Malibu
Campus Homeowner Dog Attack Update
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.
Campus Homeowner’s Dog Attacked on Malibu Campus
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. The University has worked for years with and continues to press these agencies to address the safety of the community with the presence of mountain lions on the Malibu campus.
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. Pepperdine’s Malibu campus sits in the Santa Monica Mountains, which is home to various forms of wildlife. Rarely do interactions result in contact between the wildlife and humans or domestic pets.
Please remember:
- Do not hike, bike, or jog alone, especially from dusk until dawn when mountain lions are most active.
- Remember 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.
Tsunami Advisory
The City of Malibu issued the following notice. Pepperdine’s Malibu campus is not expected to be impacted in any way.
“A tsunami advisory is in effect for the Southern California coast. Expected arrival time for the Los Angeles region is 7:50 a.m. Strong currents that may be hazardous to swimmers, boats, and coastal structures are expected. Widespread inundation is NOT expected. If you are located in the coastal area, move off the beach. Do not go to the coast to watch the tsunami. Be alert to instructions from local emergency officials
* FORECAST TSUNAMI START TIMES…
Port San Luis California 0740 AM PST on Jan 15
Santa Barbara California 0745 AM PST on Jan 15
Los Angeles California 0750 AM PST on Jan 15
Tsunamis often arrive as a series of waves or surges which could be dangerous for many hours after the first wave arrival. The first tsunami wave or surge may not be the highest in the series.”
Mountain Lion Sighting On The Malibu Campus
Public Safety officers spotted a mountain lion yesterday afternoon at approximately 2:30 PM near the Brock House. The sighting was reported to the local sheriff’s department and the Department of Fish and Wildlife, and it was determined the animal does not represent a threat to the campus community.
Pepperdine officials share confirmed mountain lion sightings near the Malibu campus to ensure the University community is informed of, but not alarmed by, the wildlife with whom we share the Santa Monica Mountains.
Please remember:
- Do not hike, bike, or jog alone, especially from dusk until dawn when mountain lions are most active.
- Remember 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.
Pepperdine Emergency Information 
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