Hunt ends for mountain lion that killed German shepherd in Fontana

Authorities on Thursday called off the search for a mountain lion that killed a 100-pound German shepherd in Fontana after an “exhaustive� 24 hours.

“We believe the contact our officers had with the mountain lion [Wednesday] scared it back into the canyon,� Fontana Police Chief Rodney Jones said in a statement.

Officers responding to the incident shortly after 3:30 a.m. Wednesday initially scared off the large cat from a home’s front yard after firing multiple rounds. But it returned four times, coming toward officers before returning to the gorge, according to police.

Deemed an “imminent threat� to public safety, officials said they did not believe the mountain lion was hit by the gunfire, prompting an overnight search that continued into the predawn hours Thursday.

“We will continue to patrol the area routinely to ensure public safety,� Jones said.

The incident began when a resident in the 4100 block of Fox Borough Drive heard his dog crying out and went outside to find a large mountain lion standing over his dead German shepherd.

According to Fontana police, when officers arrived the mountain lion was still in the front yard of the Hunter’s Ridge area home.

Fontana police were working with the California Department of Fish and Wildlife during the search.

Residents were asked to remain vigilant from dusk to dawn, when mountain lions are the most active. Police are still asking residents to keep their pets inside during the same time period.

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