More Than 100 Dogs Found Dead at a Humboldt County Rescue Under Cruelty Investigation

A long-running animal-rescue operation in rural Humboldt County has become the focus of a grim investigation after authorities said they recovered the remains of more than 100 dogs from its property, many of them showing signs of having been shot.

What investigators found

Executing a search warrant at Miranda's Rescue in Fortuna, about 270 miles north of San Francisco, the Humboldt County Sheriff's Office said it recovered 117 intact canine remains along with skulls and hundreds of additional bones, ABC7 reported. Investigators used ground-penetrating radar to locate burial sites before excavating the grounds.

Veterinarians with the U.S. Department of Agriculture examined dozens of the recovered animals on site and made a preliminary determination that many had died of gunshot wounds, according to the sheriff's office. Investigators also said they found more than 600 dog collars in a barn on the property, which they are examining as a possible site where animals were killed. Loose microchips were collected to help identify individual dogs.

Hundreds of animals unaccounted for

Authorities allege that roughly 900 dogs were transferred to Miranda's Rescue beginning in early 2025, but that adoption records account for only about 116 of them — leaving more than 700 dogs unaccounted for, the Lost Coast Outpost reported. About 50 dogs remained at the facility in late June.

Investigators say the rescue accepted payments — described as ranging from several hundred to several thousand dollars per animal — from shelters elsewhere in California, on the understanding that the dogs would be cared for and rehomed. Sheriff William Honsal has called it "a fraud investigation as well as an animal cruelty investigation," according to the Lost Coast Outpost.

No charges yet, and the operator's response

Shannon Miranda, who founded and runs the nonprofit, has not been arrested, and no charges had been filed as of Saturday. She has said publicly that she euthanized only animals that were aggressive or suffering — which would be permitted under California law. Evidence is expected to be reviewed by the Humboldt County District Attorney, the California Attorney General and federal prosecutors.

The investigation is being led by the sheriff's office with help from a range of agencies, KRCR News reported, and the sheriff has said it remains in its early stages. "This investigation is just getting started," Honsal said, citing the volume of evidence still to be processed.