Miranda’s Rescue allegations aired at Humboldt Planning Commission; no finding made

Allegations about Miranda’s Rescue — including claims about animal deaths, burial practices and long-running permit violations — were aired during non-agenda public comment at the Humboldt County Planning Commission’s Oct. 1 meeting. The meeting archive shows the comments were testimony from members of the public, not findings by the commission.

Julie Virga, identified as president of Fix Our Shelters, alleged that more than 100 dogs with gunshot wounds to the head had been found buried in mass graves on the property. Lori Mansell raised claims about permit compliance, animals being kept on unpermitted parcels, burial practices, flood risk and animal-waste sanitation. Lee Barney questioned why animals had not been placed in protective custody during an investigation and criticized what he described as the county’s response. The speakers did not establish those allegations with evidence during the meeting, and the record does not determine whether they are true.

The chair reminded commenters that the subject was not on the agenda and that commissioners could not answer questions during that portion of the meeting. After the public comment period, the commission moved to its scheduled business without taking action on the allegations.

Later, during a planner’s report, county planning staff gave an informational update that Miranda’s permits had been suspended after a deadline in a compliance agreement passed. Staff distinguished that land-use action from the separate criminal investigation and said the Planning Commission itself could not revoke an existing permit; the Board of Supervisors would have that authority. The update did not make a finding about the allegations raised in public comment.

The meeting record does not establish a final count of animal deaths or burials, whether any remains represented distinct animals, or whether environmental violations occurred. Those questions require review of law-enforcement, forensic, animal-control, environmental-health and permit-enforcement records, as well as a response from Miranda’s Rescue.