DogExpress
The remains of 117 dogs have been discovered on the grounds of Miranda’s Rescue Animal Sanctuary, a self-described no-kill facility spread across 50 acres in Fortuna, northern California. Investigators from the Humboldt County Sheriff’s Office also recovered 21 canine skulls, hundreds of bones, and over 600 dog collars during searches at the property.
The sheriff’s office launched its investigation in April after receiving credible information about allegations of felony animal abuse, animal cruelty, fraud, and conspiracy. The tip reportedly came from animal advocates, one of whom owns land adjoining the sanctuary and had been using trail cameras to monitor activity near a suspected burial site.
The remains of over 100 dogs were found at a Northern California animal sanctuary during an investigation into suspected animal cruelty, the Humboldt County Sheriff’s Office said on Friday. Preliminary reports say 70 of the dogs examined had died of gunshot wounds.
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Seventy of the recovered remains were X-rayed on site, and bullet fragments were found in many of them. Gunshot wounds appear to be the cause of death in a large number of cases. On Thursday, investigators located an area inside a barn on the property where they believe the dogs were likely killed. Additional remains were also found in advanced stages of decomposition.
The numbers raise serious questions about what was actually happening at the facility. The rescue reportedly took in roughly 900 animals since the start of 2025. Still, records showed only 116 adoptions during the same period, leaving a gap of more than 700 animals with no clear accounting. Six loose microchips were also found near the burial sites. Authorities are now running chip data to identify the animals and trace how they ended up at the sanctuary.
The sheriff’s office noted that hundreds of dogs were transferred to Miranda’s Rescue by private citizens and other animal shelters. The facility collects fees from those transfers in addition to donations, which it says go toward food, housing, veterinary care, and staffing costs.
Shannon Miranda, the owner and operator, has denied wrongdoing. In a statement, Miranda said the sanctuary does not euthanize animals to make space, though acknowledged that euthanasia may be considered in rare cases involving terminal illness or animals that pose a danger to people or other animals.
No criminal charges have been filed so far. The investigation is ongoing, and authorities continue to excavate the 50-acre grounds. Hundreds more animals remain unaccounted for as the search continues.
Humboldt County Sheriff William Honsal described what investigators found as a horrific scene. For dog owners who may have surrendered animals to this facility, the sheriff’s office is urging them to come forward. Contact details for investigators are available through the Humboldt County Sheriff’s Office.
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