Small dog dies after mountain lion attack in Moorpark

Wildlife officials are investigating an incident involving a small dog that died after a mountain lion attack in Moorpark.

Residents in the neighborhood said the attack shocked them.

"I mean, here? An attack?" Moorpark resident Linda Shair said. "We never had anything like that."

The California Department of Fish and Wildlife said the deadly incident happened Friday morning. Officials said they received a call of someone walking their dog on a nearby trail when a mountain lion ambushed them and grabbed the dog. 

"It was a surprise because it was during the day," resident Carol Knowles said. 

The lion scurried off and released the dog after the owner threw a rock at its head. The dog died shortly afterward.

"We've lost a dog and it's really hard," Shair said. "To see it happen and to be a part of it, I cannot imagine what he's going through and what he's feeling."

Mountain lions are most active from dusk to dawn. Wildlife officials are urging people in affected areas to stay alert, especially when hiking, biking or walking during those hours.

If residents encounter a mountain lion, wildlife officials recommend that they make themselves big, create noise and give the animal space to escape.