California animal rescue owner with 117 dead dogs found in mass grave unleashes on ‘Gestapo’ cops

The embattled owner of Miranda’s Rescue in Northern California has accused a local sheriff of “Gestapo tactics” as police investigate allegations of dozens of dead dogs on his property.

Animal rescue owner Shannon Miranda sent a long statement to the Times-Standard last week to set the record straight.

Miranda says Humboldt County Sheriff William F. Honsal has failed to provide an itemized list of seized items from night raids at his rescue and released information selectively “for publicity rather than to reflect the truth,” to benefit his reelection campaign.

The Sheriff’s Office says 117 dead dogs, 21 canine skulls, and hundreds of additional bones have been found at the property. No criminal charges have been filed against Miranda yet.

He said he’s fully complied with the investigation.

“I have fully cooperated with the investigation and provided everything requested, including my records, computers, and phones. I have been forthright and honest,” Miranda wrote.

The animal rescue owner said “inaccurate information and lies circulating about this case have fueled rumors, threats, and hostility toward my family and me,” and have forced him to speak publicly about his case.

“Law enforcement, particularly Sheriff Honsal, has become part of the rumor mill, so I will no longer stay silent. Many facts have not been released, and what has been released has been distorted,” he wrote.

He also believes his neighbors, Jenna Moore and Jennifer Raymond, are perpetuating lies about him.

“They are clearly making things up for clicks, reactions, and to position themselves as avengers, when they are merely bullies and stalkers.

“In addition, numerous of their vigilante friends and followers are posting death threats and lies,” he wrote.

He has denied allegations he euthanized dogs to create space at his shelter and that any decision was made after a “careful evaluation of each dog’s medical condition, behavioral history, and public safety considerations.”

Miranda also said the sheriff’s office mischaracterized a bin of dog collars found on his property’s barn. He said the collars were donated to the rescue for use with incoming dogs.

Honsal responded in a statement of his own to Miranda: “Following the service of each search warrant, an inventory of the items seized was completed and provided at the scene as required by law.

“Those inventory lists are part of the court record and are available to anyone who wishes to obtain a copy through the court.

“Mr. Miranda and his media team are free to make whatever public statements they choose regarding this matter.

“They may present their version of events as they see fit.  The Humboldt County Sheriff’s Office, however, has remained committed to releasing only the limited factual information that is appropriate for an active criminal investigation.

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“I have no personal vendetta against Mr. Miranda, nor is this investigation driven by anything other than the facts.

“Our responsibility is to conduct a thorough, objective, and impartial investigation, wherever the evidence leads. The facts will ultimately speak for themselves.

“This criminal investigation remains very active and is being handled with the seriousness it deserves. Our detectives and investigative teams are working diligently with our law enforcement partners to gather and analyze all available evidence.

“We are conducting a comprehensive review of physical evidence, financial and business records, digital evidence, and other relevant documentation, while continuing to interview witnesses and consult with subject matter experts as necessary.

“Given the complexity and scope of this case, we will not rush the investigative process. Our priority is to ensure that every lead is thoroughly examined, every piece of evidence is carefully evaluated, and every Witness is interviewed so that any decisions regarding criminal charges are based on a complete and accurate understanding of the facts.

“We remain committed to conducting a meticulous, professional, and impartial investigation that seeks only the truth and ensures accountability under the law where the evidence supports it.”

Investigators from the Humboldt County Sheriff’s Office (HCSO) served a secondary search warrant in June authorizing them to dig up the property of an animal rescue center after an ongoing animal cruelty and fraud investigation.

“During the excavation, investigators recovered 117 intact canine remains from two dig sites. An additional 21 canine skulls, hundreds of bones, and six loose microchips were located in another dig location near where the intact animals were discovered,” HCSO said.

On the first day, they used ground-penetrating radar to find any potential burial sites and later uncovered a dead horse and a dog-sized animal.

The team also discovered multiple dead dogs with many carrying gunshot wounds.

“The goal of the search warrant and ordered by the judge is to excavate several areas of the property where we believe have deceased animals,” Honsal said in a press conference.

“Our records indicate through interviewing several shelters throughout the state that Miranda’s Rescue from 2025 January until April, May, of this year received over 900 animals from shelters…We were able to account for only a hundred or so that have been adopted. We have 730 animals that are unaccounted for,” he continued.