Animal Rescue Mass Graves Exposed
Mass Grave Discovery: Investigators Find 117 Dogs at California Animal Rescue Probe
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Key Points
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USDA and forensic veterinarians conducted on-site examinations of about 70 recovered dogs at Miranda's Rescue, with X-rays showing bullet fragments and evidence that many deaths were caused by gunshot wounds.
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A second search warrant was executed at Miranda's Rescue as investigators broaden the criminal probe to include animal cruelty, fraud, theft and conspiracy, with the Humboldt County Major Crimes Division leading the effort.
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Investigators noted that some remains in the northern area were in advanced stages of decomposition and were too degraded to excavate, so those bodies were left in place as evidence.
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In Creek County, Oklahoma near Depew, volunteers say there could be more than 100 dogs on a property; many appear malnourished with old injuries, several pregnant or nursing, and access for rescue groups is blocked while deputies have visited the property multiple times this month.
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Authorities say about 730 animals have gone missing from Miranda’s Rescue since January 2025, highlighting how many animals tied to the sanctuary are unaccounted for.
Investigators digging at Miranda's Rescue, a self-proclaimed "no-kill" animal sanctuary in Fortuna, California, have unearthed 117 intact dog bodies, 21 skulls, hundreds of loose bones, and more than 600 dog collars — many of the remains showing bullet fragments on X-ray, according to The New York Times. The Humboldt County Sheriff's Office says roughly 730 of the approximately 910 animals accepted by the facility since January 2025 remain completely unaccounted for.
A multi-agency team including the FBI, USDA, and California Department of Justice executed a second search warrant on June 23–25, using ground-penetrating radar and heavy excavators to expose what authorities describe as at least two mass burial sites, Patch reported. Sheriff William Honsal said the investigation "is far from over" and that his office will refer findings to prosecutors if the evidence warrants charges of animal cruelty, fraud, theft, and conspiracy.
X-Rays Reveal Dogs Were Shot Before Burial
Forensic veterinarians examined about 70 of the recovered dogs on-site. X-rays showed bullet fragments in many of the bodies, Patch reported. Investigators believe a barn on the property served as the primary killing area. The more than 600 dog collars found nearby support that conclusion.
Some remains in the northern dig area were too decomposed to safely excavate. Investigators left those bodies in place and documented them as evidence, according to The New York Times. Six loose microchips were also recovered from the soil, separate from chips still embedded in the intact remains.
Fraud Charges Loom as Microchip Records Are Traced
Miranda's Rescue collected fees of $500 to over $2,000 per animal from municipal shelters and private owners, marketing itself as a lifetime sanctuary, according to Head Topics. Oakland Animal Services issued a public apology in May after confirming that dogs it believed had been rehomed were likely dead. The agency said it paid pull fees to Miranda's under that false assumption.
Investigators are now matching microchip data from the recovered remains to shelter records. Every chip that links a dead dog to an animal reported as "adopted" could support a separate fraud count. The Humboldt County Major Crimes Division is leading that effort, with results expected to be turned over to prosecutors.
730 Animals Still Missing, Sanctuary Had No State License
Of the roughly 910 animals Miranda's Rescue accepted since January 2025, about 730 are still missing, according to The New York Times. The facility operated for over 25 years, but its permit had allegedly been out of compliance for nearly 23 of those years. California does not require private animal rescues to be licensed or to verify what happens to animals after intake.
That legal gap allowed the facility to market itself as no-kill while allegedly running what investigators now call a high-volume disposal operation. Advocates say the case will push California lawmakers to require mandatory licensing and outcome tracking for all nonprofit rescues, Patch reported.
Oklahoma Property Raises Similar Concerns Near Depew
A separate probe is underway in Creek County, Oklahoma, near the town of Depew. Volunteers from Bristow Barnyard Animal Rescue say more than 100 dogs are living on a private property there, many appearing malnourished, with old injuries, and some pregnant or nursing, according to KTUL. Creek County deputies have visited the site multiple times this month.
Rescue groups say they are being blocked from entering the property to help the animals, FOX23 reported. Authorities face limits under Oklahoma agricultural and property laws that slow intervention. No charges have been filed in the Creek County case, but welfare checks are ongoing as animal advocates push for faster action.
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