100+ dead dogs found buried at California rescue in 'horrific scene'
A search of the grounds of a no-kill animal rescue in Northern California turned up the buried bodies of over 100 dogs, many with evidence of bullet fragments, authorities said.
The Humboldt County Sheriff's Office Major Crimes Division said it executed a search warrant at Miranda's Rescue in Fortuna, California, to look for "evidence related to animal cruelty and fraud," and evidence of dogs believed to be buried in mass graves.
The investigation into Miranda's Rescue began in April when the sheriff's office received "credible information" about alleged animal abuse, animal cruelty, fraud and conspiracy at the rescue, the sheriff's office said. Investigators executed a first search warrant on May 1 and conducted interviews with other rescues and witnesses. The investigation determined there were hundreds of dogs turned over to Miranda's Rescue, a significant number of which were not accounted for.
Another search warrant was executed between June 23 and June 25, including an excavation of open fields on the grounds, the sheriff's office said.
The search uncovered 117 intact canine remains from two dig sites, in various stages of decomposition. Investigators X-rayed 70 of the dogs, and discovered the evidence of bullet fragments. Most of the dogs were also microchipped. The 70 dogs were examined by forensic veterinarians and the U.S. Department of Agriculture, the sheriff's office said, adding that the remaining dogs couldn't be examined there due to time constraints but were collected as evidence.
"Based on those examinations, investigators preliminarily determined the cause of death for many of those animals to be gunshot wounds," the Humboldt County Sheriff's Office said in a June 26 statement.
At another dig location nearby, investigators found 21 canine skulls, hundreds of bones and six loose microchips, the sheriff's office said. More deceased dogs in advanced stages of decomposition were also found, but investigators determined they would leave the animals in their final resting place because of the decomposition.
Investigators are examining the microchips recovered to try to determine the dogs' identities. Microchips are often used to register pets to owners or organizations so they can be contacted if the pet is found.
Inside a barn on the property, authorities found an area they believe the dogs were most likely killed, along with more than 600 dog collars.
The sheriff's office said that a full investigation will take time to determine if there is sufficient evidence to support criminal charges.
"This investigation is just getting started," Sheriff William Honsal said. "There is a tremendous amount of data to process, witnesses to interview, and evidence to examine. ... We are grateful for the investigative teams from the county, state, and federal government. We are also grateful to the private forensic veterinarians who performed the necropsies on site. The determination all of these professionals showed while working through this horrific scene is something we will not forget."
Miranda's Rescue says on its website that it is a nonprofit "no-kill rescue, adoption & sanctuary facility that brings relief to hundreds of distressed, neglected, abused & discarded animals, large & small, every year." The site says the rescue sits on 50 acres in Fortuna, a town with about 12,500 residents in Northern California.
USA TODAY has reached out to the rescue for comment.
Shannon Miranda, the founder of the organization, posted a statement to the Miranda's Rescue website on June 18 before the latest search warrant uncovered the remains of the dead dogs.
Miranda said the rescue doesn't euthanize animals to make space, thus its status as a no-kill facility, but it may euthanize animals due to terminal illness or behavioral problems that pose a danger to others. Miranda said there were two recent incidents that drew scrutiny, which both involved dogs deemed a danger to others who were euthanized.
"My staff, volunteers, and I love the animals we serve. We work tirelessly to rehabilitate them and find safe, appropriate homes whenever possible. Unfortunately, not every animal can be safely rehabilitated or placed in a family environment. Some have attacked other animals, threatened staff, or exhibited severe behavioral distress that makes placement impossible," Miranda said in the statement.
This article originally appeared on USA TODAY: 100+ dead dogs found buried at California rescue in 'horrific scene'
Reporting by Jeanine Santucci, USA TODAY / USA TODAY
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This story was originally published June 27, 2026 at 12:04 PM.