#141 in United States, #7 in Florida
901 N. Fremont Avenue, Tampa, FL 33606
https://mercyfullprojects.org/
Service areas:
Tampa Bay
"I adopted my special needs chihuahua from Mercy Full. They do an amazing job to ensure each pet goes to the most perfect home. They offer a foster to adopt program to make sure. They are so supportive and offer so many fun events for their pets."
— natalie s.
Adoptee
"They always put the animals FIRST, we were able to find our family’s missing piece through them and we couldn’t be more grateful."
— laura s.
Adoptee
"Mercy Full Project is amazing! I adopted my dog from them a little over 1.5 years ago. They made sure to call references and get a video of my house to ensure the safety of the dog. I now foster dogs for the rescue. They take in dogs from other shelters, owner surrenders, and strays that are found near the rescue. All dogs live with fosters before being adopted out, and they aren't adopted out until a suitable home is found for them. The owner often takes in dogs in serious condition that no other shelters will accept! Everyone treats the dogs like family."
— tori l.
Adoptee, Volunteer / foster
"Conscientious, passionate, and determined, the founder of Mercy Full Project (MFP), and dedicated volunteers work hard to advocate for all animals, and find them loving homes. MFP, like many rescues, rarely rests, and is always on-call with intakes, and animal emergencies, but still manages to develop and maintain key relationships with fosters, adopters, volunteers, and the surrounding community. MFP founder, Heydi Acuna, puts great emphasis on the adoption process to minimize adoption failures, and to ensure animals are going to their perfect forever home. Her tough, no-nonsense persona keeps the organization running smoothly, but it is her enormous heart, kindness, and compassion that make this rescue thrive as part of the Tampa Bay community. Heydi, and the MFP volunteers are the epitome of rescue, and should be recognized for their efforts."
— stephanie o.
Adoptee, Volunteer / foster, Supporter, Fan
"I fostered 43 puppies before adopting Stormy. She's the love of my life. The group always made the best decision for the rescue pups and went above and beyond to get the best matched homes. The fosters have a lot of input in the adoption process which makes us feel secure in our pups placement. They put in more hours than exist in a day and pour their hearts into it."
— cindy m.
Adoptee, Volunteer / foster, Supporter, Fan
"We found the Mercy Full project by searching Petfinders. We applied online in July 2021. The online process was easy & we were able to upload picts of our yard to ensure a save space for our new dog. A few days later, we received a call about an ipcoming adoption event. Unable to attend myself my husband & our older dog went. My husband brought the adoption fee & set out to meet the 2 puppies, sisters we inquired about. One was already adopted, but our Buttercup (Powerpuff Girls!) was there. Mercy Full made the adoption process easy with our prefilled info, & Buttercup was able to come home that day! Chipped & spayed before adoption made it easy to welcome our little girl home. Their Happy Tails facebook page makes it possible to see her sister’s pictures growing up & its great to see all the lucky families!"
— lynn r.
Adoptee
"I adopted my sweet dog from Mercy Full Project! They are so kind and caring about their animals. They make sure that every match is perfect and go above and beyond to find forever homes! They also do a lot of work teaching kids and adults about animal care and the dangers of backyard breeding."
— tina r.
Adoptee, Fan
"I have been a foster with Mercy Full Project since 2020. Heydi Acuna is the most amazing person with the biggest heart for animals and people. I have watched her grow from running the rescue out of the back of her suv to obtaining a facility and staffing it. She has some of the most innovative outreach programs and events always putting the animals best interests first. This is an incredible organization."
— melissa l.
Volunteer / foster
"In July 2022, Mercy Full Project received an urgent call about 4 puppies living in deployable conditions in a backyard. They arrived to find these 5-week-old German Shepherd puppies living outside, with no water, severely underweight, malnourished and covered in fleas. As a volunteer, I helped to bathe the puppies and they were promptly given medical treatment, food, water and placed into foster homes to help them heal. Sadly, the puppies were in such poor condition, one of them did not make it through the night. I immediately fell in love with them and adopted one to become a part of my own family. I am happy to say they were all adopted and thriving in their new homes. Without Mercy Full Project, there is no doubt we would have lost all of them. Mercy Full Project rescues many unfortunate cases similar to this from backyard breeders that are commonly found in the Florida area. I have been volunteering with them for 3 years and am always amazed at the lives they save and the good work they do."
— mary j.
