{
  "id": "2022-02-04-pepperdine-university-mountain-lion-dog-attack",
  "slug": "pepperdine-university-mountain-lion-dog-attack-2022-02-04",
  "institution": {
    "name": "Pepperdine University",
    "shortName": "Pepperdine",
    "state": "CA",
    "type": "private-r2",
    "alertSystemName": "Pepperdine Emergency Notifications",
    "enrollment": 7600
  },
  "incident": {
    "date": "2022-02-04",
    "type": "other",
    "cleryCategory": "advisory",
    "headline": "Mountain lion killed a dog at an on-campus residence, the seventh sighting in months",
    "headlinePublic": "Mountain lion killed a dog at an on-campus residence, the seventh sighting in months",
    "summary": "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](https://malibutimes.com/mountain-lion-attacks-pet-dog-on-pepperdine-campus/), the first confirmed predation on the campus. [California Department of Fish and Wildlife officials confirmed the kill](https://www.newsweek.com/mountain-lion-kills-pet-dog-malibu-campus-increase-sightings-1678356), and the university disclosed that at least seven separate mountain lion sightings had been recorded on campus since September 2021.",
    "resolution": "confirmed-threat",
    "outcome": "Resident's dog killed. CDFW confirmed mountain lion predation. University held two safety sessions with CDFW on February 23, 2022. No human injuries."
  },
  "alerts": [
    {
      "sequence": 1,
      "type": "initial",
      "timestampApprox": "Unknown early morning hours of February 4, 2022 PST",
      "channel": "website",
      "verbatimText": "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.",
      "isVerbatimConfirmed": true,
      "sourceUrl": "https://emergency.pepperdine.edu/2022/02/04/campus-homeowners-dog-attacked-on-malibu-campus/",
      "sourceDescription": "Pepperdine Emergency Information official archive page, February 4, 2022: verbatim opening statement of the campus advisory",
      "annotations": [
        "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."
      ],
      "characterCount": 693
    },
    {
      "sequence": 2,
      "type": "update",
      "timestampApprox": "February 8, 2022, follow-up update posted",
      "channel": "email",
      "verbatimText": "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. \n\nPepperdine 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. \n\nThe 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.\n\nAdditionally, 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.\n\nIf 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. \n\nAs always, please be mindful of the following guidelines for mountain lion safety:\n\n• Do not hike, bike, or jog alone, especially from dusk until dawn when mountain lions are most active.\n• Do not feed the local deer population, which are known prey for mountain lions and may invite their presence.\n• Public Safety security escorts are available on the Malibu campus 24/7 by calling Public Safety Dispatch at 310.506.4442.\n• If you see a mountain lion on or near the Malibu campus, please report the incident to Public Safety at 310.506.4441.\n\n• If safe to do so, please take a picture and/or video and send it to Public Safety via the LiveSafe app.\n\nAs a reminder, if you encounter a mountain lion:\n\n• Respect the animal.\n• Maintain eye contact and move away slowly.\n• Do NOT run. Running will trigger the mountain lion’s instinct to chase you.\n• Appear as large, loud, and powerful as possible.\n• If there are small children or pets present, pick them up immediately. Additionally, do NOT leave them unattended outside.\n• Do not approach the mountain lion; leave space for the cat to escape.\n• In the unlikely event of an attack, fight back. Do not fall to the ground or roll into the fetal position.",
      "isVerbatimConfirmed": true,
      "sourceDescription": "Pepperdine Emergency — Campus Homeowner Dog Attack Update",
      "annotations": [
        "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."
      ],
      "characterCount": 3241,
      "sourceUrl": "https://emergency.pepperdine.edu/2022/02/08/campus-homeowner-dog-attack-update/"
    }
  ],
  "context": "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](https://www.newsweek.com/mountain-lion-kills-pet-dog-malibu-campus-increase-sightings-1678356). 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](https://emergency.pepperdine.edu/2022/02/17/mountain-lion-information-sessions/). 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](https://malibutimes.com/mountain-lion-attacks-pet-dog-on-pepperdine-campus/), and Pepperdine's Malibu campus has recorded recurring mountain lion activity.",
  "keyFindings": [
    "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"
  ],
  "sources": [
    {
      "title": "Mountain lion attacks pet dog on Pepperdine campus - The Malibu Times",
      "url": "https://malibutimes.com/mountain-lion-attacks-pet-dog-on-pepperdine-campus",
      "type": "local-media",
      "accessDate": "2026-05-31"
    },
    {
      "title": "Mountain Lion Kills Pet Dog on Malibu Campus Amid Increase in Sightings - Newsweek",
      "url": "https://www.newsweek.com/mountain-lion-kills-pet-dog-malibu-campus-increase-sightings-1678356",
      "type": "local-media",
      "accessDate": "2026-05-31"
    },
    {
      "title": "Campus Homeowner's Dog Attacked on Malibu Campus - Pepperdine Emergency Information",
      "url": "https://emergency.pepperdine.edu/2022/02/04/campus-homeowners-dog-attacked-on-malibu-campus/",
      "type": "official-archive",
      "accessDate": "2026-05-31"
    },
    {
      "title": "Campus Homeowner Dog Attack Update - Pepperdine Emergency Information",
      "url": "https://emergency.pepperdine.edu/2022/02/08/campus-homeowner-dog-attack-update/",
      "type": "official-archive",
      "accessDate": "2026-05-31"
    },
    {
      "title": "Mountain Lion Information Sessions - Pepperdine Emergency Information",
      "url": "https://emergency.pepperdine.edu/2022/02/17/mountain-lion-information-sessions/",
      "type": "official-archive",
      "accessDate": "2026-05-31"
    },
    {
      "title": "Dog Killed In Malibu Mountain Lion Attack - Patch Malibu",
      "url": "https://patch.com/california/malibu/dog-killed-malibu-mountain-lion-attack",
      "type": "local-media",
      "accessDate": "2026-05-31"
    }
  ],
  "confidence": "high",
  "tags": [
    "wildlife",
    "mountain-lion",
    "cougar",
    "advisory",
    "california",
    "pepperdine",
    "malibu",
    "domestic-animal",
    "santa-monica-mountains"
  ],
  "dateAdded": "2026-05-31",
  "lastUpdated": "2026-07-17",
  "addedBy": "ingestion"
}