Town Mayor Faces Animal Cruelty Charge After Neglected Dog Found Roaming

Friday Harbor, WA – The mayor of Friday Harbor is facing a criminal charge of animal cruelty following the discovery of his neglected and injured dog found wandering and in “visible distress.” As reported by KIRO News, the small terrier-mix dog, Sasha, belongs to 59-year-old Raymont Jackson.

The concerned resident who contacted the police said that Sasha was “in distress and was visibly shaking” when she was discovered roaming a neighborhood on August 9. The dog’s nails were long and growing sideways and her neck was foul smelling and oozing beneath her “too tight” collar. The officer noted, “a pungent, rotting odor that was detectable “five feet away,” and a missing prong from her collar.

An officer who called Jackson about his loose dog noted that the man “didn’t know anything about the injuries or wounds,” and he believed the foul smell was from something she rolled in. The San Juan Journal recounts Jackson’s alleged response to the officer’s statement about the dog being in pain – the man allegedly replied:

 “Well, I’d be in pain too if she ran out through the gate and got zapped over.”

Jackson pleaded not guilty to the animal cruelty charge; he could face up to 365 days in jail and/or a $5,000 fine if he is found guilty.

Jackson’s bid for reelection failed; his term ends January 2026.

Note: A notice of seizure was issued for Sasha. It is unclear is she is with a rescue group or the local animal shelter.

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