Arizona Game and Fish has been distributing informational "door-hangers" in a Village of Oak Creek neighborhood after a family dog was killed by what is believed to have been a mountain lion.
About a week ago, a resident of the Firecliff community, east of State Route 179, let his three dogs into a four-foot high fenced yard. When he called them back into the house, only two dogs returned.
The third dog was found dead with puncture wounds.
Because of the width of the puncture wounds a wildlife manager from Arizona Game and Fish excluded both a bobcat and coyote.
The Game and Fish officer found one set of tracks in a neighboring wash shortly afterward and found a second set several days later that "could have been" from a mountain lion.
Zen Mocarski, spokesman for the agency, says what is important is to document activity so officers know a lion's behavior.
He says, frankly, "killing a pet is not unusual activity for a wild animal."
He says what is important is to know whether the action was a single occurrence as a lion was passing through an area or whether a lion may be "stalking."
That is why it is important to report any sightings or indications.
Mocarski says people who have animals they let out should recognize that wild animals are active at night.
They should not let dogs out late at night or too early in the morning.
To report activity mountain lion activity, citizens should call Arizona Game & Fish in Flagstaff at (928) 774-5045.
