Meet Waddles: The 350-pound pig at the center of animal cruelty trial

LITHIA, Fla. - A legal battle in the case of a 350-pound pig named Waddles is heating up ahead of a non-jury trial Wednesday, following allegations that SPCA Tampa Bay left the animal to roast in the hot Florida sun.

Pinellas County legal dispute

What we know:

Exactly one year ago Friday, Kelly Dill — founder of the pig rescue, Pork Butt Pastures — said she saw Waddles at SPCA Tampa Bay in-person for the first time, and she rescued him. 

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Video that she recorded last year appears to show the pig covered in sunburns while in the organization’s care. 

"When I got there to see him, I was absolutely horrified at the condition he was in," Dill told FOX 13 in July 2025. "He was raw and bloody, with no water — just out in the hot sun, roasting."

Timeline:

In August, Pinellas County Animal Services cited the organization for animal cruelty. 

The SPCA paid the fine, "which constituted a guilty plea and an adjudication of guilt," according to court documents. However, the organization argued it paid the fine based on "inadequate legal advice."

Court records from March show a judge granted the SPCA’s motion "for postconviction relief and vacating adjudication" – essentially allowing the SPCA to take the plea back. In its ruling, the court said, "the SCPA did not understand the consequences of paying the fine and the SPCA would not have paid the fine had its board of directors been aware of the true consequences."

In June, the SPCA filed another motion – this one asking a judge to dismiss the case. The SPCA argued it’s immune from prosecution "because SPCA is a veterinarian and is thereby immune from animal cruelty claims" under Florida law. 

But a judge denied that motion this week, ruling the SPCA "is an establishment" and not a veterinarian. The case is scheduled to go to trial next week. 

"First and foremost, the Judge's ruling is not dispositive as to the issues of the case. It only holds that there are facts in dispute to be discussed at trial. SPCA remains ready to go to trial and confident in the anticipated result from the trial," SPCA’s trial attorney, Alec Waid said in a statement. "SPCA refutes the inaccurate accounts publicized by the protestors and look forward to the Court evaluating the evidence at trial."

Grady Irvin Jr, an attorney representing Waddles and his supporters, called the judge’s decision "fantastic." 

"Can you imagine what would happen if an organization were able to say, we can treat animals essentially any way we want to, and we can’t be prosecuted?" Irvin added. "Well, that would just be outrageous."

SPCA Tampa Bay defense

The other side:

The SPCA has consistently defended its care of Waddles, stating he came to the facility with pre-existing skin issues. 

In a statement sent to FOX 13 Friday, Waid said, "In the very short time that SPCA was in possession of Waddles after Waddles was abandoned with them, they provided proper treatment of Waddles' pre-existing conditions and acted quickly to find a permanent home for Waddles."

Last summer, SPCA president Martha Boden showed FOX 13 the large pasture and pen they had set up for Waddles, including a barn for shade and shelter and several mudholes. The SPCA said Waddles received veterinary treatment and had an enrichment plan.

"We feel really good about the way we were able to help him stabilize," Boden told FOX 13 in July 2025. "He had a barn for shade, mudholes to cool off in, and volunteers interacting with him."

Boden told FOX 13 in 2025 that the information put out by the public has created a false narrative of his care.

"Misinformation and speculation turns into attacks. And now we've got staff members that are getting name-calling and threats, and that kind of stuff doesn't help us as a community make sure that we're meeting the needs of animals," she said.

Pig recovering in Lithia

Local perspective:

After rehabbing and recovering with Dill, Waddles now lives on Connie Pavelich's ranch in Lithia.

"He has all the water, all the shade, all the food, all the fruits and veggies that he could possibly eat," Pavelich said. "We've enjoyed having him here very much. He's a great pig."

Now recovered, Waddles lives with two other pig friends and some chickens as Pavelich and Dill continue to work together on his care. 

"Kelly put on a lot of ointment on him, and we fed him real good," Pavelich said of the pig’s recovery. "We did his nails immediately. We did his tusks immediately. And in no time at all, he was doing amazing."

What's next:

According to online court records, the non-jury trial begins Wednesday in Pinellas County. 

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