It’s case police in Corpus Christi, Texas are trying to crack: Who is dumping dogs and puppies in recycling bins all over the city? The number of bins and dogs found keeps growing.

Watchdog Mary reported about this situation yesterday when the count of dogs found was just over a dozen, now it’s nearly two dozen. More animals were found today.

Since last week residents and officers have found 23 mother dogs and puppies left in five different recycling bins in different parts of the city. All the totes were zip tied shut with chicken wire.

On Friday, William Rudnicky found one of the bins next to a dumpster behind a movie theater where he works. “I saw the crate. It had a tarp over it and chicken wire,” he told Watchdog Mary.

Rudnicky and one of his coworkers pulled up the covering and were shocked to find six dogs in the tote, a mother dog and five pups. “We cut the top off because they were cram packed in there. Feces everywhere, they were covered from head to toe,” he said.

He fed the dogs, gave them water and called animal control officers who picked the animals up.

Shelter volunteers want people in the area to be on the lookout for these bins so any dogs inside can be saved as soon as possible. They don’t want them suffering in the heat, or getting out and hit by a car.

If you see dogs left in recycling bins call Corpus Christi Police or Animal Care Services immediately.

A Facebook page used to help dogs in need at the city’s shelter reports that the dogs are all being saved by FurEver United Rescue.

Officials are now investigating this as a case of animal cruelty. If you have any information on who dumped the dogs Corpus Christi investigators want to hear from you.

The city’s Animal Care Services is consistently overloaded with dogs in need and does euthanize for space reasons. The shelter works with in and out-of-state rescue groups. If you’re interested in helping to rescue, foster or adopt a dog, you should also contact the agency.