Their paws aren’t any bigger than a nickel -- so tiny and helpless.
These puppies only weigh about 10 ounces but their little brother is even tinier.
"He's definitely more vulnerable than the other three. The other three are twice his size,” said Dr. Lisa Centonze.
A 911 caller thought she heard crying inside an Ybor City trash can and discovered the runt of a litter of four thrown away like garbage.
"He was in like a plastic I would say type of Walmart bag or something and it was tied so they had to rip it open,” said Hillsborough County Pet Resource Officer Kristie Lewis.
Hillsborough County Pet Resources Officer Kristie Lewis acted quickly in the mid-day heat. They say he wouldn't have lasted much longer.
"He was panting real hard,” said Lewis. "I took the puppy from them, put a piece ice on him, to try to cool him down, stuck some little bit of water on my finger and put it in his mouth."
Lewis and a Tampa Police Officer climbed under a nearby shed to rescue three other puppies and the momma dog. Tonight, they're still nursing but will be ok.
"It's tough. It gets to you but you know, you're trying to do the right thing for, for the animals,” said Lewis.
Their momma seems especially thankful.
“It feels real good and I guess you can tell Momma's happy too,” said Lewis.
Police are now trying to determine who the dogs belong to.