Authorities in Fortuna, California, have uncovered a disturbing scene at an animal shelter that marketed itself as a “no-kill” facility — the buried remains of at least 117 dogs, many of which appear to have been shot.
The Humboldt County Sheriff’s Office announced Friday that searches of Miranda’s Rescue Animal Sanctuary, a 50-acre property, also turned up 21 canine skulls, hundreds of bones, and additional animal remains scattered across the grounds.
During a search conducted Thursday, investigators identified an area inside a barn that they believe was used as a site where dogs were killed. More than 600 dog collars were discovered nearby.
Sheriff William Honsal described the scene as “horrific.” As of now, no criminal charges have been filed in connection with the case.
The shelter’s founder, Shannon Miranda, has not responded to requests for comment. However, a statement posted to the shelter’s website on June 18 said that media reports and online commentary “have presented an incomplete and, in some cases, inaccurate picture of our work.”
“At Miranda’s Rescue, our mission is to save as many animals as we safely can — always balancing compassion for animals with our responsibility to protect families, children, other pets, and the public,” Miranda wrote.
The sheriff’s office said the investigation began in April after officials received what they described as “credible information” pointing to “allegations of felony animal abuse, animal cruelty, fraud, and conspiracy.”
According to an affidavit from an earlier search of the property, two animal advocates initially brought the situation to authorities. One of them owns land adjacent to the shelter and had set up trail cameras near a suspected burial area. The two later entered the shelter’s property and dug up dog remains themselves.
Using ground-penetrating radar, investigators located 117 intact remains in various stages of decomposition buried in an open field. On-site X-rays of 70 of those remains revealed bullet fragments in many of them, leading investigators to conclude that gunshot wounds were likely the cause of death for a significant number of the animals.
The shelter reportedly collected fees from other shelters when accepting animal transfers, as well as donations intended to cover food, housing, veterinary care, medications, and staffing costs. Hundreds of dogs were said to have been brought to the facility by private individuals and other animal shelters.
In his earlier statement, Miranda maintained that the rescue does not euthanize animals simply to free up space, but acknowledged that there are limited circumstances in which it may occur.
“There are rare circumstances in which euthanasia may be necessary — when an animal is suffering from a terminal condition or when it poses a serious, ongoing danger to people or other animals,” Miranda wrote. “In those situations, we make the most humane and responsible decision we can, always with public safety and animal welfare in mind.”
Sheriff Honsal made clear the investigation is far from over. “This investigation is just getting started,” he said. “There is a tremendous amount of data to process, witnesses to interview, and evidence to examine.”
