Man gets Jail Term for Animal Cruelty

District Attorney Jan Scully announced recently that Phillip 'Mohammed' Jackson was sentenced by the Honorable Pamela Smith-Stewart to one year in county jail and five years formal probation for his felony conviction of animal cruelty.

During the evening of October 21, 2011, Jackson carelessly drove off in his truck after arguing with a friend. His female dog "Lovely" had been tethered but not contained in the bed of his truck. It is assumed that Jackson inadvertently dragged Lovely a far enough distance for her to sustain abrasions to her legs, paws, stomach and chest exposing deep tissue, tendons, and bone. Miraculously, Lovely was alive when Jackson dropped her off at a friend's house and refused to take her to a veterinarian. At that time, he expressed that he knew Lovely was dying. Over the next 2 days, Jackson continued to refuse to provide any veterinary care upon being requested to do so by his friend.

Sacramento City Animal Care and Regulation was called on October 23, 2011 to pick up Lovely. Upon their arrival, she was barely alive, infested with maggots and severely infected. The Animal Care officer rushed Lovely to their closest clinic. Due to her severe injuries and sepsis, the city veterinarian immediately provided Lovely with what Jackson refused to provide over the previous 48 hours, a humane end to her horrendous suffering.

Deputy District Attorney Hilary Bagley Franzoia states, "Many owners recognize and appreciate a moral obligation to their animals. The law also imposes an obligation to lessen or end their needless suffering. This obligation extends to any owner, who, by some careless action, generates an obvious slow and painful death of their animal. Under the law, owners are not allowed to ignore the suffering of their animals, even when euthanasia is the only option to end excruciating suffering and death."