California authorities unearthed at least 117 dogs in “various states of decomposition” on Friday, many of which appeared to have been killed by gunshot, as part of an ongoing investigation into an animal rescue organization.Limited time: Save 25% on NBC News subscriptionGet exclusive reporting, live Q&As and ad-free reading.The bodies were discovered during a search of Miranda’s Rescue in Fortuna, California, according to the Humboldt County Sheriff’s Office.Officials had been granted a warrant that included excavation of the property for evidence that dogs had been buried in “mass graves.” The 117 canine remains were those found mostly intact at two sites, the sheriff’s office said.
Nearly two dozen skulls, “hundreds” of bones, and 600 dog collars were also recovered on the property.Humboldt County Sheriff William Honsal thanked the law enforcement teams and forensic veterinarians who assisted in the recovery.
In a statement, he noted that the investigation is “just getting started.” “The determination all of these professionals showed while working through this horrific scene is something we will not forget,” Honsal said.NBC News was not able to reach Shannon Miranda, the founder of Miranda’s Rescue, by phone on Sunday.She did not immediately respond to an email requesting comment.The sheriff’s office said in a news release last week that it had been contacted in April regarding allegations of fraud, animal abuse and animal cruelty at the rescue, and that the case had been assigned to the Major Crimes Division.An initial search warrant was executed on May 1, at which time officials seized evidence related to the investigation.
Investigators also determined that a “significant number” of animals surrendered to the rescue had not been accounted for.A second search warrant, executed Thursday, led to the recovery of the canine remains.
Forensic veterinarians were able to examine 71 of the bodies on-site Thursday but did not ...