document mountain lion activity; a September 2022 sighting near the Marie Canyon intramural field was similarly publicized. The Los Angeles-area cougar population, including the well-known mountain lion P-22, had expanded its urban footprint throughout the 2010s and early 2020s, and Pepperdine's Malibu campus has recorded recurring mountain lion activity.
Analysis

Key Findings

The February 2022 dog kill at Baxter Drive was the first confirmed mountain lion predation on a domestic animal at Pepperdine; the university disclosed that at least seven sightings had occurred since September 2021
Pepperdine used a non-alarmist communication template after this event and partnered with CDFW for community education sessions
The campus's location adjacent to the Santa Monica Mountains NRA has produced recurring mountain lion sightings and contacts
Outcome
Resident's dog killed. CDFW confirmed mountain lion predation. University held two safety sessions with CDFW on February 23, 2022. No human injuries.
Provenance

Sources

  1. News
  2. News
  3. Official
  4. Official
  5. Official
  6. News
Cite this case

Campus Alert Archive. "Pepperdine University: Mountain lion killed a dog at an on-campus residence, the seventh sighting in months." Incident of February 4, 2022. Added May 2026; last updated July 2026. https://campusalertarchive.com/case/pepperdine-university-mountain-lion-dog-attack-2022-02-04/

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Alert text quoted on this page remains the work of the issuing institution; the archive is a secondary source.

Tags
wildlifemountain-lioncougaradvisorycaliforniapepperdinemalibudomestic-animalsanta-monica-mountains
Added May 2026Updated July 2026Via ingestion