After a brown bear was sighted roaming a residential area in Stevenson Ranch this week, officials are reminding Santa Clarita Valley pet owners to keep their four-legged companions safe.

Around 3 a.m. Wednesday, the bear passed through the backyards of several homes on Hardy Place near Stevenson Ranch Parkway and rifled through trash cans on the street, according to a social media post by a resident.

When it comes to protecting pets from a potential altercation with a wild animal, local Animal Control officials advise residents to err on the side of caution.

“We always recommend keeping your pets indoors whenever possible… or to monitor if they are outside,” said Allison Cardona, deputy director of operations for the Los Angeles County Department of Animal Care and Control. “You don’t want them out at night.”

This not only means bringing dogs, outdoor cats and other pets inside overnight, but closing off and securing doggy doors as well.

Other times of day to take extra precautions are in the early morning and evening hours when wild animals tend to search for food, according to Cardona.

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“They’re drawn oftentimes by food or looking for food,” she said. “Keeping trash cans either in the garage or (with) the lid tightly closed is important.”

Leaving out pet food and bird feeders could also attract unwanted wild animals, so Cardona recommends feeding pets inside and bringing in potentially appealing items during higher risks times.

“Just being really conscious of anything that might be attractive to a bear or another animal (is important),” Cardona said. “I would say also it’s important to walk your dog on a leash, and with cats and dogs to have some kind of ID on them.”

While all pets that come face to face with a wild animal are potentially at risk of being attacked, Cardona noted cats and smalls dogs in particular could look like prey and would have a harder time defending themselves, making extra precautions for these pets even more important.

When asked what kinds of wild animals are most prevalent in the Santa Clarita Valley area, Cardona responded that bears, coyotes, mountain lions, bobcats and hawks are all possibilities.

“We even see coyotes or mountain lions in more populated areas, so I think it’s always a risk,” she said. “It’s always best to try and protect (pets)… It’s just important to be safe.”

To report potentially dangerous wild animal sightings, call the Los Angeles County Department of Animal Care and Control at 661-257-3191 or the Santa Clarita Valley Sheriff’s Station at 661-255-1121.

In the case of an emergency or imminent danger, dial 9-1-1.