SPCA of Tampa Bay pleads guilty to animal cruelty charges after Waddles the pig found with burned skin

LARGO, Fla. - The SPCA of Tampa Bay has pleaded guilty to animal cruelty charges stemming from their treatment of a pig named "Waddles."

The backstory:

In July, a TikTok video of Waddles went viral, racking up more than 2.5 million video views, because of his severely burned skin. Advocates accused the SPCA of leaving Waddles out in the scorching hot sun, which caused his skin to burn, crack and bleed. 

RELATED: SPCA of Tampa Bay cited after Waddles the pig found suffering with burned skin

The county cited the SPCA for animal cruelty, and at the time, the SPCA president told FOX 13 that the allegations were false and said they intended to fight the citations. 

Big picture view:

However, court records showed that they entered a guilty plea on Friday. 

The other side:

A spokesperson for SPCA Tampa Bay released the following 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."

Dig deeper:

Waddles' skin is looking much better these days and is no longer burned. Pork Butt Pastures Rescue took the pig from the SPCA and said he's now made a full recovery.