Woman banned from owning pets after stabbing her dog

A 42-year-old Glendale woman was banned from owning any pets while on probation after pleading no contest to stabbing her Shiba Inu dog multiple times while under the influence of cough syrup, officials said.

Merry Jane Clift was sentenced Thursday to 28 days in jail after being given credit for time already served for Dec. 28 the attack, according to Jane Robison, spokeswoman for the L.A. County district attorney’s office.

Los Angeles County Superior Court Judge Patrick Hegarty also ordered Clift to serve three years of formal probation.

While on probation, Clift is prohibited from owning any pets and must complete 30 days of community service and psychological counseling for animal cruelty, Robison said.

The Shiba Inu dog, named Huckleberry, was taken away from Clift and given to a relative, Robison said.

Clift was charged with one felony count of animal cruelty after police said she stabbed Huckleberry around the eyes in her apartment in the 100 block of Carr Drive.

Officers walked into the apartment building about 2:14 a.m.  and noticed a trail of blood leading to Clift's apartment, police said.

They found Clift seated in the hallway in front of her apartment.

Soon after, officers saw the small brown dog stumble up a set of stairs, and they noticed several deep cuts on its face.

Clift allowed officers to enter her home, where they reported finding blood throughout her apartment and a bloodied kitchen knife with a 10-inch blade.

She told officers she hadn’t slept much that night, when she woke up and stabbed her dog in the face with the knife, according to reports.

Clift said she was going through a challenging time due to child custody issues, according to police. She later withdrew her story, alleging she suffered a psychotic episode and didn’t remember what had happened, police said.

The dog, which officials described as depressed and withdrawn after the attack, later recovered from its injuries at the Pasadena Humane Society, where it was sheltered from the public and other animals.

-- Veronica Rocha, Times Community News