Remains Of More Palm Springs Shelter Dogs ID'd As Mass Animal Cruelty Case Widens In Northern CA

PALM SPRINGS, CA — The remains of more dogs from Palm Springs Animal Shelter have been found at a Northern California "pet rescue" operation that is now under investigation for mass cruelty and fraud.

The Palm Springs Animal Shelter announced Monday on social media that it received an update from the Humboldt County Sheriff's Office regarding the ongoing investigation into the Fortuna-based facility, Miranda's Rescue.

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"Investigators informed us that, of the 119 animals recovered during the recent search of the property, four had microchips registered to the Palm Springs Animal Shelter," the agency shared. "Those dogs were Mabel, Creek, Fergus, and Eclair. [They] were healthy, behaviorally sound dogs who we believed had every opportunity to find loving homes."

Instead, the four dogs were likely killed on behalf of — or by — Shannon Miranda and his operation, Miranda's Rescue, located at 1603 Sandy Prairie Road.

The four Palm Springs dogs were transferred to Miranda's Rescue in the hope that they would be adopted.

"Based on the information available to us at the time, we felt confident they would have successful outcomes through the transfer program," according to Monday's Palm Springs Animal Shelter announcement. "In fact, Miranda's Rescue had previously reported to us that both Mabel and Fergus had been adopted and provided updates that supported those claims."

Instead, the dogs are dead.

Since the fall of 2024, the Palm Springs Animal Shelter said it had transferred a total of 35 animals to Miranda's Rescue. The partnership called for Miranda's to find homes for the pets. Across Riverside County, animal shelters are overcapacity and authorities are working to find solutions other than euthanasia.

While it's unclear whether Palm Springs Animal Shelter provided compensation to Miranda's Rescue, several other agencies did. Oakland Animal Services reportedly told the Humboldt County Sheriff’s Office that Miranda's Rescue was paid $400 to $1,000 for every dog accepted from the shelter.

"For us and for other organizations, Miranda’s charged a fee to accept these animals," according to an FAQ posted to the Oakland Animal Services website. "They told us that this was necessary to cover costs of housing, feeding and caring for them. Their stay at Miranda’s was understood to be longer than the timeframe for easier-to-place dogs we transfer to other partners.

"In retrospect, we understand that sending dogs to Miranda’s was a terrible mistake," the Oakland Animal Services website continued.

The remains of the four Palm Springs Animal Shelter dogs add to a grim tally for the Coachella Valley facility: The remains of two other Palm Springs shelter dogs, Felicia and Farkle, were previously identified through the Miranda's Rescue investigation.

The Palm Springs dogs are just a few of the many who perished while under the care of Miranda's Rescue. Sheriff’s investigators located an area inside a barn at the Miranda's Rescue property that is believed to be where dogs were killed. In that area, investigators located more than 600 dog collars, according to the Humboldt County Sheriff's Office.

No arrests have yet been announced in the case.

When the Humboldt County investigation first came to light this springs, Palm Springs Animal Shelter said it was able to bring two of its transferred dogs safely back into its care.

Additionally, the shelter said it was contacted by two people who confirmed they adopted dogs originally transferred from Palm Springs through Miranda's Rescue and those dogs are safe and thriving.

"Those confirmations provide some measure of hope during an incredibly difficult time," the shelter said in its statement Monday.

In the meantime, Palm Springs Animal Shelter officials will wait to hear about its more than 20 unaccounted-for dogs transferred to Miranda's Rescue.

Sadly, they may never know. Many dogs buried in mass graves at Miranda's Rescue were in advanced stages of decomposition, so it was determined that the evidentiary value of removing them was not justified.

"Investigators documented the location and observations, and the site was covered, leaving the animals in their final resting place," according to the sheriff's office.

"Every one of these dogs mattered," said Palm Springs Animal Shelter, "and their loss is deeply felt by our staff, volunteers, and everyone who cared for them during their time at our shelter."