Mountain lion sighting raises concern for Peninsula residents

REDWOOD CITY, Calif. (KGO) -- A couple in Redwood City recently came home to find a mountain lion in their driveway. The wild animal escaped toward their back door.

At nine o'clock Thursday night, the Lahlouh's were returning to their home on OakView Way.

Anthony Lahlouh was driving a separate car, ahead of his wife, Lizzy. Their dog, Bane, was in Lizzy's backseat.

VIDEO: Mountain lion spotted running in Redwood City yard

"When I was pulling up to the driveway, I thought I saw a cat," Anthony Lahlouh said. "The closer I got, I was like, that is not a cat."

The couple's Nest cam caught the tail end of that encounter. Video shows the large animal scurrying off and disappearing into the hills.

"Based on the size and the tail, and the way that it jumped over, we knew that it was not a cat or a bobcat even," Lizzy Lahlouh said. "It was definitely a mountain lion."

The close encounter was enough for the couple to share their concern with other neighbors. They posted video to Nextdoor, the social media networking site for neighbors.

The Lahlouh's feared what could potentially happen if other people or pets were to come into contact with the wild animal.

"It was right by their backside door there, wow," neighbor, Tim Sedgley said while watching the Nest cam footage.

Sedgley lives nearby and has a dog of his own.

He said he has concerns about little Roxie's safety, but also understands cougars are common in the Redwood City hills.

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"A few years back, there was one in a backyard back here that had taken a deer down in the backyard like right next door to us," Sedgley explained. "So, they're around occasionally."

According to California's Department of Fish and Wildlife, statistically, people are 1,000-times more likely to be struck by lightning than attacked by a mountain lion.

Still, the department reminds people, mountain lions are wild animals and they can be dangerous.

"It was definitely a little spooky, but eye-opening for sure to know that these things are in the area," Anthony Lahlouh told ABC7 News. "Keep your eyes open and don't just assume that, 'Hey, it's okay, just let the dog out,' or 'It's okay to just walk without paying attention around here.'"

Fish and Wildlife report mountain lion attacks on humans are rare. The last recorded attack happened in September 2014, in Santa Clara County.