There are disputes between Trinity County Animal Control and Miranda’s Animal Rescue as to the origins of a feral dog trapped last Saturday in the Trinity County town of Mad River.

The dog was trapped near a property connected to a high-profile animal abuse case from 2006, where as many as 50 dogs were neglected, resulting in the starvation of dozens of them.

Shannon Miranda rescued 13 live dogs among skeletal remains of dogs, found on a property formerly owned by Roberta Bugenig, and he believes the dog — currently at his rescue shelter — may be another of the survivors.

The Mad River residents involved in the case, John Malcolm, Stacy Malcolm and Roger Zampatti, were charged with 16 counts each of animal cruelty.

They were found not guilty in 2007, a devastating blow to animal activists such as Miranda.

“It’s doing the same things the others were doing,” Miranda said, holding the rescued dog nicknamed “CeCe.” “She’s shifting, not looking at anybody. That’s a feral dog.”

Miranda said he is certain CeCe is one of the “Mad River dogs,” not only because she’s scared and skinny like the other dogs he has rescued, but because he taped his rescue and believes CeCe was one of the first dogs on the video.

Trinity County Animal Control Officer Christine Edwards disagreed.

She said all the “Mad River dogs” had been captured and that this dog may have just been another stray.

“People dump dogs all the time in Mad River, they’re all related,” she said. “If you go down there, there’s so many of the same dog. They’re the McNab cross — they all look alike.”

Miranda responded: “It’s easier to say they’re all gone. Not all dogs look like the dogs on the Bugenig property.”

Edwards said animal control has had deputies and residents checking the residence constantly and believes they have trapped all of the dogs.

Similar-looking feral dogs are found often, she said. Just this past year, 40 were found near Hayfork and Van Duzen Road.

Miranda was concerned as to why the dog had not been found sooner, since Edwards had told him they were checking the Mad River property constantly for any survivors.

“They said they were checking on these animals,” Miranda said. “They obviously weren’t.”

Edwards was outraged when she heard Miranda’s accusations.

“This is over and done and they keep dragging it through. I don’t believe it’s the same dog, unless it was someplace and it showed up, because we’ve been on the property. We got them all to my knowledge,” she said.

Edwards’ main concern was why the property’s trustee, Humboldt County Public Guardian Ramone Herrera, didn’t phone her to take care of it.

Herrera said he had been told about the dog from a neighboring resident and called Miranda to borrow a trap.

“Miranda had tried to trap it a year ago and he’s presuming it’s the same dog, but we don’t know for sure,” Herrera said.

Edwards said she was confused by this, since she had traps Herrera could have used.

“If there’s a problem, why isn’t he (Herrera) calling us and having us trap? Why is he giving it to another county?” she said.

Herrera did not respond to her question by deadline.

Either way, CeCe is at Miranda’s Rescue in Fortuna, looking for a home.

She’s thin, she’s scared.

Even on a recent sun-filled afternoon at Miranda’s Rescue in the outskirts of Fortuna — the idea of coming out of her dog house seemed too much to bear.

“She won’t come out on her own, she’s scared to death,” said employee Jolynne Jarman, opening CeCe’s kennel and beckoning her into the yard.

“Good girl. That’s a good girl,” Jarman consoled.

It was CeCe’s first time out of her kennel in a week.

Jarman said it’s a matter of working with her every day to get her assimilated with humans again since she had been alone for an estimated year and a half.

Edwards said the property where the dog was found will continue to be monitored, even though she believes all the remaining “Mad River dogs” have been rescued.

Miranda said he would go back for any other dogs found.

“If there are more, I’ll definitely go get them,” he said. “I won’t leave them out there.”

For more information about adopting CeCe or other animals at Miranda’s Rescue, phone 707-725-4449.

In the story “’Feral’ dog found trapped near Mad River,” Mad River residents involved in a 2006 animal abuse case were said to have been charged with 16 counts of animal cruelty each. This is incorrect, the 16 original counts were holding charges until the residents were eventually charged with 42 counts each, but were found not guilty.