Mountain lion captured after 4 tranquilizer doses, will be re-released into wild

PLEASANTON, Calif. (KTVU) - Police in Pleasanton administered a fourth tranquilizer dose to a mountain lion before removing it from the bushes Monday evening. They, along with Department of Fish and Game officials, had the cat surrounded in a nearly five-hour hour ordeal after a landscaping crew called in the sighting around 3:45 p.m. on Monday. 

Officials said the mountain lion is between 9 and 12 months old and healthy, meaning it can be re-released. As of 8:18 p.m., the mountain lion was captured. 

The animal was initially tranquilized just before 7 p.m. and again just after the hour. The third dose was reported by police on Twitter around 7:30 p.m. The cat was still moving after the second dose, which was deemed "necessary", police said. 

The call came in of an adult animal at 3825 Hopyard Road that was not showing any signs of aggression. The animal hunkered down at the location near W. Las Positas Boulevard. Hopyard Road closed in both directions because of the mountain lion, police said. As of 9:06 p.m., the road had reopened, a dispatcher said.

Lieutenant Eric Silacci said employees of a nearby business park were escorted to their vehicles for safety's sake. 

Skyfox was above the scene and saw a heavy police presence. Law enforcement could be seen using drones in the operation.

Pleasanton P.D. documented the ordeal on social media, joking (or at least pointing out) that it was (hashtag) #NationalCatDay with a question mark to punctuate.  

KTVU's Azenith Smith is at the scene and will have the latest updates. 

Bay City News wire service contributed to this report.