TAMPA – New federal data shows more than 2 million undocumented immigrants have left the U.S. this year under the Trump administration, including roughly 527,000 deportations and another 1.6 million self-deportations, according to the Department of Homeland Security.
Animal welfare groups in the Tampa Bay area say that wave has had a heartbreaking ripple effect: hundreds of pets left behind when families are forced to go.
At Mercy Full Project, founder Heydi Acuna says her rescue is fielding desperate calls from owners who can no longer care for their animals — and from neighbors who find them abandoned.
“We have these families contacting us to see how we can help because they don’t have a place for the animals,” Acuna said. “It’s a crisis we were not expecting.”
What they’re saying:
Acuna, who immigrated from Colombia 16 years ago, says she understands the challenges of starting over in a new country. But now, her organization is stretched thin trying to care for the animals left behind.
One recent case happened over the weekend. A Plant City woman arrived at the shelter with six dogs after her husband and son were deported to Mexico.
Another case, a dog named Mud, was discovered by neighbors weeks after his family was deported, left alone in a backyard. He’s now being treated for severe skin infections, heartworm, and hookworm. “His organs are still not working properly,” Acuna said. “We’re doing bloodwork and biopsies to try to save him.”
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Mercy Full Project says it’s at full capacity but continues to take in animals in need.
What you can do:
The nonprofit is urgently seeking foster homes and donations to handle the influx of abandoned pets.
Acuna hopes authorities will consider animal welfare when deportations occur. “If these families are getting deported, at least ask questions and work with animal resources to find the animals they own,” she said.
To learn more about Mercy Full Project, click here.
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The Source: This story is based on interviews with Mercy Full Project founder Heydi Acuna and data from the Department of Homeland Security. Reporting by FOX 13’s Jennifer Kveglis in Tampa.