New Jersey man Franklin Zeigler has pleaded guilty to several charges in connection with the decapitation of a seagull he claimed tried to take his daughter’s fries in 2024.
As reported by the Asbury Park Press, police arrested Zeigler, who was 29 at the time of the incident, when they were called to the scene of Morey’s Pier on July 6, 2024. Authorities arrested him on charges of disorderly conduct, resisting arrest, and third-degree animal cruelty, the North Wildwood Police Department said. Zeigler reportedly reacted violently after a seagull attempted to steal his daughter’s fries and decapitated the bird with his bare hands.
ABC 7 Chicago reported that he approached staff at the North Wildwood boardwalk and asked for a trash bag as he held the dead seagull in his hands.
Police said that Zeigler “was irate and uncooperative with officers on an unrelated investigation,” in which he was facing several charges in connection with a domestic violence incident. In an appearance in court this week, Zeigler entered his guilty plea to animal cruelty charges and was sentenced by Judge Jeffrey Wilson. He was given 263 days in prison, which was credited to time served following his release in February, and was sent to a drug abuse recovery court program. In addition, he’s also been sentenced to five years of probation.
Animal advocacy groups have criticized what they view as a light sentence for Zeigler. In Defense of Animals described the verdict as “uncharacteristically light,” and argued that he should have been sentenced to 3-5 years in prison, based on similar cases of violence against wild animals.
“263 days and a $155 fine is a slap on the wrist for a third-degree felony,” said senior In Defense of Animals’ Justice for Animals campaigner, Doll Stanley. “This was a brutal act of torture committed in broad daylight in front of children. International human rights law recognizes the right of children to be protected from witnessing animal abuse. New Jersey law allows for severe penalties and mandatory community service to teach animal abusers the value of life, yet the court missed a critical opportunity to hold this individual fully accountable.”
