At least two of the over 100 dead dogs found at a Northern California animal sanctuary suspected of animal cruelty were transferred from the Palm Springs Animal Shelter.
Animal welfare organizations often collaborate by transferring animals between one another to help increase adoptions. Several animal shelters had such a partnership with Miranda’s Rescue Animal Sanctuary — a Fortuna facility under investigation for animal cruelty and fraud after authorities located 117 dog remains, many with gunshot wounds, buried in mass graves on the property.
The Palm Springs Animal Shelter said on Facebook that it had transferred 35 animals to Miranda’s Rescue since partnering with the group in fall 2024. It confirmed two dead puppies, named Felicia and Farkle, found among the original eight animal remains located at Miranda’s Rescue were transfers from Palm Springs.
“Learning this has been heartbreaking for our staff, volunteers, and everyone who cared for them,” the Palm Springs Animal Shelter said. “We transferred those puppies believing they were being placed with a trusted rescue partner where they would have the opportunity to find loving homes. The outcome is devastating.”
No other dead animals recovered from Miranda’s Rescue were confirmed to be from Palm Springs as of Sunday, June 28.
The shelter said that it followed standard evaluation and transfer practices and didn’t have a reason to think the puppies wouldn’t be placed for adoption or appropriately cared for. It held a private vigil for the dead animals found at Miranda’s Rescue and is reviewing safeguards for protecting its animals.
“Honoring the lives of the animals impacted means more than mourning their loss; it means learning from this tragedy,” the shelter said. “In memory of Felicia, Farkle, and the many other animals whose lives were forever changed, we have begun a thorough review of our transfer policies, procedures, and partnership practices.”
Investigators uncover mass graves
The Humboldt County Sheriff’s Office said it executed a second search warrant operation at Miranda’s Rescue on June 25, allowing it to excavate open fields on the property and locate 117 intact dog remains from two dig sites. It added that investigators also found 21 dog skulls, hundreds of bones and six loose microchips at another nearby dig site.
Seventy dogs were X-rayed at the scene. The sheriff’s office said many of those dogs had bullet fragments and most were microchipped. Analysts are using the microchips to identify the dogs.
Investigators found more dog remains in another section of the same field but decided not to remove them. The sheriff’s office said this is because those remains are in advanced stages of decomposing and it didn’t justify “the evidentiary value” of removing them.
It added that investigators found a section inside a barn where they believe the dogs were killed and it had over 600 dog collars.
The investigation into Miranda’s Rescue is ongoing. Sheriff William Honsal said his office has a “tremendous amount of data to process, witnesses to interview and evidence to examine.”
This article originally appeared on Palm Springs Desert Sun: Two dogs found at Humboldt rescue’s mass graves were from Palm Springs
Reporting by Ani Gasparyan, Palm Springs Desert Sun / Palm Springs Desert Sun
USA TODAY Network via Reuters Connect
By Ani Gasparyan, Palm Springs Desert Sun | USA TODAY Network
