A mountain lion was attacking a dog in Downieville early in the morning on Monday when a neighbor shot and killed it, according to wildlife officials.

Mountain lion concerns continue in Placer County, forcing one man to sell off his herd following a recent attack on his sheep. But a new study aims to give ranchers like him some hope.

A resident shot and killed a mountain lion attacking their neighbor’s dog in a California neighborhood, officials said. The dog was in the cougar’s jaws as the neighbor fired and didn’t survive the attack, a California Department of Fish and Wildlife spokesperson told McClatchy News in a phone interview Tuesday, Jan. 14.

A public safety warning has been issued after reports of mountain lion sightings in Northern California, according to the Sierra County Sheriff’s Office. Officials said the sightings have been in the Upper Main Street area of Downieville.

The sheriff's office said it received several reports of mountain lion sightings in the Upper Main Street area of Downieville.

Residents and visitors in Helena are being urged to exercise caution after a mountain lion was recently spotted on Mount Helena.

According to a public notice from the Sierra County sheriff’s office, a mountain lion was shot and killed early Monday, Jan. 13, after it fatally attacked a dog on Main Street. That lion had been seen in the company of two others.