Advocates Divided on How to Fix California’s Strained Animal Rescue System

Animal welfare advocates are calling for more state oversight in the wake of high-profile animal abuse cases.

Zoe Ferrigno

CalAnimals displayed photos of animals in need at a press conference introducing a bill to reform the state’s animal welfare system at the California State Capitol in Sacramento on Aug. 24, 2026. (Zoë Ferrigno/KQED)

Animal advocacy groups are taking their ideas for fixing California’s shelter system to Sacramento, following several high-profile abuse cases throughout the state.

The advocates gathered outside the California State Capitol on Monday to hold back-to-back press conferences, calling for an increase in oversight and transparency in the state’s animal welfare system.

California’s current system lacks any centralized agency for monitoring animal transfers and enforcing state laws, gaps that were recently highlighted by the case of Miranda’s Rescue, a “no-kill” animal sanctuary in Humboldt County.

Its owner, Shannon Miranda, is accused of taking in dogs for profit, then killing them and burying them on his property. More than 700 animals were also recently seized from a southern California rescue, most of them “suffering from severe neglect,” according to an SDHS press release. 

Animal advocates gather at a press conference to introduce a bill to reform California’s animal welfare system at the California State Capitol in Sacramento on Aug. 24, 2026.

The Humboldt County Sheriff’s recent investigation into Miranda’s found that the small sanctuary took in more than 900 dogs last year, but investigators could only confirm adoption paperwork for about 100 of them. Two hundred of those dogs came from Oakland Animal Services.

“We did not realize how many animals he was taking in from all these other jurisdictions,” OAS Director Joe DeVries said. “We did not realize that he was at that scale.

“If there were a statewide system, with a couple of clicks of the mouse, you could realize that,” DeVries said.

At Fix Our Shelters’ rally, Jenna Moore shares how she and fellow Humboldt County animal advocate Jennifer Raymond uncovered evidence that led to an investigation into Miranda’s Rescue in Fortuna, California.

Jenna Moore, a Humboldt County advocate who uncovered evidence that led to the investigation into Miranda’s Rescue, tearfully recounted her experience at the Fix Our Shelters event. She said there’s one sure way to prevent tragedies like this from happening in the future: “The bottom line is spay and neuter. Spay and neuter. Spay and neuter. Spay and neuter.”

Assemblymember Alex Lee introduced a bill that would have required shelters and rescues to keep and regularly publish data about the outcome of animals in their care, which died in committee. The groups now calling for change are hoping to get something introduced in the next legislative session.

Sabrina Woods, an animal advocate from Solano County, helped organize the first event and attended the second. 

“If we can make sure that that’s going to be a fair process with lots of different stakeholders from different areas,” she said, listing vets, animal control and advocates. “Then, it’s gonna be a go.”