Camilla Jessen
A man who killed a seagull in a crowded seaside area has avoided further jail time.
on July 6, 2024, Franklin Ziegler was arrested after killing a seagull at the North Wildwood boardwalk near Surfside Pier, according to reports.
Witnesses said the bird had tried to grab a fry from his daughter before Ziegler reacted.
In Defense of Animals stated that “horrified bystanders, many of them families and children, witnessed Zeigler publicly wrench off a seagull’s head.”
Authorities were called to the scene, where Ziegler was reportedly seen holding the dead bird.
He later admitted on police body camera footage that he killed the seagull after it bothered his daughter. Police also said he became confrontational during questioning.
Court outcome
Ziegler pleaded guilty to several charges, including third-degree animal cruelty.
He was sentenced to 263 days in jail but received credit for time already served, meaning he avoided additional prison time.
The court also imposed five years of parole along with $155 in fines and fees.
Instead of prison, Ziegler was admitted into a recovery court program.
His attorney, Jack Tumelty, said: “Mr. Ziegler was sentenced to recovery court probation (special probation) on March 12, 2026, and will be receiving outpatient treatment,” according to NJ.com.
The program is designed for offenders whose actions may be linked to substance abuse.
Animal rights groups strongly criticized the sentence.
In Defense of Animals said it was “profoundly disappointed” and described the punishment as too lenient.
Campaigner Doll Stanley called the killing “a brutal act of torture committed in broad daylight in front of children.”
She added: “263 days and a $155 fine is a slap on the wrist for a third-degree felony…”
Sources: NJ.com, In Defense of Animals
