Humboldt residents gather in protest against Miranda’s Rescue

Around 30 protestors gathered outside the Humboldt County Courthouse on Monday, Sept. 28 in response to the reinstated land use permit of Miranda’s Recuse.

Shannon Miranda, owner of Miranda’s Rescue, has faced public scrutiny in the last six months after an investigation took place on the Fortuna property. The investigation began in April of this year after the Humboldt County Sheriff’s Office received information alleging accusations such as animal abuse and animal cruelty. The investigation resulted in the recovery of 117 intact canine remains from two dig sites and over 600 dog collars according to the Humboldt County website.

Jenna Moore, one of the whistleblowers that opened up the investigation and owner of Moore Love Rescue in Fortuna helped organize the protest.

“We know that this is going to take a while. Part of the frustration is that the community are the victims.”

Moore was accompanied by her dog, Third, who was adopted from Miranda’s Rescue. “Third was labeled as aggressive and he [Shannon Miranda] was not wanting him to go and said he needed to be euthanized,” Moore said.

Protestors shared their concerns with how Humboldt County Officials have handled the investigations.

“They need to open up their eyes and ears, this has been going on for some time, and they’ve turned a blind’s eye to it, and they really need to open their eyes,” said Grant Shirley, a protest attendee.

Other attendees expressed how disappointed they were in Miranda himself.

“I believed that this man was a saint,” Tracy Loyd said.

Loyd has known Miranda for over 20 years and frequently visited the rescue with her granddaughter over the years. “I think the hardest part for me, to see videos of the dogs before they went to Miranda’s, happy, healthy dogs wanting another chance. Then to find out that we led them to the slaughter barn.”

Protestor Donna Landry-Rehling shared her personal connection to Miranda’s Rescue.

“A friend and I paid $1,800 and dropped five pups off on Feb. 6, and have not been able to find anything else about them after all of this stuff broke,” Landry- Rehling said.

Landry-Rehling has hope that the community will bring justice to the animals and people involved.

“I think this community can have a huge impact because if we boycott it [the rescue], we don’t surrender any animals to it and we encourage others to keep their voices loud.”