SPCA Tampa Bay Pleaded Guilty To Animal Cruelty Charge For Waddles The Pig’s Sunburn

LARGO, FL — SPCA Tampa Bay pleaded guilty to an animal charge related to the treatment of Waddles the Pig, who was found with a severe sunburn while in the organization’s care last month, according to multiple reports.

Waddles was surrendered to the SPCA on July 10 and his skin condition got worse while in the agency’s care. This led to the county being cited by Pinellas County Animal Services.

Prior to the citation, a video of Waddles, showing his burnt skin, went viral on TikTok, garnering more than 2 million views, WTSP said.

“What I see is a pig that needs serious help,” Kelly Dill, founder of the rescue group Pork Butt Pastures, Inc., told Bay News 9 in August. “Severe sunburn, including — it appears to be on his eyelids, as well.”

She noted that pigs need sunscreen and access to shade, which SPCA Tampa Bay president and CEO Martha Boden claims he had in his housing, reports said.

“We focused a lot on making sure he had access to mud when he was outside of the barn so that he had lots of different options for getting in there and rolling around, getting that mud on his skin. We did see the skin sort of get better and then get worse and then get better,” said Boden, who added that Waddles already had the skin condition when he came to the SPCA.

Pork Butt Pastures, which took Waddles from the SPCA, said the pig has made a full recovery.

Initially, the SPCA told Fox 13 news that it planned to fight the charge.

"A lot of those allegations are false, and we want to make sure that people understand that while the pig was here, he was provided very good care," Boden previously told WTSP.

The organization later entered a guilty plea in the court system on Aug. 29, reports said.

The agency told Fox 13 in a statement, "We chose to resolve the recent citation from Pinellas County Animal Services so we can stay focused on what matters most – compassionately caring for the animals who depend on us for food, shelter, and medical treatment, rather than diverting our resources to a prolonged legal process. At SPCA Tampa Bay, the well-being of every animal in our care is our highest priority. We are deeply committed to ensuring every animal receives compassion, dignity, and the best chance at a safe, healthy life. We cared for Waddles with this deep commitment, and we are grateful that he is doing well. We value our long-standing collaborative relationship with Pinellas County Animal Services and hope this compromise lets us focus on what really matters - working together to protect and nurture the lives of animals in our community."

See Also:

• Boy Bitten By Shark While Snorkeling In FL Keys On Labor Day Recovering After Surgery: Reports
• Thinking She Was Being Scammed, Elderly Woman Found $108K In Unclaimed Funds: Bradenton Police
• FL Boy Snuck Out To Chick-Fil-A For Breakfast: Watch
• Woman Faces Animal Cruelty, Child Neglect Charges: Hillsborough County Sheriff
• Missing Swimmer's Body Found Off Anna Maria Island: Manatee County Sheriff