Search canceled for dog-killing cougar in Southern California

Southern California authorities have ended the search for a mountain lion that killed a dog and repeatedly approached police officers.

Fontana police say they ended the search Thursday morning, a day after the cougar mauled a 100-pound German shepherd in the backyard of a home in foothills below the San Bernardino National Forest.

Police say arriving officers spotted the lion in the front yard and fired at it. The lion retreated into a nearby canyon but police say it returned and approached officers four times before fleeing.

Police deemed the cougar a public safety threat but an overnight search with the aid of an infrared-equipped helicopter failed to find it.

Authorities say mountain lions are most active from dusk to dawn and they’re urging residents to keep pets indoors overnight.