'We are exhausted’: Tampa Bay rescue races to save accidental litter, begs community to foster

TAMPA, Fla. - A Tampa Bay rescue founder is pleading for fosters and volunteers after what she calls an "overwhelming" surge of owner surrenders, stray dogs and urgent cases. The influx includes 10 puppies from an accidental litter found living in a backyard kennel in Dover.

What we know:

Heydi Acuna, founder of Mercy Full Project, wrote in a Wednesday night Facebook post that her team has been "run down to the ground" for months and finally reached a breaking point. She said the rescue asked other organizations for help and "the answer was mostly no," prompting her to take the plea directly to the community.

"It’s just sharing that we are going through a crisis… it’s happening right here in Tampa Bay," Acuna told FOX 13. "With the overwhelming amount of animals… my takeaway is that (we need people who) want to adopt, want to foster, want to donate, and truly support organizations like Mercy Full Project… We cannot fight this alone."

10 Puppies in Backyard Kennel

Acuna said the puppies had been surviving in a backyard kennel— "very dirty," she told FOX 13 News— and her team bathed them after picking them up. She added the puppies’ mother is underweight.

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"The people were feeding them," she said, adding the family reached out for help because they couldn’t afford veterinary care for the dogs. "They just did what they could… until they figured something out."

Acuna said her rescue is already stretched thin, which is why she reached out to other organizations for assistance.

"I truly ask them, like, ‘Can somebody help me because I’m drowning?’" she said. "And the response is always no."

What they're saying:

In her post and when speaking with FOX 13 News, Acuna emphasized her frustration wasn’t an attempt at finger-pointing, but at increasing local support and stopping the cycle of unwanted litters.

She said when she looks online, she often sees posts about puppies being transported to Florida from other states while dogs in the Tampa Bay area still need placements and resources.

"I’m questioning why we’re doing that instead of maybe helping them with resources," Acuna said, adding she wants to see more partnerships that expand spay-and-neuter access, vaccinations and basic veterinary services for families who can’t afford it.

Acuna also pointed to the ongoing impact of unplanned breeding, especially for dogs like pit bulls that often struggle to find homes.

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"With the pit bull, the problem is that they’re roaming around the streets… and just reproducing," she said. "We’re not stopping the source of the problem, which is having them have unwanted litters."

Dig deeper:

While the puppies sparked the latest urgent response, Acuna said her rescue is juggling multiple medical cases, including a dog named Beatrice, who she said was rescued from a backyard situation and is still recovering.

"She had a huge mass… her eye is sadly damaged," Heydi said. "She’s the one that I woke up thinking of… now it’s her chance to just have a better life."

Why you should care:

Acuna is urging people to foster, volunteer, adopt or donate, saying foster homes are the immediate need.

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"It’s super easy to connect," she said. "You can go on our website, submit applications to foster, volunteer, adopt."

She added the rescue is moving quickly to place the puppies and said the group is hosting an open house for potential fosters. As of the interview, she said they had received applications but no committed fosters yet for the case.

"If you believe animals deserve better, please stand with us," Acuna wrote in her post. "Because real change only happens when a community decides enough is enough."

Hillsborough CountyPets and AnimalsTampa Bay