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A New Jersey man who gruesomely killed a seagull trying to snack on his daughter’s French fries has received his sentencing.
Franklin Zeigler, on March 12, was handed a jail sentence of 263 days, which accounts for time he’s already spent in custody. He will also be on probation for five years, as confirmed by a representative from the New Jersey Courts to Oxygen. Furthermore, Zeigler has been entered into the state’s recovery court program, aimed at helping individuals struggling with substance abuse disorders.
Zeigler admitted guilt to third-degree animal cruelty and additional charges, as revealed in court documents reviewed by Oxygen.
The incident, which occurred in 2024, took place during a visit to Ocean Oasis Waterpark at Morey’s Piers in Wildwood, NJ. A group of seagulls descended upon Zeigler and his daughter’s cabana, aiming to steal her fries, according to a detailed memorandum.
Eyewitness reports, which were included in the legal documents, described Zeigler’s shocking act. Witnesses allege that he seized one of the birds with his hands, decapitated it with a pulling motion, and then disposed of the head in a trashcan. Following the incident, he reportedly flaunted the deceased bird and captured photos of the aftermath.
Waterpark staff reported to police that Zeigler’s acts were “frightening and disruptive,” read the memorandum, and as a result, he was formally removed from the theme park.
“During the investigation, Zeigler was irate and uncooperative with officers on an unrelated investigation,” read a Facebook post by the North Wildwood Police Department, “which resulted in his arrest for disorderly conduct & resisting arrest, both disorderly persons offenses.”
Zeigler admitted to killing the seagull, authorities noted in the doc, and that he acted defensively to the bird’s “imminent attack.”
Animal rights activists called Zeiger’s sentencing a “slap on the wrist.”
“This was a brutal act of torture committed in broad daylight in front of children,” spokesperson for the non-profit In Defense of Animals Doll Stanley said in a March 13 press release. “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.”
An attorney for Zeigler did not immediately respond to a request for comment from Oxygen.