The mayor of Friday Harbor, Raymont Jackson, has been charged with one count of animal cruelty in the second degree in San Juan County District Court.
On Aug. 19, Jackson, 59, entered a plea of not guilty. Public defender Lawrence Delay will represent him. A pre-trial conference is scheduled for Sept. 23.
Animal cruelty in the second degree is a gross misdemeanor, punishable by imprisonment for up to 364 days, a fine of up to $5,000 or both. It is a less severe charge than animal cruelty in the first degree, which is a Class C felony.
Jackson was elected mayor in 2021. His four-year tenure is up this year, and while he did run for re-election, he did not make it past the primary, receiving only 12.48 percent of the vote. His term will end in January 2026.
Details of the case
On Aug. 9, a deputy was dispatched to an animal at large call. The reporting party stated that a dog from her neighborhood came to her home in visible distress.
According to the probable cause statement, the 15-pound terrier mix, named Sasha, was visibly shaking and wearing an extremely tight shock collar that was emitting a foul odor and had “blackish ooze” around it. She also observed blood and skin that had been rubbed raw on the animal’s neck. Before the deputy’s arrival, she bathed the dog, but took photos of Sasha’s condition beforehand.
Upon arrival, Sasha was friendly and came up to the deputy. While he was petting her, she rolled on her back and he observed burn marks on the dog’s neck fur in addition to the open wound. He wrote that the collar, which had been removed, had a pungent, rotting odor that was detectable “five feet away.” The collar also had one prong missing.
Sasha was transported to the animal shelter, where a veterinarian provided an exam. The vet’s report stated that she had a puncture wound, with underlying tissues consistent with chronic inflammation and 4 centimeters of inflamed tissue. The vet also noted that the canine’s toenails were “very long, most curling sideways.”
The deputy spoke with Jackson, who said Sasha had gotten loose, and he was not aware of the dog’s neck injury. He acknowledged there was a smell but presumed she had rolled in something. When asked how the shock collar prong became embedded in her neck, Jackson said, “The prong was not that way. She had a loose-fitting collar on her when we had her.” He also told the deputy that his dog’s nails were cut at the vet a month and a half prior, and that the vet would have a record.
When the deputy told Jackson his dog was in pain, he allegedly replied, “Well, I’d be in pain too if she ran out through the gate and got zapped over.” Jackson was issued a notice of seizure for Sasha and a citation for animal cruelty.
