Mountain lion rips dog away from owner in San Luis Obispo

February 14, 2023

By JOSH FRIEDMAN

A mountain lion attacked a dog and ripped it away from its owner Saturday evening in San Luis Obispo.

Alysha Periera was walking her dog near Laguna Lake Mobile Estates, a mobile home park located on Perfumo Canyon Road, in an area frequented by people walking their pets. The mountain lion attacked Peiera’s pug as they walked under trees on the bank of Perfumo Creek along Thelma Drive.

The mountain lion ripped the dog away, knocking Periera off her feet. The animal dragged the San Luis Obispo woman by the leash until she ultimately let go, according to an account of the incident posted shortly afterwards on Nextdoor. 

California Department of Fish and Wildlife (CDFW) personnel are attempting to locate the mountain lion. The mountain lion may be the same animal that had been spotted in the area previously, CDFW said in a statement to KSBY.

“This is possibly the same mountain lion that has been seen in the area a couple of times over the past two months. It is believed to be an adult mountain lion. It’s also possible that there are two mountain lions in the area. San Luis Obispo is a mountain lion habitat,” CDFW said in the statement. 

Last year, a mountain lion chased a San Luis Obispo resident’s dog and killed another resident’s cat.

In November, amid multiple mountain lion sightings, the city of San Luis Obispo issued a wildlife advisory and temporarily closed the Irish Hills and Johnson Ranch open spaces. A person also spotted a mountain lion at Vista Del Lago park.

Fish and Wildlife personnel will now attempt to trap, collar and relocate the mountain lion involved in Saturday’s attack to a suitable habitat in a remote setting, CDFW says.

Officials advise anyone who lives in an area with mountain lions to take precautions, such as avoiding recreating near open areas around dusk and dawn and walking dogs in groups. 


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Personally I would like to see more trails closed to dogs… Too bad most dog owners these days are irresponsible and ignore the majority of signs and responsibilities that come with taking their dog out anyways. More public shaming! It’s the only way.


The woman was walking her dog in a neighborhood where kids play. My kid used to play in the exact spot where her dog was killed. Neither she nor her dog were doing anything irresponsible.


Have compassion with your words.


Uh, there is no mention of this particular incident specifically in my comment… Misplaced compassion IS the problem. Emotions over reality and truth :/ Get real.


I would like to see your statistics that you use to establish truth.


Scroll further down?


There are plenty of rabbits, deer etc for this lion to eat in the wilderness it inhabits. When one like this starts to appear consistently in urban areas, it’s like a game for them. Mountain Lions do not just kill for food, they kill for play. Just like all cats. This particular one has become a public threat. I appreciate conservancy but it’s too late for this creature.


When they’re hungry, anything on four legs is dinner, when they’re hungry and old, two legged critters are eaten too, that means you. They will jump off of a large tree branch bringing you to the ground and with one bite on the back of your neck, good night. They know exactly what to do and everyone should know that a fearless hungry cat is extremely dangerous, especially to the unaware. Imagine a 100 pound bag of cement with big teeth falling ten feet on to you shoulder.


False. The chances of that happening to a person are slim to none. Quit fear mongering.


The chances ARE slim. But everything Jorge said is true. Reference: Cat Attacks: True Stories and Hard Lessons from Cougar Country by Deurbrouck.


Please stop feeding the wildlife they need to learn to hunt on their own, feeding them is never a good idea.


You see your dog at the end of the leash…. a Mountain Lion see’s a T-Bone steak….


A little dog died. Have some sympathy. Rest in peace Cupcake.


The misguided city people who voted to protect mountain lions need to be aware that this vicious preditor could have easily attacked and killed a small child. ts time to redact the feel-good ballot proposition that protects these vicious killers.


Since 1890 in ALL of North America, there have been 126 attacks on people by mountain lions with 26 fatalities. Protect the cats.


Exactly. Humans kill many times more cougars than that annually and they were here first.


Exactly. This is why I don’t take antibiotics. We kill many more bacteria annually and they were here first.


If you are equating single celled organisms with felines, I’m not surprised you don’t take antibiotics. I suggest you keep weakening that immune system to let them live. ;)