Dozens of dead animals were discovered after a large-scale excavation into the whereabouts of over 700 missing dogs by law enforcement took place in Northern California this week.

Investigators from the Humboldt County Sheriff’s Office (HCSO) served a secondary search warrant Tuesday authorizing them to dig up the property of an animal rescue center after an ongoing animal cruelty and fraud investigation.

“During the excavation, investigators recovered 117 intact canine remains from two dig sites. An additional 21 canine skulls, hundreds of bones, and six loose microchips were located in another dig location near where the intact animals were discovered,” HCSO said.

On the first day, they used ground-penetrating radar to find any potential burial sites and later uncovered a dead horse and a dog-sized animal.

Over Wednesday and Thursday, the team discovered multiple dead dogs with many carrying gunshot wounds.

“The goal of the search warrant and ordered by the judge is to excavate several areas of the property where we believe have deceased animals,” Sheriff William Honsal said in a Tuesday press conference.

“Our records indicate through interviewing several shelters throughout the state that Miranda’s Rescue from 2025 January until April, May, of this year received over 900 animals from shelters…We were able to account for only a hundred or so that have been adopted. We have 730 animals that are unaccounted for,” he continued.

The HCSO worked alongside the FBI, the US Department of Agriculture, and other state agencies after its initial search warrant on May 1.

The investigation began after two animal welfare advocates, who were suspicious of the owner, snuck onto the property and dug up eight dead dogs with apparent gunshot wounds in April.

As residents watched the excavation, a bad scent hung over the property with one resident telling KRCR, “The closest things I think of are a pile of dead deer on the side of the road haven’t been touched; that have decomposed and just stink.”

“Miranda’s Rescue, located in Fortuna, who says it’s mission is to “save as many animals as we safely can–always balancing compassion for animals with our responsibility to protect families, children, other pets, and the public,” has denied allegations.

“For more than 30 years, I have devoted my life to rescuing and caring for animals through Miranda’s Rescue. Recent media coverage and online commentary have presented an incomplete and, in some cases, inaccurate picture of our work,” Shannon Miranda, the founder, said on the website.

As of Friday, investigations are still underway and Miranda has not yet been charged.