Mountain lions could be ‘hazed’ by pursuers with dogs under California proposal

Senate Bill 818, by Sen. Marie Alvarado-Gil (R-Modesto), would establish a pilot program in El Dorado County allowing “permitted private houndspersons to proactively haze mountain lions deemed to be a potential threat to public safety, livestock, or other domestic animals.”

The hazers could use dogs to chase the lion, without the intent of killing or injuring it.

Such “nonlethal pursuit,” or hounding, is currently banned in California under a measure giving mountain lions “specially protected” status that was approved by the state’s voters in 1990.

SB 818 contends that after the ban was implemented, “mountain lion depredation on livestock and attacks on humans dramatically escalated.” It specifically notes the lion attack last year that killed 21-year-old Taylen Brooks in El Dorado County — one of four California deaths attributed to mountain lions since 1994.

The similar bill that would allow dog pursuit of black bears — AB 1038, by Assemblymember Heather Hadwick (R-Alturas) — refers to “dangerous changes” in California bears’ behavior since hounding of the animals was banned in 2013.

Alvarado-Gil, a first-term state senator, changed her affiliation from Democratic to Republican last year, saying she was frustrated by her party’s policies on crime.