Animal shelter owner slams sheriff as investigators uncover over a hundred dog remains

Shannon Miranda, who runs Miranda’s Rescue in northern California, has accused Sheriff William F. Honsal of using “Gestapo tactics” amid a probe that found 117 dead dogs and numerous bones on the property.

Investigators from the Humboldt County Sheriff’s Office conducted a secondary search of Miranda’s Rescue after an ongoing animal-cruelty and fraud inquiry, recovering 117 intact dogs, 21 skulls and hundreds of bones from multiple burial sites. Owner Shannon Miranda responded with a lengthy public statement, accusing Sheriff William F. Honsal of “Gestapo tactics” and alleging that the sheriff is releasing selective facts to boost his re-election campaign.

Miranda said he has fully cooperated, providing records, computers and phones, and denied claims that he euthanized dogs to free space, insisting any such decisions would be based on medical and safety assessments. He also accused neighbors Jenna Moore and Jennifer Raymond of fabricating stories for online attention and claimed they have incited threats against his family. The sheriff’s office countered that inventory lists are part of the court record, that they are releasing only appropriate information for an active case, and that the investigation continues without any charges at this stage. Both sides emphasize the need for a thorough, impartial process as the search for evidence proceeds.