Target: Josh Racki, Cascade County Attorney, Cascade County, Montana
Goal: Seek maximum penalties and a long-term animal-ownership ban, restitution, and mandated counseling for the defendant reportedly tied to 37 dogs found in feces-smeared stacked kennels and multiple deceased animals.
Deputies reportedly seized 37 living dogs from a residence after finding kennels allegedly stacked and fouled with feces and urine and a deceased dog on the living room floor beneath a blanket. Charging documents further state the floors were coated in fecal matter and that several prior calls preceded the welfare check that led to the discovery. The scene, as described, paints a grim picture of prolonged suffering and neglect.
According to the report, investigators later unearthed three more dead dogs that were buried on the property. Additional animals—including cats, lizards, a hedgehog, and a snake—were also seized. A veterinarian allegedly called the conditions “disgusting,” “uninhabitable,” and “inhumane,” adding that it was “absolutely cruel” to confine animals in tiny kennels while they were covered in filth. Nearly all of the 37 dogs were reportedly soiled with feces. These allegations, if proven, reflect extreme disregard for life and basic care.
Such cases demand decisive action. When authorities encounter animals trapped in squalor and death on-site, prosecutors should pursue the strongest, lawful response. Sign below to demand an aggressive prosecution, the highest penalties allowed, and a meaningful prohibition on future animal possession, alongside restitution for care costs and mandatory counseling and education—if the accused is convicted and the court permits such sanctions.
Photo Credit: Mia X
PETITION LETTER:
County Attorney Racki,
As reported in charging documents and official statements, deputies discovered 37 living dogs confined amid stacked, waste-smeared kennels, a floor covered in fecal matter, and a deceased dog on the living room floor. Investigators also reportedly recovered three more dead dogs buried on the property, and a veterinarian allegedly deemed the environment “disgusting,” “uninhabitable,” and “inhumane.” Nearly all of the seized dogs were reportedly covered in feces.
These allegations, if substantiated, reveal prolonged suffering and dangerous conditions for both animals and people. The scope—dozens of dogs reportedly crammed into filthy enclosures, multiple animal deaths, and a property strewn with waste—calls for a firm response that reflects the seriousness of aggravated animal cruelty allegations. Communities rely on your office to ensure that such reported cruelty is met with meaningful accountability.
We respectfully urge you to seek the maximum penalties permitted by law and, if the defendant is convicted, to request a long-term or lifetime ban on animal ownership (as allowed), mandated counseling and animal-care education, and restitution to cover the costs of rescue, veterinary treatment, and rehabilitation. We further ask that your office consider appropriate pretrial conditions limiting contact with animals while the case proceeds. A strong outcome will send a clear message that large-scale cruelty will not be tolerated.
Sincerely,
[Your Name Here]
Photo credit: Mia X
