Both Oakland Animal Services and Berkeley Animal Care Services have cut ties with the rescue.
A search warrant affidavit filed in Humboldt County says investigators recently recovered eight dead dogs from the rescue's property. The affidavit alleges at least one of the dogs found dead had recently been transferred from the Bay Area. The rescue is about 4.5 hours north of San Francisco.
ABC7 Eyewitness News is not naming the rescue. Neither the owner nor employees are facing any charges as of Friday, May 22.
According to the affidavit, taken by an investigator with the Humboldt County Sheriff's Office, Oakland Animal Services alone transferred 445 animals to the rescue between 2023 and 2025. At $400 per dog, investigators estimate those transfers may have generated about $178,000.
The affidavit also says the rescue received more than 600 dogs from shelters in the past year, along with an estimated $510,000 in payments.
Shelters often partner with rescues like this when they run out of room, paying them to take in dogs, care for them and help find them homes.
The investigation began April 22, when two women contacted the Humboldt County Sheriff's Office with concerns about the rescue taking in dogs simply for financial reasons. According to the affidavit, the women obtained trail camera video they say appeared to show dead dogs being dumped in a field.
On May 1, deputies served a search warrant seeking records, contracts, bank documents and other materials.
MORE: Bay Area shelters make plea to pet owners as facilities overflow with abandoned animals
Jennifer Raymond was one of the women who came forward. She owns a spayandneuter clinic in Humboldt County and has had concerns about the rescue for years. She bought a property next to the rescue last year to keep an eye on operations.
Last month, she told investigators she went onto the property and began digging after growing concerned.
"I began digging, and I continued, and I uncovered a dog," Raymond said. "Its muzzle was covered in dried blood. Their bodies were still warm."
"It was gruesome. I will never forget the sight of those dogs with blood dripping out of their noses, out of their mouths, out of their ears," she added.
The affidavit states eight dogs were recovered, and several appeared to have bullet holes in their heads.
Raymond acknowledged she trespassed and said she is prepared for the consequences.
"There are a lot of people through history who have done things that were illegal for causes that were important," Raymond said.
Investigators said six of the eight dogs recovered had microchips. One was identified as Zora, a dog transferred from Oakland Animal Services less than a month earlier. The affidavit states the rescue owner had previously sent Oakland a photo of the dog on a leash with the message "Zora adopted" before the dog was later identified among the dead animals.
"We caught (the rescue) in a boldfaced lie," said Joe DeVries, director of Oakland Animal Services.
In the affidavit, a Humboldt County investigator wrote: "It is my belief that (the rescue) murdered these dogs so that he could accept more from Oakland Animal Services for financial gain."
MORE: Busload of rescued beagles arrive in Bay Area from Wisconsin research laboratory
The rescue owner denied killing and dumping the dogs in the affidavit but later told investigators he was not a nokill shelter and said he did the best he could with the resources available. He said he typically used a veterinarian to euthanize animals but sometimes shot an animal himself when immediate action was needed to prevent suffering.
While the rescue did not respond to repeated requests for comment or an interview, the owner wrote in a Facebook post: "Many of you, like me, have been appalled by the allegations we've read in the media and online. Not everything we're seeing is true. A legal process is now underway to sort the facts from the lies. I have cared for thousands of animals and devoted 31 years of my life to the rescue. I intend to vigorously defend myself and continue this important work."
Oakland and Berkeley said they will no longer send dogs to the rescue. Berkeley said it sent at least 22 dogs there since the beginning of 2025 and is still trying to determine what happened to those animals.
The affidavit states the rescue was over capacity at the time the search warrant was executed.
"Just sick to my stomach. There's been a lot of tears shed here at the shelter," DeVries said. "When we see a partner, and we see hope, we put our hope and our trust in them, and to see it violated like that, it's just devastating."
The investigation has also drawn attention from animalwelfare advocates.
"We have contacted authorities in Humboldt County and told them that we strongly support and thank them and strongly support the investigation," said Teresa Chagrin, Animal Care and Control specialist at PETA.
As of Friday, no charges had been filed against the rescue owner, employees or Raymond.
Authorities said the animals remaining at the property are being regularly monitored by Humboldt County Animal Control, and the rescue appears to remain open.