An April 2026 horrific discovery at Miranda’s Rescue animal sanctuary in Humboldt County, California has generated great outrage and concern over the fate of hundreds of dogs taken in by that organization. Authorities have recovered the remains of 117 dogs from two mass burial pits, many showing evidence of gunshot wounds, and identified graves of other dogs. They discovered a place in the barn where it appears dogs were shot and killed. More than 730 other dogs admitted to that facility are unaccounted for.

The dogs came from several Northern California animal shelters who believed that Miranda’s Rescue was rehabilitating and rehoming the dogs. Each shelter paid Miranda’s Rescue hundreds of dollars per dog to take them into the sanctuary. Investigators are analyzing evidence in the context of animal cruelty, fraud, conspiracy, and other crimes.

This situation has deeply troubled the public, animal welfare agencies, and local cities that contracted with Miranda’s Rescue for animal control and sheltering. It has also highlighted that California does not require animal rescues to be licensed or regulated under a specific state law.

Because there are no statewide regulations for animal rescue organizations, the Los Angeles County Department of Animal Care and Control (DACC) has an Adoption Partner program to work with legitimate animal rescue organizations who have been carefully screened by DACC.  Adoption Partners must:

1. Be a nonprofit corporation that is organized and operated for the purpose of animal rescue or adoption. They must remain in good standing as an animal rescue nonprofit corporation and be registered and in good standing with both the offices of the Attorney General and Secretary of State of the State of California.
2. Ensure the safe and humane treatment of all animals in the care of the organization, its representatives, and foster care providers.
3. Not employ or accept as a volunteer any person who has been convicted of any crime related to the care, treatment, or sale of an animal.
4. Maintain records of all animals adopted from DACC animal care centers for at least five (5) years after the animal’s adoption and provide these records to DACC upon demand. Microchip information must be retained for at least ten (10) years.
5. Comply with all state and local laws pertaining to animals, including but not limited to applicable zoning requirements, licensing requirements, and laws regarding the spaying and neutering of animals prior to placement in a permanent home.
6. Ensure that all facilities where animals are housed meet all applicable legal standards. All facilities, except private homes of fosters, must have an emergency plan for animal care and housing in the event of natural or man-made emergencies such as fires, earthquakes, and evacuations.
7. Permit unannounced inspections of its animal housing facilities by DACC.
8. Have and maintain liability insurance for the organization to be eligible to adopt a dog with a documented history of aggression.
9. Submit monthly reports containing the status and location of each animal removed from DACC; new owner information regarding each animal placed in a permanent home; and certificates of sterility showing the animals have been spayed or neutered.

Further accountability is required for the adoption, transportation, and placement of animals. Adoption Partners may not extend their adoption privileges to third parties or use their status to give the animal to a rescue organization or person not qualified to adopt from DACC.

Adoption Partners may have their privileges suspended or terminated for violations complying with program requirements.

Participating in the Adoption Partner programs brings benefits to those rescue groups. These include waived adoption fees and spay/neuter deposits to adopt unaltered animals. Adoption Partners may also conduct business with DACC outside of normal operating hours for animals that have already been made available to the public.

DACC is grateful for the 257 animal rescue organizations that participate in its Adoption Partner program. Working together DACC and its partners ensure the safe and humane transfer and ultimate placement of animals into new, loving homes.

DACC’s adoption partner program is beneficial because it expands lifesaving capacity far beyond what DACC can accomplish on its own. By partnering with reputable rescue organizations, DACC can increase positive outcomes for animals while making more efficient use of shelter resources.

A well-managed Adoption Partner program is not simply about transferring animals. It is about ensuring that animals are placed into environments where they will receive humane care and have the best opportunity for successful, permanent placement. When shelters maintain high standards for their rescue partners, the program protects animal welfare while increasing lifesaving outcomes for the entire community.

Marcia Mayeda

You can subscribe to Marcia’s blog here: Director’s Blog

The Los Angeles County Animal Care Foundation is a nonprofit 501(c)3 charity that raises money to support DACC in its mission of saving animals and keeping pets and families together. Learn more at www.lacountyanimals.org.