Target: Chris Kukulski, City Administrator of Billings, Montana.
Goal: Enact and enforce a permanent ban on burning narcotics at or near animal shelters; order an independent investigation, medical monitoring for exposed animals and staff, and stringent safety protocols before any hazardous incineration anywhere in the city.
A narcotics incineration at a community animal facility filled kennels with thick smoke, forcing the emergency evacuation of dozens of cats and dogs and 14 workers. Staff suffered headaches, coughing, dizziness, and throat irritation, while four litters of kittens were trapped in an enclosed room during the incident. The shelter was closed for contamination testing, and animals were dispersed to foster care as a precaution.
According to local accounts, the incinerator—typically used for animal remains—was pressed into service to destroy methamphetamine. A fan that should have vented fumes was unavailable, and negative pressure pulled the smoke back inside. These details suggest preventable failures that may have endangered animals and people and contradicted basic safety practices.
This community deserves immediate accountability and permanent safeguards. Hazardous drug disposal should never occur in a place of refuge for vulnerable animals. Sign below to demand the city permanently prohibit drug burns at animal-care sites, mandate third-party air-quality and contamination assessments, fund veterinary and medical follow-ups for every exposed animal and staff member, and publish clear, enforceable protocols for any future hazardous incineration—off-site and under rigorous oversight. These steps are necessary to ensure this avoidable crisis is never repeated.
PETITION LETTER:
Dear Administrator Kukulski,
We are deeply troubled by reports that a narcotics incineration at a local animal facility filled kennels with smoke, sickened staff, and forced an emergency evacuation of cats, dogs, and young litters. Accounts describe headaches, coughing, and dizziness among workers and the exposure of fragile kittens confined indoors during the incident. Animals who entered this shelter for protection faced avoidable harm.
Using an animal-care incinerator to destroy illegal drugs—especially without reliable ventilation— created a foreseeable risk. The lack of a functioning exhaust fan and the negative-pressure draw that pulled fumes back inside point to preventable safety lapses. Animals and people should never be put in harm’s way by such procedures.
We respectfully urge you to (1) permanently ban the destruction of narcotics at or near any animal-care facility; (2) commission an independent investigation, publish the findings, and hold all responsible parties to account; (3) provide funded veterinary and medical monitoring for every exposed animal and staff member; and (4) adopt strict, public, third-party-verified protocols that require any hazardous incineration to occur off-site at appropriate facilities with real-time emissions controls and oversight. These actions will help restore public trust and—most importantly—protect the animals who depend on the city’s care.
Sincerely,
[Your Name Here]
Photo credit: Psychonaught