Adoptee, Volunteer / foster
"I adopted my one year old chihuahua mix from here almost a year ago to the day, and the experience was wonderful! I loved how thorough they were in their vetting process and making sure every dog finds their perfect home. Making sure people understand what each dogs’ needs is so key to making sure the home lasts. Also, the girl who fostered my dog before I adopted was so sweet. She kept in touch to let me know about what my dog was being fed before and made sure any questions I had were answered."
— jordan z.
Adoptee
Discover the Jack Russell Terrier, a breed celebrated for its intelligent and affectionate nature. Recognized as a small dog, Jack Russell Terriers have their origins in England, where they were initially bred for fox hunting and vermin control starting in the 19th century.
Discover the Dalmatian, a breed celebrated for its affectionate, trainable, and loyal nature. Recognized as a medium-sized dog, Dalmatians have their origins in Croatia, where they were initially bred for coaching (running along carriages), guarding, and hunting starting in the 16th century.
Discover the Bernese Mountain Dog, a breed celebrated for its affectionate, loyal, and playful nature. Recognized as a large dog, Bernese Mountain Dogs have their origins in Switzerland, where they were initially bred for guarding livestock and droving work starting in the 1st century.
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44.5 percent of all American households share life with a canine companion. Pet professionals like dog trainers, veterinarians, and veterinary behaviorists are more important than ever as our modern society becomes increasingly difficult for four-legged friends to navigate—dog reactivity, anxiety, and general stress from lack of proper enrichment are on the rise in domestic dogs.
In our modern, human-centric world, it can be hard to find spaces for your pup to safely play off leash—especially if they’re a flight risk. Dogs who might run off after interesting smells, prey, or simply because they feel the whim can be a hazard in unfenced areas. That’s why we’ve put together a list of some of the best securely fenced dog parks throughout the United States!
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More than 80 million Americans rely on their service dogs to help them navigate the world. Task-trained assistance animals perform a huge range of life-changing—in many cases, life-saving—services: These dogs act as eyes for visually impaired handlers, provide mobility support, alert to seizures and blood sugar crashes, interrupt anxiety attacks, remind their people to take medications, and so much more.
You thought your dog was house trained. Your home was clean from puddles of pee, those dreaded middle-of-the-night bathroom breaks were behind you, and you loved every minute of dog ownership… until your four-legged best friend started using the bathroom inside again. What’s going on?
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Do you have a water-loving dog looking to burn some energy? There are countless dog parks to visit throughout our country — but some of them become far too hot in the midday sun to be safe for your pets to play. That’s why we’ve put together a list of some of the best dog water parks throughout the United States! At these locations, your pup can frolic, splash, and swim to their heart’s content.
* All Sniffspot articles are reviewed by certified trainers for quality, please see bottom of article for details *
Does your dog destroy every toy you give them? Is your house littered with remnants of fabric and stuffing of all different sizes? Are you tired of investing in “indestructible” toys only for your pup to still dismantle—or worse, get bored of—them in just a few days?
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* All Sniffspot articles are reviewed by certified trainers for quality, please see bottom of article for details *
Many dogs have gotten a bad reputation over the years for being "dangerous breeds." Rottweilers are among them. Like pit bulls and other large, blocky-headed types of dogs, these powerful and beautiful animals are often assumed to be aggressive.
Your dog is reactive. They’ll see another dog, person, or other stimulus in the environment (like a car or bike) while out on a walk and suddenly go crazy at the end of their leash. The barking, lunging, and growling feels embarrassing for you — and it’s clear that your pup isn’t having a great time either.
Does your dog display reactivity to other pets or people? Maybe they’re a new rescue pup and are still settling into your home. Or they were sick growing up, so you missed their critical socialization period. Possibly they’ve had a bad experience after being raised as a normal puppy.
Do you have a reactive dog or suspect you may have one? You’re not alone!
* All Sniffspot articles are reviewed by certified trainers for quality, please see bottom of article for details *
From 2009 to 2020, there was a 40 percent increase in the development of public dog parks. Designated spots for canine exercise have become commonplace in every major city in North America — many pet owners won’t even consider renting an apartment that doesn’t have its own fenced-in pet area for their canine companions.
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Fran is the host of Ranch Setting, one of Sniffspot's most popular spots. She has taken the time to write up the lessons she has learned about how to be a great Sniffspot host.
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Looking for the perfect place to play with your dog? We’ve got you covered!
Looking for the perfect place to play with your dog in Portland? We’ve got you covered! Take a look at the best local dog parks and plan for your next adventure in the City of Roses.
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