‘Far From Over’: Sheriff Says Miranda’s Rescue Investigation Enters New Phase as Investigators Process Recovered Microchips

Although investigators have finished excavating the Miranda’s Rescue property for now, Humboldt County Sheriff William Honsal said today that the investigation is “far from over.” He announced at an end of the day press conference held at the scene that investigators are now processing information from recovered microchips and working through a large number of inquiries from people who surrendered animals to the rescue.

In a brief statement lasting less than three minutes, Honsal said the Sheriff’s Office intends to get back to those who have submitted inquiries as investigators continue their work processing the information gathered so far.

Honsal did not take questions following the statement, leaving unanswered how many microchips have been recovered, whether any animals have been positively identified, or whether investigators expect to return to excavate additional areas of the property.

The update comes hours after investigators concluded a three-day excavation at the Sandy Prairie Road property near Fortuna. Earlier today, sources told Redheaded Blackbelt that the number of animal remains recovered had climbed above 50, with at least one source placing the total above 70. The Humboldt County Sheriff’s Office has confirmed only that investigators recovered “dozens” of remains and has not released an official count.

The press conference came after a reported altercation from an anonymous source between Sacramento Animal Control Officers and Shannon Miranda. We reached out to the Sacramento Animal Care Services and received this reply:

Sacramento County Animal Care Services (Bradshaw Animal Shelter) can confirm that our officers are in Humboldt County serving a legal demand, on behalf of Sacramento County Counsel, for the return of animals wrongfully transferred from Bradshaw Animal Shelter to Miranda’s Rescue, the preservation of evidence, and notice of intended legal action.

Bradshaw Animal Shelter has been actively working to recover dogs connected to our shelter that were transferred to Miranda’s Rescue through unauthorized third-party rescue transfers.

Our priority has always been the welfare of these dogs. We have successfully secured the return of one dog and continue working to bring the remaining two dogs home. We remain committed to pursuing the best possible outcome for the animals while cooperating with the appropriate agencies.

The excavation covered only portions of the approximately 50-acre property, according to sources familiar with the operation. The Sheriff’s Office has not said whether every area identified during the investigation was excavated before crews left the scene.

The investigation has drawn intense public attention from across the state and even nationally as crews from multiple agencies spent three days excavating several locations on the property while investigators documented and recovered animal remains.

Tuesday, a press release from the Sheriff’s Office stated that they

…have been working collaboratively with the FBI, California Department of Justice, United States Department of Agriculture Office of Inspector General, USDA Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service, California Attorney General’s Office, and the United States Attorney’s Office for the Northern District of California.   This is an active animal cruelty, fraud, and theft investigation.

Recently, animal rescuer Jenna Moore told the Humboldt County Board of Supervisors that residents had been raising concerns about Miranda’s Rescue for more than two decades. She said complaints were also made to the Humboldt County Sheriff’s Office in 2023 and again in 2025.

As more remains have been uncovered, animal advocates have questioned on social media how the privately operated rescue continued operating despite these years of complaints. However, California does not require private animal rescues to be licensed, and no state agency is tasked with routinely verifying that a rescue’s reported outcomes match its public claims.

No criminal charges have been filed. As with anyone under investigation, Shannon Miranda is presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty in a court of law.

Earlier:

• Search Warrant Served at Miranda’s Rescue in Fortuna Amid Animal Abuse and Fraud Investigation
• Paid to Save Them, Accused of Killing Them: The Investigation Into Miranda’s Rescue
• HCSO: Miranda’s Rescue Investigation Remains a Priority
• Miranda’s Rescue Case Sparks Outcry at Supes Meeting
• HCSO Executes New Search Warrant at Miranda’s Rescue, Brings Heavy Equipment to Property
• 731 Animals Unaccounted For: Investigators Dig at Miranda’s Rescue as Remains Recovered
• Pet Cemetery Exhumed: What the Dead Will Reveal
• Excavation at Miranda’s Rescue Appears to Have Wrapped After Three Days; Dozens of Remains Confirmed, Sources Say Far More