About us

MIRANDA'S RESCUE BOARD OF DIRECTORS
     Executive Director/President: Shannon Miranda
     Vice Presient: Nancy Cavanaugh
     Secretary: Debbie Scheffler
     Chief Financial Officer: Dean Paris
     Board Member: Margaret Stevens

DOG & CAT SHELTER STAFF
Susan Lacy - Adminstrator / Dogs
Kathy Pollard - Cats

LARGE ANIMALS & EXOTICS
Shannon Miranda

Entertainment DJ Services
Dean Paris 707-616-5018

MIRANDA'S RESCUE is a Partner in the Community:

Developmentally Disabled Adults from the Diane Cathey center in Fortuna come to the shelter to walk dogs and groom cats. They also help clean laundry at the rescue's thrift store.
The Thrift Store gives countless donations to other nonprofit organizations, schools and families in need. We also accept clothing vouchers from the Rio Dell & Fortuna Community Resource Centers, Wiyot Tribe & The Humboldt County Dept. of Public Health.
The store and shelter also employs four Cal-Works employees. This is a county assistance program that helps individuals get back on their feet and into the workplace again!
Miranda's has provided opportunities for more than 100 hundred troubled teens from the county probation deptartment to work off their community service hours. Shannon works them hard but they love it! Having the responsiblity of caring for other living creatures gives these youngsters direction and hope for a better future. (Miranda's Rescue is the top requested site for kids to do their Community Service.)
The California Legislation recognized and awarded Shannon for his work with the youth of Humboldt County.
There is a dog agility course at the rescue that is used for dog training (Contact Mette Bryans 725-4449) and agility.
There is a gymkhana course (horse agility) at the rescue that is used by many families, foster children and handicapped individuals. Shannon has trained many of them to ride and care for horses. It's great therapy for the kids and the rescued animals. It's a win win situation!
Shannon visits care homes with “therapy animals” to brighten the day of handicapped and elderly people. The Red Cross recognized Shannon as one of "Humboldt Heros"
Shannon talks at assemblies at local schools, discussing animal care, the importance of spay and neuter, and how to approach strange dogs.
During the school year, we provide tours of our rescue to local school children.
Miranda’s Rescue provides many opportunities for community members to volunteer. There are now over 40 active volunteers who do everything from cleaning cat boxes and walking dogs to answering phones and writing newsletter articles. The rescue could not function without all these wonderful volunteers.

Miranda's Rescue has been awarded by the California State Assembly as the "Best Sanctuary for Abused Animals" on the North Coast.

The rescue receives no government funding. All operating expenses, animal feed, veterinary expenses and the shelter location itself are supported by contributions from the community. If you have any questions or would like to donate, please contact our Chief Financial Officer, Dean Paris, at 707-616-5018.

SHELTER HISTORY

Shannon Miranda grew up in the small, scenic Victorian Village community of Ferndale, CA (Pop. 1,400). It’s a beautiful place nestled in the Eel River Valley. It’s the home of the famous “Avenue of the Giants” (Redwood Trees). Contrary to his nature, he was born into a family of hunters and grew up saving whatever critter he could. He gained respect and experience while training mustangs (wild horses) in high school.

How the rescue came to be... In October ’94, Shannon’s life forever changed. While working at a local lumber mill, he fell 30ft through an unstable floor, which left him wheelchair bound with a broken neck and back. The diagnosis was that he would never walk again. For Shannon Miranda, this was a “wake-up call”. He was seriously injured and unable to return to any form of a structured job and father to a 5 day old son. Shannon is not one to lie around feeling sorry for himself. Working with animals was his true calling. Raising his son and doing rescue work became his form of physical and emotional therapy.

It was one year before he was out of the wheelchair and walking again. And by that time, he had already acquired a menagerie of rescued horses, cats, dogs, rabbits, a possum, and a family of raccoons, even guinea pigs. Needless to say, with an ever-growing need of animals in search of loving homes, Shannon’s rescue quickly outgrew its surroundings at his trailor home in Ferndale. He soon moved to the Ferndale Coppini Dairy. It was here in 1997 that he incorporated as the nonprofit, Miranda’s Rescue For Large and Small Animals; a no-kill rescue, adoption and sanctuary facility.

The rescue is a “no-kill” facility meaning that an animal that is deemed adoptable or reasonably treatable could find sanctuary at Miranda’s Rescue until a loving, permanent home can be found for them. Believing in controlling the pet population, all cats & dogs are spayed or neutered before placement.

His operation was such a success that Shannon once again outgrew his spot on Coppini Lane within four years. In late 2001, a family in Fortuna who have been longtime friends of Shannons’ decided to sell their property. The location was a perfect fit for the rescue. Not only did it have over 30 acres to build on with a barn and great trails along the river to excercise the horses, but it was the very place where he began rescuing and learning about animals.

In spring of 2005, Shannon began operating the rescue side by side with Dean Paris, who had moved to the area from Boston, MA. With Shannon’s knowledge of animals and Dean’s business background, they soon began operating the rescue together.

Presently Shannon and Dean along with their children, Blake, Logan and Mikayla all work together to help the people and animals of Humboldt County.

Left Shannon Miranda & Dean Paris pictured here with two great friends/volunteers - Right Shannon, Blake, Mikayla & Logan riding in the Fortuna Rodeo Parade