Proper euthanasia generally requires the animal be sedated before it is euthanized. There is no indication that this person did that. It may be apparent to the investigators based on forensic evidence of where they were shot. If all the dogs were shot in the same area of the head, for example, then that might indicate the dogs were sedated first making it straightforward to make an immediately lethal shot. If they find that the dogs were shot in various locations or multiple times, then that could show that the dogs were awake and moving when they were shot.
I have been working with pet rescues (not in California) for more than 30 years. Any time a pet has had to be euthanized by any of the rescues I’ve worked with, it has been taken to a veterinarian for the procedure. No respectable rescue would have a policy of taking dogs out to a barn and shooting them as their standard form of euthanasia.
Also, Per another article, they’ve been lying to the facilities that they get the dogs from.
The search at Miranda’s Rescue comes as authorities investigate allegations of animal cruelty, fraud and theft. Between January 2025 and April 2026, roughly 900 animals were transferred to the facility from shelters across the state. Of those, 730 are currently unaccounted for, according to Humboldt County Sheriff William Honsal.
“There’s no adoption records, no records whatsoever that we can locate that Miranda’s does not have that lets us know what happened to those animals,” Honsal said. “That’s what we are looking for right now.”
A rescue that keeps no adoption records whatsoever? In my experience, that is a red flag of biblical proportions.
Oakland Animal Services is one of the agencies heavily impacted by the investigation, having transferred more than 800 dogs to Miranda’s Rescue since 2020. A microchip recently confirmed that one of its dogs, Zora, was found shot and buried on the Humboldt County property, even though the rescue initially reported she had been adopted.
It seems very clear that this person was taking in dogs and claiming to have adopted them out while all they were really doing was shooting them in the barn and burying them in a field.
I am very grateful to that neighbor who exposed this or it would almost certainly still be happening. Sadly, I am not confident that the law will be effective in punishing Miranda for their actions. In fact, I fully expect the neighbor who reported them to face charges or a lawsuit over their actions.
With the way people feel about animal cruelty, the guy will be fortunate if he doesn’t end up in that field himself, if he turns out to have been getting his rocks off by murdering dogs entrusted to his care while taking public funds for their care.
But then again, I would’ve said the same about child cruelty but you look around and see all these nutjobs protecting pedophiles so maybe I’m off base.
People do feel that way about animal abusers, true, but the law is very different. Animal cruelty laws in most places are notoriously inadequate in my opinion. I’m not sure about California. I hope they are strong and this guy gets locked up for a long time.
Euthanasia generally means killing painlessly. Is a bullet painless and fast? Folks who survive gunshot wounds say they felt a burning sensation. Did the canines lose consciousness immediately after being shot? Or did they live for a time afterward? Lots of unknowns.
Is a gunshot not humane if euthanasia is necessary?
Proper euthanasia generally requires the animal be sedated before it is euthanized. There is no indication that this person did that. It may be apparent to the investigators based on forensic evidence of where they were shot. If all the dogs were shot in the same area of the head, for example, then that might indicate the dogs were sedated first making it straightforward to make an immediately lethal shot. If they find that the dogs were shot in various locations or multiple times, then that could show that the dogs were awake and moving when they were shot.
I have been working with pet rescues (not in California) for more than 30 years. Any time a pet has had to be euthanized by any of the rescues I’ve worked with, it has been taken to a veterinarian for the procedure. No respectable rescue would have a policy of taking dogs out to a barn and shooting them as their standard form of euthanasia.
Also, Per another article, they’ve been lying to the facilities that they get the dogs from.
A rescue that keeps no adoption records whatsoever? In my experience, that is a red flag of biblical proportions.
It seems very clear that this person was taking in dogs and claiming to have adopted them out while all they were really doing was shooting them in the barn and burying them in a field.
I am very grateful to that neighbor who exposed this or it would almost certainly still be happening. Sadly, I am not confident that the law will be effective in punishing Miranda for their actions. In fact, I fully expect the neighbor who reported them to face charges or a lawsuit over their actions.
With the way people feel about animal cruelty, the guy will be fortunate if he doesn’t end up in that field himself, if he turns out to have been getting his rocks off by murdering dogs entrusted to his care while taking public funds for their care.
But then again, I would’ve said the same about child cruelty but you look around and see all these nutjobs protecting pedophiles so maybe I’m off base.
People do feel that way about animal abusers, true, but the law is very different. Animal cruelty laws in most places are notoriously inadequate in my opinion. I’m not sure about California. I hope they are strong and this guy gets locked up for a long time.
Well obviously I’m hinting at an… extralegal solution to the problem. But I doubt anyone would up and do it.
Euthanasia generally means killing painlessly. Is a bullet painless and fast? Folks who survive gunshot wounds say they felt a burning sensation. Did the canines lose consciousness immediately after being shot? Or did they live for a time afterward? Lots of unknowns.
Only if the bullet is well placed; otherwise absolutely not.
Well I was assuming they weren’t shooting them in the tail.